Baku Must See: My Experience
Baku must see city! It was not a destination that was on my bucket list of places to visit. How unfortunate I would have felt if I had not got this opportunity to see this incredible city and make some exciting memories. Below is a narration of how all this started.
Hell, no! Not another winter trip. I had returned from a ten days travel in December from The United States of America, then Christmas and New Year holiday in Hong Kong. I was definitely not excited about another wintery journey. However, my nomadic star had other plans for me, and it was once again time for me to pack my boots and bulky winter coat and head off to Baku, Azerbaijan a must-visit city.
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How to get to Baku, Azerbaijan?
Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and Heydar Aliyev International is its international airport. It is served by some of the best airlines like, Emirates, Qatar, Azerbaijan Airline, Turkish, and Etihad Airways, just to name a few. The airport is located 30-minutes away from the city center. For details on transportation and lots more, you can jump to my article Baku, Azerbaijan Travel – Ultimate Guide
My Sentiments About Flying At An Ungodly Hour.
I am a grizzly bear when it comes to sleep so naturally, I detest taking early morning flights. In my opinion, these morning journeys are pure torture. When taking such flights, one does not sleep the previous night as have to get to the airport three hours prior to the flight departure. Well, my flight was scheduled for 5:00 am, which meant that I had to reach the airport three hours prior to the departure time. To top it off, I also have to endure the elongated torment of the flying hours, and it just gets worse if I am traveling economy class.
So here I was, with my hair styled to perfection, dressed in comfortable clothing, and leading a group of 101 people to Baku, Azerbaijan on Qatar Airways via Doha.
It was a 3-hours flight to Doha and I slept through the entirety of it. Not bad. We were then faced with a short transit of 2-hours in Doha, before continuing to Baku, which was only 2:45 minutes away. By the time I touched down in Doha, my energy had been boosted, courtesy of two strong cups of espresso and I was once again ready to conquer the unknown.
A Mouth-Gaping Moment: Doha To Baku Flight.
Qatar Airways from Doha operates a smaller aircraft, A320, with only economy and business class. Boarding in Doha went smoothly. Our flight was filled to its maximum occupancy and just when I thought the doors will be pulled to a close, and I’d be able to slip in a snooze, to my amazement, what do I see? Arab men dressed in ‘Taub’ entering the aircraft one after another. At least four must have come in. Holy Moses! What do we have here, no way! Each man carried in a stunning falcon with a leather hood on its head, sitting calmly on its trainer’s forearm. What an unbelievable sight!
Did you know? Azerbaijan is famous for falconry among the Qataris, Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Arabs from UAE. Azerbaijan has a total of five districts where falconry sport is enjoyed. Falcons are flown out here for training and hunting purposes.
It was also amazing to watch man and bird equally disciplined. During the entire journey, each man sat perfectly still, with his hand in a stationary position, holding on to his prized possession, without drinking or eating anything. Commendable! Yes, yes, I know, my unblinking eyes were glued onto those birds. After all, I have seen enough horror movies to last me a lifetime. Hence, at times my imagination gets the best of me.
Quick Facts About Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
- ATM machines along with bureau de change are available at the arrival and departure terminals.
- Numerous cafes and fast food outlets are available in both terminals.
- Duty-free is available at the international departure terminal, along with other shops.
- Luggage storage, with lost & found, is available in both the terminals.
- Free WIFI is at your disposal on arrival at Terminal one.
- Other available services are; baby changing facilities, smoking rooms, prayer rooms, sleeping pods, and pharmacy vending machines.
- SIM card counters are also available in the welcome/waiting area. However, mine was pre-purchased in the city by my tour operator.
First Impression: Walking Towards Immigration And Upon Exiting Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
Empty! Have we landed in the right city? Apparently, our flight seemed to be the only one that had landed at 10:30 am. I hurriedly made my way towards one of the super-efficient, good looking immigration officers. (Alright! Yes, I do admire beauty in any form. *Cheeky smile*). Lucky for me, on this group travel my teenage daughter was traveling with me so I knew she would take care of our bags.
While the rest of the group waited for their luggage, I rushed out of the airport to meet my tour operator, check on our group transportation, convert some dollars to the local currency, Manat, and organize with my agent McDonald’s meals for the whole lot.
Oops! Back to my first impression. The moment I stepped out of the airport, I had a feeling of zen engulf me. Yes, it was indeed cold, but nothing like the biting, chilly weather I had once experienced in Chicago. I breathed in the clean air and took in the tranquility that surrounded me. It honestly made me think that I had landed in a small city in Europe. Complete serenity surrounded me.
Furthermore, the airport didn’t have many people milling around, or cars parked in the parking lot in front of me, as we were there during the off-season. Guess it was all ours to embrace.
Drive From Airport To The Pullman Hotel: Architectural Haven.
How are the Azerbaijanis?
