Baku: 3-day sightseeing tour

Three days in Baku is a city that does not reveal itself at once: first as a welcoming embankment and tea aromas, then as a stone chronicle on narrow streets, and at the end — as a bazaar motley from which it is hard to leave with empty hands. The trip is unhurried: two nights in the center, breakfasts at the hotel, transfers and one busy day of walks, for which it is worth taking comfortable shoes and free pockets for souvenirs.

The rhythm of the trip is set by the contrast between the wide modern city and its old core. The first day is given to look around and choose your Baku: some prefer Nizami Street with shops, some — the Seaside Boulevard and a boat along Baku Bay in season, some — Azerbaijani tea, to which sweets and jams are served. Among the entertainment — the Deniz Mall and Crescent Mall shopping centers; the first is recognized by the shape of an eight-pointed star from the coat of arms and flag.

The second day is the main one in the program: a long walking tour, where behind the ceremonial facades of oil mansions another city begins. Here there will be the National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi with blue majolica, and the Ismailiyya Palace, and the former Alexandrian Women's Muslim School, and the Palace of Happiness, and the building of the city duma. Then the route goes to the Philharmonic Garden to the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev, and from there — to Icherisheher, where they view the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower from the outside, pass by the Multani and Bukhara caravanserais and look into souvenir shops. Lunch at a restaurant of the Old City and a walk through Little Venice are included in the comfort and premium tariffs; the gondola ride itself — for an additional fee. For those who grew up on Soviet cinema, a walk along these streets is a separate recognition.

The third day is short and practical: check-out from the hotel and transfer to the airport. If time remains before departure, it can be spent at the Yashyl Bazar — the Green Bazaar, where they try local delicacies and take home cheeses, honey, feijoa and walnut jams, dried fruits and black caviar.

The trip is suitable for those who want to get acquainted with the city without a race: one day — for yourself, one — for architecture and legends, one — for the road home with a full bag of gifts.