A view along Baku's waterfront, with the Flame Towers and TV tower in the distance. Getty Images
A view along Baku's waterfront, with the Flame Towers and TV tower in the distance. Getty Images
A view along Baku's waterfront, with the Flame Towers and TV tower in the distance. Getty Images
A view along Baku's waterfront, with the Flame Towers and TV tower in the distance. Getty Images

A luxury guide to Baku, Azerbaijan


  • English
  • Arabic

Why Baku?

An engaging blend of Dubai, Paris, Marrakech and Moscow, Baku, now just a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Abu Dhabi, makes for an excellent luxury weekend break, especially after the recent relaxation of visa restrictions (apply online via https://evisa.com.az/en/).

Once a meeting point on the Silk Road, today, modern architecture, including the Flame Towers and Zaha Hadid's superlative Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre, is juxtaposed with a Unesco-listed old town ringed by original, though restored, city walls and many interesting buildings.

Walking in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan
Walking in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan

The city boasts dozens of museums, from the general to eccentric and historic to cutting-edge, and its geographical location on a peninsula jutting into the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake, is as spectacular as it is unusual. Travelling from the Gulf, the comparisons in terms of the importance of oil and gas, its Islamic heritage and halal food, not to mention its strategic position, give it additional relevance. In summer, its climate and beaches have obvious appeal.

Mostly walkable, safe and with low-cost taxis and high-end accommodation, shopping and dining – probably the finest in the Caucasus region – make it both interesting and easy. Caspian Waterfront, a striking new entertainment centre and mall on the Bulvar and shaped like a flower, is set to open this year.

Spend four nights in the city to visit fascinating sites on the nearby Absheron Peninsula. These include the beautiful Fire Temple at Suraxanı, which was originally built by Zoroastrians though the current structure dates from the 18th century, and Fire Mountain (also known as Yanar Dag), one of the few remaining natural gas fires that burns continuously thanks to the steady seepage of gas from just beneath the surface of the earth.

The Fire Temple at Suraxani. Rosemary Behan
The Fire Temple at Suraxani. Rosemary Behan

There's also Pir Hasan, a site where superstitious locals break bottles to cure themselves of nervousness, the Mir Movsum Ziyaritagah shrine, with a glittering mirrored interior, and the impressive Mardakan Castle, dating from 1225.

The Mir Movsom Ziyaritagah shrine on the Absheron Peninsula. Rosemary Behan
The Mir Movsom Ziyaritagah shrine on the Absheron Peninsula. Rosemary Behan

A comfortable bed

The Four Seasons Baku enjoys a prime position sandwiched between the waterfront and the old city. The neoclassical building has 171 rooms and feels palatial without being gaudy. Rooms cost from 593 Azerbaijani manats (Dh1,291) per night, including taxes.

Four Seasons Hotel Baku. Courtesy Four Seasons Hotel Baku
Four Seasons Hotel Baku. Courtesy Four Seasons Hotel Baku

Up on the hill with more of an overview of the city, the Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers, which is 28 storeys high and contains 300 rooms. Rooms here cost from 305 manats (Dh664) per night, including taxes.

Find your feet

The Lonely Planet guide to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan features a good four-kilometre, three-hour self-guided walking tour that takes you from the Maiden's Tower, a 29-metre high, 12th-century structure facing the waterfront – it's worth paying the entrance fee to climb up to the top for a good overview of the city.

The Maiden's Tower in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan
The Maiden's Tower in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan

Carry on north through the backstreets of the old city, ticking off mosques, old hammams, the city walls, cafes and the worthwhile Palace of the Shirvanshahs, before a stop at the free Museum of Miniature Books. Inside is a collection of tiny Qurans, each only a couple of centimetres wide.

One of a collection of miniature Qurans in Baku. Photo by Rosemary Behan
One of a collection of miniature Qurans in Baku. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Survey the French-style architecture east of the old city on your way to Fountains Square, the city’s main gathering place, before tracking west to take the funicular up to Sahidlar Xiyabani, a cemetery, memorial and viewpoint opposite the Flame Towers.

