A night watching Nicole Scherzinger at a musical festival by the seaside; a stroll among buildings almost a thousand years old; a glimpse at the world’ smallest book – my trip to Azerbaijan was filled with a distracting amount of contrasts, which seemingly reflected the nature of the destination itself.
From boasting the largest flag in the world at 72 metres long and 36 metres wide to the aforementioned smallest book at 2×2 mm, capital city Baku is one such place that embodies many a great contradiction and proudly showcases an array of unique characteristics that make this place a, frankly, fascinating place to visit.
Sitting side by side you have the old and the new in Baku, from ancient building in the old town, to the likes of The Flame Towers in the distance Those who are new to Azerbaijan and its capital city (the lowest lying in the world, as it happens) will likely be just as surprised as I was at how modern and thriving this Middle Eastern gem really is.
I can’t say I knew much about Baku and the wider country prior to my visit and I was pleasantly surprised to find such beauty within its streets.
The range of architecture, which offered a stunning showcase of creativity among its exciting blend of ancient, 19th -century and futuristic buildings had me whipping my camera out at every turn.
And the fascinating history – from stories of the ancient fire worshippers to the more recent soviet occupation, and its long-held tradition of embracing many different cultures, which has shaped the place into what it is today – had me captivated as I toured the city’s streets.
Add to that the impressive plans for the future from one of the country’s biggest music stars, and it’s safe to say that I was captivated from the moment I landed.
A storied past One of the best ways to uncover a destination’s history is to see it up close and Baku is one such place that’s lucky enough to have retained an impressive amount of it.
Sitting side by side you have the old and the new, from the 8th-century mosque in the old town, to the likes of The Flame Towers, a trio of skyscrapers which light up the night sky in the colours of the country’s flag – blue, red and green.
Literally translating to ‘flame keepers’ Azerbaijan is well known as the country of fire due to natural gas oozing from the ground and creating natural fires.
For 2,000 years its habitants have been known as fire keepers, and fire worshippers – also known as Zoroastrians – have worshipped natural sites like Ateshgah for centuries, even creating a fire temple there. Be sure to head to the temple, on the ancient Silk Road, to learn about this unique religion.
Wander the streets of Inner Baku, the city’s walled old town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you’ll come up close to sights like the 11th -century sandstone Mosque tower; the 12th-centruy Maiden Tower; the 8th century Juma Mosque and the oldest in Azerbaijan; Caravanserai, where travelling parties would stop and stay; Shirvanshahs’ Palace, one of the pearls of the country’s architecture, and so much more.
The Museum of Miniature Books can be found here and you’ll spot some great views of the wider city with its more modern buildings sharing the skyline.
th -century architecture‘Outer Baku’ consists of the European style Baku with its 19th -century architecture (architecture fans will love this city with its blend of old and new in exquisite condition) in Baroque and Gothic styles.
Wander the boulevards, parks and squares, take in the fountains and gardens, and be sure to look up and around and admire every bit that makes up this fascinating city.
You’ll spot mosques, Jewish temples, Roman Catholic Churches and more – there are seven religions represented in the city. In fact, back in 1918, just before the Soviet occupation occurred, the then democratic state housed the first girls’ boarding school in Baku showing just inclusive and forward thinking this country always was.
The 350-mile wide country became independent once more in 1991 and since then Azerbaijan has seen a resurgence with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline bringing wealth to the country following its construction between 2003 and 2005.
Present day Baku The country’s wealth may have come from the oil, but the significant uptick in tourism came, somewhat surprisingly, from Azerbaijan’s win in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011.
A shock win resulted in a swift construction of the Baku Crystal Hall, which was completed in just eight months in order to be able to host the following year, as is traditional for the winners of the competition.
It’s a stunning example of the modern architecture that thrives throughout the city, with other highlights including the iconic and aforementioned Flame Towers – the first flame shaped architecture in the world and a nod to the country’s heritage; the Heydar Aliyev Center designed by Zaha Hadid, which boasts a completely curved design; and the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum of which the imposing façade resembles a rolled up carpet.
