City attractions, beaches, rent a car

Entertainment and Attractions in Baku

The sights of glorious Baku can be divided into 3 parts: the buildings of the Soviet era, the Old Town and the modern.

The old part of Baku should include the Icheri Sheher Historical and Architectural Reserve, another name for which sounds like the Baku Acropolis. According to studies, the history of the city originated in this place and the first settlements appeared. The Maiden's Tower is a landmark, which with full confidence can be called a symbol of Baku. At the beginning of its time, it served as a fortress, and today it is a real find for tourists, because it not only has a majestic appearance, but also connects with itself many interesting legends. Nearby you can see the Palace of Shirvanshahs - a real miracle created by the talented architects of Azerbaijan. This is a huge cluster of buildings, within whose walls the rulers of Shirvan served. Here you could find everything from the baths and ending with the tombs. It was possible to visit the city only through the Shamakhi Gate. It is worth noting the fact that there are 10 mosques and baths on the territory of the reserve, the appearance of which is an example of Eastern architecture.

Only Gobustan rock carvings are located only 70 km from Baku. Today it is one of the most massive clusters. According to scientists, their age is about 10 thousand years. If you take a closer look at the drawings, you can see that they reflect the life of ancient people, as well as images of long-extinct animals.

Soviet architecture embodied Sabuchin station, the authorship of which belongs to Bayev. The houses of the USSR, houses, museums, libraries and the building of the Government, the special beauty of which is visible at night when the lights turn on, have remained. Let the Soviet architecture was famous for its monumentality, yet it is clear that there are also Eastern motifs that can be found in the forms of the station. And it does not look like an ordinary building, but as a real palace of the ruler.

Modern Baku attracts visitors to the city with its cozy parks and beautiful sculptures, such as a violinist, a girl with an umbrella, or a fashionable woman with a mirror. Flaming towers, the construction of which was completed in 2012, became the new object of tourists' attention. In terms of their height and functionality, they commemorate the capital complex Moscow-City.

If you go 30 km north-east of Baku, you can see the Surakhani settlement, the pearl of which is the Atashgah temple - a sacred place for fire-worshipers. Many buildings appeared here in the 18th century, but the temple complex was built much earlier. If once it was a place for pilgrimage, then today it is a favorite place for tourists from all countries.

What is necessary to do in Baku?

Visit the Baku Acropolis and be sure to climb to the top of the rich legends of the Maiden Tower. Particular attention should be paid to the Azerbaijani cuisine, which is famous for its diversity and hospitality of the owners.

On the market, you can easily find beautiful carpets, in the patterns of which all the beauty of the east is enclosed, and in addition, try real shawarma, the tastier which you will not find in any corner of the world.

Baku areas

Initially, Baku was a fortress, but over the course of several centuries this city became one of the most modern cities in the world, without losing its special flavor. Today Baku covers an area of 2 thousand square meters. km., and the number of residents above 2 million. In addition to Big Baku, the area includes 12 administrative units and a number of villages. Most of the city was born in the early XX century in the 20s - 30s.

It was during these years that the Nizami and Pirallahinsky areas appeared, which are the youngest among all the administrative units. Among residents and tourists, Nizami district is considered the most beautiful place in the city, because there is a very famous bazaar “8km” here. The center of Baku is the most expensive and elite part of the metropolis. These include the Narimanov, Nasimi and Sabail districts. On the outskirts of the same usually are more budget housing and shops. Those who come to Baku for a warm beach, go to the Khazar or Karadag regions, which are located near the Caspian Sea.

A lot of tourists come to Karadag district for the sake of interesting places, among which there is, for example, Gobustan reserve, where you can see a variety of rock paintings. Also, when visiting this area, tourists can not look at the Kereki volcano and the cemetery of animals and plants, preserved from the 4th period. All this is located in the village of Binagadi, attracting a lot of people. Absheron Park is another important attraction, which is located in the Khazar district on an area of approximately 7 square meters. km.

Here, tourists can meet with the rich nature of Azerbaijan and see the jackal, mute swan, marsh moon and other various rare and unusual animals. If you want to look at the architecture and ancient buildings, then you should visit the Sabail district, where the Juma mosque, the Haji Gaiba bath, Icheri Sheher are located. In addition, there is a multi-purpose water park Kempinski Hotel Badamdar.

Beaches in Baku

All those who come to Baku in the summer especially note the presence of beautiful beaches. And they are right. There are a lot of them in Baku. Such Baku villages as Buzovna, Novkhani, Mardakian, Shuvalan and so on can boast of beaches with clean sand, plenty of canopies for tourists, volleyball and football zones.

The most popular beaches are located in this area. There are also beaches located in the Shikhov area. These beaches are closer to the city center and the main hotels, such as the Marriott Hotel, Boulevard Hotel, Hillton, Forsissens, etc. If you want to live near the sea, I advise you to stay at the Jumeira Hotel, which is located nearby from the airport. The hotel boasts a luxurious beach and excellent service. All beaches have car parking, changing rooms and showers. And of course restaurants that will not leave you indifferent, as the Azerbaijani cuisine is gorgeous. Prices on the beaches are low. Approximately from 15 to 30 manats per shed. If you do the calculation for two, taking into account the power, it will be about 60 manat. This is about $ 35.

The beaches in Baku are flat. These are not the same sensations as in the ocean, since the depth of the Caspian Sea can be felt after passing a decent distance from the coast. All beaches have rescue towers and constantly running jet skis with lifeguards who carefully carry out their duties.

Despite the fact that Baku is located right next to the Caspian Sea, and the sea not far from the Absheron Peninsula still holds many different secrets, diving is not very popular for tourists. Only in the 2000s on Baku, clubs for beginners and not only divers became a novelty. Classes are held in a special deep indoor pool. All training is conducted during 10 workouts and tests. Including warend equipment, the total cost of passing the course is 380 AZN. With such a long-awaited certificate, there is a unique opportunity to dive with professional divers on the island of Pirallahi.

Tourism in Baku

For those who are ready to dive to the very bottom of the Caspian Sea, the most amazing finds in different periods of history will be ships that have gone under water. The chances of seeing both ancient ships and relatively new ones are approximately equal. Baku has many stories about the depths of the sea. For example, about cities left under water, golden riches and lost treasures that the Caspian hides.

Hotels and overnight in Baku

More than an extensive choice of a tourist in search of an overnight stay, and many will be pleasantly surprised by the numbers and level of service. In addition to unpretentious and inexpensive options in the capital, it is possible to stay in a decent hotel at a reasonable price.

For tourists with strictly limited budget or just lovers of more extreme tourism there are hostels in any convenient part of Baku. A bed for a night in a shared room will cost from 450 to 1,300 rubles, but you will need to think thoroughly about the safety of your property, it will not be a great decision at all to show that you have at least something other than money spent for the night.

Travelers who are not short of money, of course, more suitable hotel near the center. The price of a double room is from 1300 rubles, including Internet and parking. There are also luxury hotels in Baku, a night in which will cost you 4,000 rubles for the cheapest room, or about 40,000 for a suite.

Rent a car in Baku

For the convenience of moving to Baku, it is necessary to rent a car, the average price of a car varies from 50 AZN per day.