Baku in 3 Days — 3-Day Guide

Baku in 3 days: a city shaped by oil money across three centuries, from the Belle Époque sandstone palaces of the first oil boom to the Flame Towers and Zaha Hadid's curvilinear cultural centre of the second — wrapped around a UNESCO medieval walled city of Zoroastrian towers.

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📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

Day 1 — Old City, Maiden Tower & Flame Towers at Night

Day 2 — Heydar Aliyev Centre, Carpet Museum & Boulevard

Day 3 — Gobustan UNESCO Rock Art & Mud Volcanoes

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	Azerbaijani (Azeri — a Turkic language written in the Latin alphabet since 1991; very similar grammatically to Turkish). Russian is widely understood by anyone over 35 as a legacy of the Soviet period. English is spoken at upscale hotels, the Heydar Aliyev Centre, and in the Fountain Square tourist area, but limited elsewhere. Cyrillic signage sometimes still appears alongside Latin-script Azerbaijani.
Currency	Azerbaijani Manat (AZN). Fixed exchange rate approximately AZN 1.70 = €1 (the Manat has been pegged since 2015). ATMs throughout the city centre accept international Visa/Mastercard. US Dollars accepted at some hotels. Cards widely accepted at restaurants and shops in the tourist areas. Cash essential for markets and taxis.
Transport	Baku Metro (two lines, AZN 0.50/ride, extremely cheap; the Soviet-era stations (Nizami, 28 May, İçərişəhər) are ornate — marble, mosaics, chandeliers). Buses (AZN 0.30). Taxis: BakuTaxi app (AZN 2–5 most city trips). Yandex Go (Russian Uber equivalent) widely used (AZN 2–6). Walking for the Old City, Boulevard, and Fountain Square area.
Best time	April–June (spring — temperatures 16–24°C, the city's parks are in bloom, lower tourist numbers, excellent conditions for Gobustan; Novruz (Persian/Azerbaijani New Year, March 21) brings cultural events and traditional foods). September–October (autumn — 18–28°C, ideal for the Caspian coast promenade and the Gobustan rock art visit). July–August: very hot (35–40°C) and humid from the Caspian.
Getting in	Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD): 25km from city centre. Baku Metro Line 1 (Purple): direct connection to the city centre (İçərişəhər station, AZN 0.50, 40 min). Taxi: AZN 30–40 (app-based), AZN 50–60 (metered). Direct flights from Istanbul (1.5 hrs), Moscow (2.5 hrs), Dubai (2.5 hrs), London (4.5 hrs, Azerbaijan Airlines).
Tipping	10% at restaurants (service charge not usually included). Tea houses: no tip. Taxi (Yandex/BakuTaxi): round up. Tour guides: AZN 10–20/day. Gobustan mud volcano driver: AZN 10–15 tip for the full day, appropriate if they wait and include Yanar Dağ.
Safety	Baku is very safe for tourists. The Old City and Boulevard are among the most policed areas in the city. Petty theft is low by European standards. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (Armenia-Azerbaijan) is politically sensitive — avoid discussing it or expressing strong opinions. Do not photograph military installations or border areas. The road to Gobustan has some rough sections; ensure your vehicle is appropriate.
Budget tips	İçərişəhər (Old City): free to walk. Maiden Tower: AZN 8. Palace of Shirvanshahs: AZN 4. Heydar Aliyev Centre: AZN 10. Carpet Museum: AZN 5. Gobustan museum: AZN 8. Yanar Dağ: AZN 2. Metro: AZN 0.50. Budget AZN 50–90 (€29–53)/day.