Meet the locals

Stroll along the Bulvar, a handsome promenade dating from 1909 that runs for several kilometres. The architecture is from when the city was a gathering place for the world’s oil barons, and the wealth that followed. Strolling families, courting couples, joggers, cyclists and chess players mean that it’s well used.

Baku's Bulvar, or promenade. Rosemary Behan
Baku's Bulvar, or promenade. Rosemary Behan

Book a table

Dining doesn’t get more authentic than a room in a 16th-century caravanserai in the old city. Karvansaray is split into two parts, a tea house and restaurant. On both sides, you can sit inside one of the original small rooms set around a courtyard, where travellers and merchants on the Silk Road would rest while they marketed their goods. The rooms’ fireplaces are gas-lit and hugely atmospheric. A simple but delicious dushbara or arista meat soup, the first with tiny dumplings and the second with noodles, in a delicious hot broth, costs 4 manats (Dh9). The pumpkin kutub, or stuffed pancakes (1.50 manats [Dh3]), are also worth trying, along with the delicious, perfectly stone-baked tandir bread.

Traditional soups at Karavansaray in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan
Traditional soups at Karavansaray in Baku's old town. Rosemary Behan

For those who prefer to eat local food in a less traditional setting, Firuza on Fountains Square is also recommended for value.

Between Fountains Square and the Bulvar, Paris Bistro has an attractive location on a square and offers French classics at mid-range prices. Nearby, sushi fans should head to the upmarket Zakura, which offers quality dishes such as crispy gyoza, tuna sashimi salad and Tokyo rolls from 6 manats (Dh13). From the same management with similar prices is the similarly excellent pan-Asian Chinar.

The area next to Port Baku Mall features a selection of slick, quality restaurants, including Harbour, a seafood restaurant; a branch of Movida; Masu, a Japanese restaurant; and Scalini, an Italian fine dining restaurant. See portbaku-dining.az for more details.

Shopper’s paradise

The pedestrianised Nizami Kucasi, which runs south from Fountains Square to the Bulvar, is a European-style shopping street. The Bulvar and streets running off it offer outlets of most of the world's luxury brands, including Bulgari, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana and Tiffany. If you prefer a mall, there are plenty to choose from, though the three-storey, 32,000-square-metre Port Baku Mall is the only solely luxury option.

In the old city and city centre, traditional copperware, Azerbaijani teas (Azeri chai) and their signature curved glass Armudu teacups are popular buys (crystal ones will set you back from 20 manats [Dh44] each), along with sweets, silk scarves and rugs.

Caviar is also a third of the price you would pay in Europe, at about 120 manats (Dh261) for a 113-gram pot.

What to avoid

This year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place on April 29, so unless you like Formula One, avoid this whole week – the best hotels will be busier and more expensive, and the city will be harder to get around, with the streets defaced by concrete blocks and tall wire fencing.

Don’t take photographs of official buildings or jaywalk.

Don’t miss

Make the effort to get out to the 57,000-square-metre Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre, which was deliberately built without any straight lines and is a visual feast from every angle. There’s a surprising amount to see inside, too, from archaeological finds and ancient manuscripts to an impressive collection of post-1960s fashion and contemporary art. The centre’s cafe-restaurant is also beautiful; standard tickets 15 manats (Dh32).

The Heydar Aliyev Centre is home to a museum and an auditorium, and the distinct building is one of the world's greatest examples of late architect Zaha Hadid's work. Photo by Rosemary Behan
The Heydar Aliyev Centre is home to a museum and an auditorium, and the distinct building is one of the world's greatest examples of late architect Zaha Hadid's work. Photo by Rosemary Behan

Getting there

Etihad flies direct to Baku three times a week. Tickets cost from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.

Getting around

One-day guided tours of Baku's old city cost from US$98 (Dh360) per person, and tours of the Absheron Peninsula cost from $118 (Dh433) through Voyage Tours Azerbaijan.

______________

Read more:

Hotel Insider: Four Seasons Baku, Azerbaijan

Etihad starts flights to Baku, Azerbaijan 

12 new UAE flight routes for 2018

______________

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

 

 

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain

Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L  / 100km

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.