Adventure In The City of Winds: My first trip to the Land of Fire

Baku is known as the City of Winds and as the City of Eternal Flames to name a few. It has about as many aliases as Daenerys Targaryen or my Mexican cousins. But no matter what you call it, this ancient city is a jewel that sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea and I had the privilege of being able to visit this wonderful destination.

I’ll be honest here. When I was first assigned to a project in Baku, I had to do a google search because I had never heard of the city before. But once I started to read about this city’s rich and fascinating history, I couldn’t wait to get there.

GETTING THERE

There are no direct flights from the US to Azerbaijan so you’ll have to pick a 1 stop flight that best suits you. Most flights will route you through Europe or the Middle East. I chose the London stop so my team and I flew from Houston to Heathrow and then on to Baku. The layover in London was 6 hours so we each rented sleeping pods inside the airport, which by the way are freaking awesome. The pods have comfortable beds and even include a shower. Perfect to catch up on some sleep and get cleaned up before the next leg of your trip.

First Impression

Baku’s airport is pretty small for a city it’s size. There aren’t many souvenir shops either so don’t depend on this airport to bail you out if you’re looking for last minute gifts for loved ones before flying back. I had coworkers that forgot to buy them during our stay in the city and were stuck out because nothing was open on our return flight. Don’t say I didn’t warn you fam.

The drive from the airport was quite impressive. Baku is a city on the rise and you can see new buildings, towers, and projects going up everywhere. On this main avenue we were traveling on, there was some very nice architecture on display and the distinctive Heydar Aliyev Centre is along the way as well. We didn’t make any stops before getting to our hotel but only marveled at the sights looking out the car window.

Where to stay – Hilton Baku

I selected the Hilton Baku in the heart of the business district and could not have been happier with this choice. Not only is this a great hotel for business but it’s location overlooking the Caspian Sea and right on Baku Boulevard is hard to beat. You’ll be close to great restaurants, shopping, museums, and the Old Town is just a short walk away.

There’s also a nice business lounge on one of the upper floors that is perfect for unwinding after a day of meetings. To access this lounge you will need to be a Hilton Honors member of a certain level or you can pay for access when you check in. The rules and requirements to enter these lounges constantly change so inquire at the front desk upon arrival.

Indoor Pool and Eforea Spa

And while the location and business lounge is great and all, to me the best features of the Hilton Baku property were the pool and the revolving rooftop bar! These 2 amenities were/are legit. The Spa and Indoor pool take up an entire floor and offer pretty much everything under the sun. Treatment rooms, steam room, sauna, and day beds, it’s all there. They also have a Turkish Hammam, whirlpool, 18-meter indoor pool, and a fitness center with yoga room. Like I said, they have everything, including great views!

Revolving Rooftop Bar

Speaking of great views, you’ll be hard pressed to beat the ones you’ll get at the Hilton revolving rooftop bar. While impressive during the daytime, this place really shines at night. Seeing the flaming towers of Baku lit up and flickering in the distance was very cool. You’ll get to see the entire city from all sides as the bar slowly rotates. The DJ mixes a good combination of music and the layout is comfortable for chilling and taking in the views.

Visit the Old City

As is custom for me, the first stop is always to the oldest original parts of a city. Baku would be no different. We made the 1.25 mile walk to the old town in no time and were greeted by towering fortress walls and the Maiden tower. This whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates back to the 12th century. Walking around the city walls and through the gate was like taking a step back in history. I always like to imagine what these type of places were like back then when they were originally constructed.

WHERE TO EAT

Çay Bağı 145

I’ll start with my recommendation in the Old City. Çay Bağı 145 is located in front of the maiden tower and has a wonderful outdoor seating area perfect for relaxing and puffing on the Hookah. It features Azerbaijani and Middle Eastern cuisine. The food and setting were fantastic and with Baku’s pleasant evening temperatures, you can’t go wrong with this place.

Prive Steak Gallery

If steak is what you’re looking for then I got you. The Prive Steak Gallery had everything we were looking for and then some. We got to choose our own steak and they had plenty of cuts and sizes to select from. There is table side preparations of side dishes and they will also cut up any meats that you want for appetizers. In addition to perfectly grilled steaks this establishment also has live entertainment while you eat.

Fireworks Urban Kitchen

The Fireworks Urban Kitchen is located inside the JW Marriott Absheron Baku and had amazing service and ambiance. The food was good and equally as nice was the outdoor setup and views. This place is perfect for either starting or ending your evening. You can easily pass 2-3 hours here without missing a beat. Not only will I be eating here again on my next visit (which is hopefully soon) but I think I will be trying out the hotel as well.

Visit Highland Park

A must see attraction while visiting Baku is Highland Park. This beautiful area serves up fantastic panoramic views of the city and coastline. The famous flame towers can be found here as well as other monuments that bring somber reminders of a dark past. Martyrs Alley and Mosque of the Martyrs are memorials dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January 1990. The eternal flame monument is at the top of the hill.

Day trip – The Mud Volcanoes at Dashgil

Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a fascination with Volcanoes. And as you can read on my Cotopaxi post, I like to get as close to them as possible too. That’s why when I heard about Baku’s mud volcanoes, you already know I had to go check them out. My colleagues thought I was crazy for wanting to take them out there but in the end they thought it was some pretty cool shit.

There are mud volcanoes all around Baku, but the most popular to visit are the ones at Dashgil near the Gobustan Reserve. They are located about 1.5 hour drive from Baku so you’ll need a taxi. I recommend you either get a private driver like we did or go through a tour operator. If you get a private driver, make sure their vehicle has good tires. That last little stretch from the Gobustan Reserve is like a bombed out area that never got repaired.

Once you get there the landscape changes and looks like a Martian or moon type. It’s very strange, eerie, and weird but at the same time cool as F. Another thing that I found odd is that the mud is cold. You would think that with it coming from gases underground that it would be hot. It’s hard to explain so have a look.

Useful information and tips

• Getting a single entry visa to visit this wonderful country couldn’t be any easier. Just follow the simple steps on this link. An E-Visa is typically issued within 3 working days.
• Don’t rent a car or drive in Baku. Seriously there are some crazy drivers over there. Walk or take a cab.

That’s all I have for my Baku, Azerbaijan recap. It was a short work week so couldn’t do much else. However, what I got to see and experience left me wanting more. I need a return trip to properly explore Baku and to also visit the other great places in the country.

Until next time Baku!