An Eastern city with a Western outlook, Baku is an exceptional combination of antiquity and novelty with several sites of interest. A constantly evolving tapestry of life and energy from bazaar to Jazz clubs, prepare to be mesmerized by Azerbaijan!

For millennia, Azerbaijan has been at the crossroads of history. Azerbaijan’s unique geography and location have resulted in a cuisine influenced by the land’s natural ingredients. It has also assimilated the flavors of the travelers that passed through its heartlands. Indulge your palate with unique flavors and expect a plethora of gourmet options to delight food connoisseurs.

If you just have a few days to travel below are the top six things to do in Azerbaijan

Check out the primitive petroglyphs of Gobustan – 60 km from Baku

Rising out of the semi-desert Gobustan is a UNESCO World Heritage site of more than 6,000 rock engravings, which go back 40,000 years. You can also see graffiti by a Roman legionary – the furthest east it has ever been found. The Petroglyphs of Gobustan are artistic chronicles of the past. They bear great importance both for the study of the pre-history of humanity and spheres of primitive art. Gobustan’s monuments span across a period of approximately 20 thousand years beginning from the end of Upper Palaeolithic till the beginning of our era.

Besides that, did you know that about 350 out of the 800 mud volcanoes known in the World are located in Azerbaijan? Most of them are situated near the Gobustan preserve. Some of the volcanoes are considered natural monuments and resources of Azerbaijan.

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Ride a Gondola in Baku Boulevard

Unwind and breathe in the salty fresh air of the Caspian ocean while you stroll across the Baku Boulevard. Within it, you will find a small Venetian dream made up of a myriad of islands with gondolas sailing through the canals and restaurants dotted across the shore.

Azerbaijani craftsmen are famed for their ‘Shebeke’ – a mosaic of colored glass set in wooden latticework and assembled without nails or glue. Consisting of 5,000 wooden and glass details on average, ‘Shebeke’ of Sheki Khan Palace is unique, making it a real visual feast.

The perfect ending to the day at the Palace would involve savoring on a lip-smacking meal. Indigenous to the Sheki region, piti is a warm and homely lamb stew. Interestingly, it is also a gustatory delight with the intricate process of separating the broth from the mince, you can personally sprinkle in the spice you prefer and blend it all together to create that perfect flavor profile. This is sure to take your imagination to the ancient times of Sheki when it was famed for being the key spot to stop at on the silk route.

The night cannot end without a chance to bite into the crunchy sweetness of pakhlava. Coated with flakes of golden skin and stuffed with crunchy nuts and filo pastry doused in a delicate sugar syrup, it’s hard to stop at just one small piece.

Rejuvenate your body and senses

Getting messy never felt so therapeutic. Spend the day indulging in therapeutic wellness treatments where the curative properties of crude oil baths (yes – soaking in liquid oil) is used to treat musculoskeletal system diseases, as well as neurological, urological, gynecological, skin and other ailments.

Soak up the healing properties of Azerbaijan’s natural resources and gentle climate with views of the landscape boasting awe-inspiring and vibrant colors at Chinar Hotel & Spa Naftalan, which is a 4-hour drive from Baku. The Naftalan Health Centre, located in Baku is another option for the ones who have limited time but want to apply this unique treatment.

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Discover Icherisheher

The walls of Icherisheher whisper the ancient mysteries of the city. Known as old town or inner city, it is located in the heart of Baku and is a maze of narrow roads spotted with limestone buildings. A sight that’s difficult to miss is the Shirvanshahs’ Palace and Maiden Tower, both listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites List. The Palace itself is known as the Pearl of Azerbaijani architecture as it is made up of several different structures built throughout the ages with each adding a beautiful amalgamation of medieval, Asian and Islamic influences.

Maidan Tower

Another mystery is the Maiden Tower. This cylindrical stark tower has baffled historians and to date has theories aplenty about its origins and the exact date of construction. Despite that, it is one of the most iconic structures in the city housing a museum covering the history of Baku and marked around it are beautiful scriptures that hint at the possible roots of this historical feat. It is also home to the International Festival of Arts and regularly showcasing work from innovative artists against its mystic backdrop.

Museum of Miniature Books

Besides that, Icherisheher offers some of the most eccentric and outstanding feats. The Museum of Miniature Books, a Guinness Book record-holder, open to all for free, houses the largest number of miniature books at 5,600 and don’t forget to spot your national flag to find books from your home country. Another place to stop by is the Ali Shamsi Studio, a wonderland of paintings that transport you to another dimension of reality and mind-boggling installations. You will often find the artist and philosopher Ali Shamsi there who can talk you through the burgeoning art scene in the city.