Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Azerbaijan

A photograph of Azerbaijan
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Azerbaijan lies on the boundary between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, in the South Caucasus, with the Caspian Sea along its entire eastern edge and Iran to the south. Baku is both the capital and the largest city. The country is not one continuous block. The exclave of Nakhchivan is cut off from the rest by Armenian territory, and it holds the only stretch of border Azerbaijan shares with Turkey. Georgia is the neighbour to the northwest and Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north. It is one of six independent Turkic states, and the first secular democratic Muslim-majority state in the world, declared in 1918.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Azerbaijani
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+994
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Azerbaijani manat (AZN)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Yanar Dag Yanar Dag
    02 2 hours

    Yanar Dag

    Yanardağ

    Yanar Dag is a continuously burning natural-gas hillside on the Absheron Peninsula near Baku, Azerbaijan. The flames emerge from the ground where natural gas seeps through porous rock and ignites upon contact with oxygen.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  2. Philharmonic Garden Philharmonic Garden
    03 1 hour

    Philharmonic Garden

    Filarmoniya bağı

    The Philharmonic Garden is Baku's oldest public garden, forming a shaded green corridor between the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall and the historic walls of İçərişəhər, the Old City.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  3. Dada Gorgud Park in Baku Dada Gorgud Park in Baku
    04 1 hour

    Dada Gorgud Park in Baku

    Dədə Qorqud parkı

    Dede Gorgud Park is a large landscaped public park in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its local name is Dədə Qorqud Parkı.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  4. Fountains Square
    05 1 hour

    Fountains Square

    Fəvvarələr Meydanı

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  5. Lake Boyukshor
    06 1 hour

    Lake Boyukshor

    Böyük Şor gölü

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  6. Khagani Garden Khagani Garden
    07 1 hour

    Khagani Garden

    Xəqani bağı ( Malakan bağı )

    Khagani Garden, known locally as Xaqani bağı, stands as one of central Baku's oldest compact gardens. It occupies a small footprint amid nineteenth-century streets and civic buildings, offering visitors a leafy pause from the surrounding urban environment.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  7. Bulbula
    09 1 hour

    Bulbula

    Bülbülə gölü

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  8. Central Park
    14 1 hour

    Central Park

    Mərkəzi Park Yuxarı \ Sovetski

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  9. Ganjlik park
    18 1 hour

    Ganjlik park

    Gənclik Parkı / Zığ şossesi

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  10. İzmir Park
    19 1 hour

    İzmir Park

    İzmir Bağı

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  11. Narimanov Park
    24 1 hour

    Narimanov Park

    Nərimanov parkı

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  12. 1941-1945
    32 1 hour

    1941-1945

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  13. 1941-1945
    33 1 hour

    1941-1945

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  14. Ağaclıq
    36 1 hour

    Ağaclıq

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  15. Bulaq
    53 1 hour

    Bulaq

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  16. Bulaq
    54 1 hour

    Bulaq

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  17. Caspian Sea
    56 1 hour

    Caspian Sea

    Каспий теңізі - Hazar deňzi - دریای خزر - Xəzər dənizi - Каспийское море - دریای مازندران

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  18. Chemberekend Park
    59 1 hour

    Chemberekend Park

    Çəmbərəkənd Parkı

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  19. İbo park
    78 1 hour

    İbo park

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku
  20. Mağara
    87 1 hour

    Mağara

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Baku

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Azerbaijan be?

Six to nine days can cover Baku, Gobustan or Absheron and one overnight route toward Sheki or the mountains. Western Azerbaijan and remote villages add real road time, so do not schedule them as casual extensions from a three-day capital stay.

What entry documents are needed for Azerbaijan?

Check Azerbaijan’s official ASAN Visa portal against your nationality and intended entry date. The service states the applicable electronic-visa process; border access and passport conditions should be confirmed there rather than inferred from a previous Caucasus trip.

What is the best way to travel around Azerbaijan?

Baku has metro and bus services, while rail and coaches connect selected cities. Rural monuments and mountain areas often need a hired driver or car; verify current road and boundary-area access before setting out, since the shortest mapped route may not be open to visitors.

When is a practical time to visit Azerbaijan?

Late spring and early autumn generally balance Baku walking weather with regional travel, but the Caspian coast and highlands do not share one climate. Build dates around the highest or most exposed leg and check official access information for mountain roads.

What money and payment basics apply in Azerbaijan?

Prices are recorded in Azerbaijani manat. Keep some AZN for smaller regional businesses and use regulated banking or exchange channels; in Baku, confirm the final manat amount before accepting a card terminal’s optional foreign-currency conversion.

What practical safety details should I save for Azerbaijan?

Dial 112 for the recorded emergency service and expect Type C or F plugs at 220 V. Tap-water advice is Not recorded, so ask the accommodation or local utility; also retain current official guidance for any journey near restricted boundary areas.