Amazing! Truly one-word encompasses as to how Azerbaijanis are like.
They are friendly, educated, welcoming, and good looking people. I guess their internal beauty and kindness reflects on to their exterior. I went to this country knowing little about the city and the people and left with fond memories and friendship of few.
Where Did I Stay in Baku?
With the group, I stayed at the Pullman Hotel. It is a five-star luxury hotel located in the heart of Baku’s historic and environmentally friendly area, Badamdar. All 280 rooms offer a private balcony and the room provides all the international amenities of a 5-star hotel. Furthermore, it also offers a large Aqua Park, with free access to its in-house guests, and an indoor swimming pool with treatment rooms.
The location is not ideal for me but at the same time not bad. If you wish to purchase chips, soft drinks, or liquor, then there is a small supermarket opposite the road from the hotel gate entrance. However, my suggestion would be that you take an Uber and head to the supermarket on the right-hand side of the hotel, about 5-minutes away. It is bigger, cheaper and all the alcohol that you can buy and consume is available there.
Would I stay again at this hotel? Probably not. I fancy hotels that are located in the downtown area. Wherever I can I prefer to explore a city on foot. Pullman Hotel is a 10-minutes drive from the old city and the other issue that was overall faced by many people in the group was with the WIFI. The signal was very poor in some of the rooms and I saw guests literally sitting outside their room doors, to catch WIFI signal. Therefore, instead of this hotel, for my next trip to Baku, I would opt for one of the below-mentioned hotels.
Best Places To Stay In Baku
Baku, Azerbaijan, in the past known to a few, has seen a tremendous boost in tourism industry in the last few years. The destination has become famous among individuals, families, honeymooners, and corporate travelers. This boom in tourism did not go unnoticed by the international hotel chains. Therefore, now in Baku, you can find luxury hotel chains like Marriott, Renaissance, Hilton, Hotel Fairmont and Kempinski, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Accor group’s Pullman Hotel and Radisson.
Luxury hotel situated in the heart of the city, on the Freedom Square. Baku’s main shopping, entertainment, and business districts are all within a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Baku Central Station is about 7-minutes’ walk and the international airport is 25 minutes by drive. WIFI is available at additional cost.
Located in the Flame Towers Complex. It has all the amenities of a luxury hotel. Baku’s Old City district and the Shirvanshahs’ Palace is 15-minutes walk from Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers. Free WIFI is available.
It is a 4-star hotel located in the city center and close by to most of the shopping malls. Fountain Square is 550 m, while Azerbaijan Opera and Ballet Theatre is 800 m away. Free WIFI is available.
Where We Dined?
I stayed for 4 days / 3 nights in Baku and with the group, I experienced the following restaurants.
Royal Garden Restaurant in the Old City – We sat inside as it was cold and anyway the alfresco dining portion of the restaurant could not accommodate our entire group. Click on the link above to read reviews about the restaurant on Tripadvisor.
Our Menu
Russian salad, mixed fresh vegetable salad, grilled vegetable salad, fresh herbs, cheese plate, fried eggplant rolls, liver pate, yogurt, Qutab with meat or herbal greens
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Chicken or lentil soup
Dolma, Lule (grilled ground meat), Chicken, Shah-pilaf (saffron rice with chestnuts, dried apricots, and lamb)
***
Baklava, Tea, Water, Compote
Passaj Restaurant – It was a huge restaurant, with live music, and dancing which some of us participated in. An elongated shop selling local souvenirs is also located here. Check out the Tripadvisor link to read reviews.
Menu
Fresh vegetable salad, cheese, pickles
***
Gutab with fresh herbs
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Stuffed tomatoes, eggplants and bell peppers
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Stuffed cabbage
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Chicken Saj
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Halva, Water, Compote, Tea
Our daily buffet breakfast was at the Peppermill Restaurant at the hotel. While afternoon meals were pre-packed lunch boxes that were served during our tours.
Baku Must See Places.
The fascinating city has so much to offer. I wish I had a few more days to explore the city. Unfortunately, in 4-days with the itinerary that was approved by the company, I only managed to visit the following Baku tourist attractions and shopping areas.
- Highland Park
- Baku Boulevard
- Shirvanshahs Palace
- Maiden Tower
- Juma Mosque
- Heydar Aliyev Center
- Flame Towers
- Ateshgah Temple
- Yanardag (burning mountain)
- Gala Outdoor Museum
- Shamakhi
- Diri Baba
- Yeddi Gumbaz
- Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory
- 28 Mall for shopping
- Nizami Street
- Fountain Square
Read my article Baku, Azerbaijan: Ultimate Travel Guide To The Capital. for more information on what to expect or how to plan your trip better.
A Few Unforgettable Memories Made In Baku
Above: Royal Garden Restaurant in the old city
Above: Flame Towers
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