You’ll see a recurring theme of fluid forms within the modern architecture here and it’s a sight to behold.
During my stay, I was a guest at the superb five-star hotel, Ritz-Carlton Baku, the building of which offers a nod to Dubai’s Jumeirah Burj Al Arab with its curved sail-like design. Offering great food, excellent service, a sublime spa, gorgeous suites with every amenity you could hope for (I’m talking a pillow menu, one of the most lavish bathrooms I’ve seen, welcome chocolates made with the LLM logo, electronic curtains…).
What the hotel lacks in location (it sits outside of town, but it is close to the Heydar Aliyev Center) it makes up for in opulence.
Speaking of the cultural landmark, I paid a visit to the Heydar Aliyev Center, which was completed in 2007, and enjoyed a thorough tour, taking in the classic car museum on the lower ground floor with its impressive range of automobiles, from Cadillacs to Corvettes to Continentals – all stunningly preserved.
There are also galleries, which are full of treasures and both permanent and temporary exhibits. You’ll learn all about the city here from the history of carpets to the landmark buildings, which can be seen in miniature, alongside captivating exhibits like renowned Nigerian sculptor Dotun Popoola’s Reclaimed Beauty, which showcased 28 stunning works during my visit.
Add this to your must-visit list alongside Flag Square; Highland Park, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city; Baku Eye; the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum; and be sure to wander the streets of the smart and clean city centre where you can stop off at luxury designer stores and stylish dining hot spots like Gazelli Café, which provides delicious food as well as top-notch wellness experiences at the wider Gazelli House in which it sits.
Shirvanshah Museum Restaurant is another one to add to the list – the kitchen serves up local delights like juicy grilled meats and vegetables – and baklava and green tea to finish – alongside decorative interiors in this ancient building, which boasts artful décor and artefacts all with a live soundtrack of traditional music as you enjoy your meal.
As you wander the streets and spot the many sights, you get a glimpse of the country’s appreciation for music, poetry, art and architecture, which is enjoyed by the city’s 2.5 million-strong population.
You also won’t be able to miss the fact that Baku hosts the Azerbaijan Formula One here as some of the stands form a permanent feature in the city.
First held in 2016, the Baku City Circuit offers racers some exciting turns and viewers some great sights – such as the ancient city walls.
What’s in store for the future? The Formula One races and Eurovision aren’t the only international events to be held in the city, more recently, Cop 29 (The UN Climate Change Conference) was held in Baku in 2024 and just outside the capital, there’s something rather large and exciting brewing.
Just 30 minutes outside of Baku you’ll find Sea Breeze Resort, the mega resort with big dreams created by Emin (Agalarov), a music star and businessman who has his sights set on creating what can only be described as a new city on the coast of the Caspian Sea.
Currently, Sea Breeze Resort consists of more than 500 hectares of residences, beach, restaurants, swimming pools, cafés, beach clubs (including Nikki Beach), and hotels.
The future of the resort is, frankly, huge with plans for a university, schools, hospital, shopping malls, man-made peninsulas (think Dubai’s Palm Island) in the shapes of a half-moon, fire and a star, more villas, luxe hotels (including one resembling a cruise ship which is set for completion in 2026) and social facilities.
This is also the site for the annual Dreamfest Music Festival, of which I was a guest at this year – remember I mentioned Nicola Scherzinger at the beginning?
Last year’s event saw 70,000 visitors over six days and this year’s festival surely had more people singing and dancing along to the likes of the Pussycat Dolls singer (the 19-year-old in me was thrilled at Nicole’s performance of the group’s biggest hits!), Blue, Tyga, and Azerbaijani stars including the creator of Sea Breeze Resort himself, Emin, alongside Aygun Kazimova, and Roza Zergerli.
As Sea Breeze grows, so too do Emin’s ambitions, with plans for sister resorts across the world.
What will happen here, and back in Baku and across Azerbaijan, will no doubt continue to impress and attract intrigued visitors for years to come.
I, for one, cannot wait to return to this fascinating country and explore further and I urge others to do the same – I’m sure you’ll be surprised and delighted at what you discover, just as I was.
