Azerbaijan: a modern country of fire
Azerbaijan is known as the land of Fire — it is a country where the flames can burst the earth in unexpected places. There are places near Baku where you can see eternal flames from the ground or even from the water. And the natural gas reserves cause unusual geological effects, such as bubbling mud volcanoes.
And in the midst of this fiery desert, on the shore of an inland sea, sits one of the most prolific collections of modern architecture in the world. The most famous are three modern towers in the form of flames, which illuminate at night with even more flames.
When you mention modern architecture against a desert, where do you think first? Dubai, maybe, or Doha, Qatar? I had a similar atmosphere of Baku. Azerbaijan is rich in oil money, thanks to its location next to the Caspian Sea, which has led to insane levels of recent development.
While Dubai and Doha have their share of modern buildings, Baku stretches like neither city. While driving around Baku, it seems strange that you can navigate on so many hills and see all kinds of modern and interesting buildings.
In this unusual environment, there are many cool places in Baku to explore and enjoy.
The best things to do in Baku
The beauty of visiting a city like Baku is that there is no established hiking trail — you don’t have to jump from view to view.
Dine overlooking the Flame Towers. On a whim, I found myself in the panoramic restaurant. While most windows give away from the flame towers, there is a small outdoor patio with only three tables that has a view of the flame towers! Do what I did-go early in the day to check it out, then reserve for that exact table for the sunset that evening.
Explore the old City of Baku. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place where architecture is very different from the rest of the modern city. The Old Town dates back to the 6th century and gives you an insight into the incredible cultural history of this region of Zoroastrian, Sassanid, Arab, Shirvani, Persian, Ottoman and Russian cultures. The Maiden Tower is an ideal place for a view of the Flame Towers. And just outside the Old City is the Azerbaijani Carpet Museum.
Visit the markets. What struck me about the markets in Baku is how spotless they are. I am used to seeing how many products are thrown in all directions; it seems that the Azerbaijanis are making every effort to form their products into the most aesthetic stacks. The conical shapes on mango slices and dried flowers are perfect.
It also extends to larger fruits. The apples were stacked in clean, straight lines; perfect green watermelons formed the perimeter. One table even grouped tomatoes not only by type but by size and arranged them into perfect mounds!
I usually feel a little uncomfortable in the markets because I feel guilty about not buying anything, but I felt more relaxed here. This and the men stopped me to try macadamia nuts—the best macadamia nuts I’ve ever tried. Did I buy some? No. Macadamias are a food I avoid, because if I have one, I will have a million of them.
Discover the Heydar Aliyev Center. In a city full of modern architecture, it is one of the most famous buildings of all (and a symbol of Azerbaijan, named after its beloved leader). The building contains a museum and a conference center with rotating exhibitions. But even if you do not go inside, it is worth it because it is in the middle of a huge park, which becomes a place to see and be seen at sunset.
It is easily the best Instagram spot in Baku. I recommend coming around sunrise or sunset for the best light.
Enjoy the cafe scene. While the old town was surprisingly deader than I expected, I loved the neighborhood to the east. This area was filled with all sorts of interesting cafes and restaurants, and I loved walking and exploring.
Spend an evening on the Caspian Sea. I was a little surprised that there is so little seafood on the menus in Baku, although they are right on the sea. But there is one place where seafood is the star: Derya Fish House.
As soon as you leave your taxi, you’ll come to a windy waterfront full of locals celebrating the end of the day. Oh, and it’s inexpensive! We both had a whole fish, bread, a bowl of olives, eggplant caviar, lemons, pickled vegetables, cheese and a pomegranate sauce on the side
Best Day Trips from Baku
The best day trip from Baku is its most famous day trip-to Qobustan to see mud volcanoes and petroglyphs. Qobustan National Park (also called Gobustan) is a little less than an hour’s drive from Baku.
Qobustan is known for its mud volcanoes. To get there, you need an all-terrain vehicle. When my car hit the side of the road, I assumed we were going to get into some kind of jeep — but I was surprised when we got into a tiny Soviet-era Lada! It did not seem that it would take a day in the desert, let alone go off-road to mud volcanoes!
And soon we reached the mud volcanoes.