Azerbaijan · 3 days · 15 stops
3 days in Baku – a ready-made itinerary
Baku lies on a wide bay of the Caspian Sea; around its walled old town, the oil boom produced a city of grand facades. One day covers the old town and the boulevard, one the museums and new buildings, one the rock art of Gobustan and the mud volcanoes south of the city. In the city the stops are in walking order.
In short
- Length
- 3 days, 15 stops
- Highlights
- Maiden Tower, Heydar Aliyev Center, Bibi-Heybat Mosque, Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Carpet Museum
- Day trips
- Gobustan and the mud volcanoes
- Where to stay
- Old town (Icherisheher), Around Fountains Square and Nizami Street
- Getting around
- The old town, the boulevard and Nizami Street are close together and easy to walk.
- Best time to go
- April to June and September to October are the most pleasant.
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Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. YesTrip editorial team · Updated: .
Top things to do in Baku
12 places you should not miss in Baku – each one is in the plan below with a time and the way there.
Maiden TowerThe round stone tower at the edge of the old town is the city's landmark. From the top you look over the lanes and the bay.Day 1
Palace of the ShirvanshahsA 15th-century palace complex with a mosque, mausoleum and bathhouse, at the top of the old town's hill.Day 1
Carpet MuseumThe building looks like a half-rolled carpet. Inside hang knotted carpets from every region of the country.Day 1
Baku BoulevardThe long seafront promenade on the Caspian, laid out over a hundred years ago. Good for a walk in the wind.Day 1- Highland ParkA park on the hill above the bay, reached by funicular from the boulevard. In the evening it looks over the city and the Flame Towers.Day 1
Heydar Aliyev CenterA cultural centre by the architect Zaha Hadid, made entirely of flowing white curves. Exhibitions inside, a wide park outside.Day 2
National Museum of HistorySet in the lavish town house of the oil magnate Taghiyev from around 1900, with finds from many centuries.Day 2
Nizami Museum of LiteratureStatues of famous poets stand in the niches of the facade. The building sits right on Fountains Square.Day 2
Nizami StreetThe city's shopping street, with facades from the oil-boom era. Very lively in the evening.Day 2
Bibi-Heybat MosqueA mosque with domes and minarets on the coast road heading south – a short stop on the way.Day 3
Gobustan rock artThousands of figures of people, animals and boats carved into the rock, many thousands of years old. A UNESCO World Heritage site with a museum.Day 3- Mud volcanoesSmall cones that bubble with cold grey mud. After rain the access track is often difficult.Day 3
Day 1
The old town and the boulevard
Maiden Tower
The round stone tower at the edge of the old town is the city's landmark. From the top you look over the lanes and the bay.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Maiden Towerabout 5 min on foot
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
A 15th-century palace complex with a mosque, mausoleum and bathhouse, at the top of the old town's hill.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Palace of the Shirvanshahsabout 10 min on foot
Fountains Square
A square with fountains just outside the old town walls. The streets around it serve qutab, plov and tea.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Fountains Squareabout 20 min on foot
Carpet Museum
The building looks like a half-rolled carpet. Inside hang knotted carpets from every region of the country.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Carpet Museumright next door
Baku Boulevard
The long seafront promenade on the Caspian, laid out over a hundred years ago. Good for a walk in the wind.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Baku Boulevardabout 10 min on foot
Highland Park
A park on the hill above the bay, reached by funicular from the boulevard. In the evening it looks over the city and the Flame Towers.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Highland Park
Day 2
Museums, a market and new buildings
Heydar Aliyev Center
A cultural centre by the architect Zaha Hadid, made entirely of flowing white curves. Exhibitions inside, a wide park outside.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Heydar Aliyev Centerabout 2.0 km as the crow flies – by bus, train or taxi
Taza Bazaar
A large market with fruit, spices, cheese and dried fruit. Good for tasting, with small places to eat around it.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Taza Bazaarabout 30 min on foot
National Museum of History
Set in the lavish town house of the oil magnate Taghiyev from around 1900, with finds from many centuries.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): National Museum of Historyabout 5 min on foot
Nizami Museum of Literature
Statues of famous poets stand in the niches of the facade. The building sits right on Fountains Square.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Nizami Museum of Literatureabout 5 min on foot
Nizami Street
The city's shopping street, with facades from the oil-boom era. Very lively in the evening.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Nizami Street
Day 3
Gobustan and the mud volcanoes
Gobustan is outside the city, about 60 km to the south-west. Most people go by taxi or on a tour; the last stretch to the mud volcanoes is a dirt track.
Bibi-Heybat Mosque
A mosque with domes and minarets on the coast road heading south – a short stop on the way.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Bibi-Heybat Mosqueabout 43.0 km as the crow flies – by bus, train or taxi
Gobustan rock art
Thousands of figures of people, animals and boats carved into the rock, many thousands of years old. A UNESCO World Heritage site with a museum.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Gobustan rock artabout 7.4 km as the crow flies – by bus, train or taxi
Mud volcanoes
Small cones that bubble with cold grey mud. After rain the access track is often difficult.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Mud volcanoesabout 51.8 km as the crow flies – by bus, train or taxi
The old town by night
Back in Baku: the lanes and old caravanserais of the old town serve plov, dolma and tea.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): The old town by night
Good to know
Best time to go
April to June and September to October are the most pleasant. July and August are hot; winter is cool. Baku is known as the city of winds, so a jacket for the evening by the water is almost always a good idea.
Getting around
The old town, the boulevard and Nizami Street are close together and easy to walk. Metro and buses run on a rechargeable card, and taxis are usually ordered by app. For Gobustan, hire a taxi for the day or join a tour. Buses and taxis run from the airport into the centre.
Where to stay
Old town (Icherisheher)
Inside the old town walls, with Maiden Tower and the palace on foot. Quiet in the evening, with short walks to the boulevard.
Around Fountains Square and Nizami Street
In the middle of the city, with places to eat, shops and the metro on the doorstep. Livelier at night.
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More on Baku in our blog: How many days in Baku? 3 with Gobustan
Your plan
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Baku: frequently asked questions
What are the must-see sights in Baku?
The must-see sights in Baku are Maiden Tower, Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Carpet Museum, Baku Boulevard, Highland Park and Heydar Aliyev Center. This plan links 12 of them into short walks over 3 days – with times, a map and tips.
Are 3 days enough for Baku?
For the city and one day trip, yes. With more time, the Absheron peninsula is worth it, with the Ateshgah fire temple and the burning hillside of Yanar Dag.
How do I get to Gobustan?
The easiest way is a taxi for the day or a guided tour that combines the rock art and the mud volcanoes.
What should I wear in mosques?
Cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes. Women wear a headscarf.
What do I need to know about entry rules?
Rules can change. Check your government's official travel advice before you go.
Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. Coordinates checked with Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap (Photon). Photo: Faik Nagiyev, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. More in Sources & licences. YesTrip is a trip planner, not a travel agency – nothing is booked.
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