Highlights
Baku is the star: the UNESCO-listed Old City (Icherisheher) with its Maiden Tower and Palace of the Shirvanshahs sits beneath the swooping Flame Towers and Zaha Hadid's sculptural Heydar Aliyev Center, along a handsome Caspian promenade. Day trips reach the ancient petroglyphs of Gobustan and its otherworldly mud volcanoes, and the eternal natural gas fire of Yanar Dag.
North into the Greater Caucasus, mountain villages like Lahic (a coppersmiths' town) and the remote, stone-built Xinaliq — one of Europe's highest inhabited villages — offer hiking, homestays and staggering scenery.
The north-west holds Sheki, with its exquisite Khan's Palace of stained glass and painted walls, and the leafy town of Gabala. The south adds the tea and citrus region of Lankaran. Baku's oil-boom architecture and buzzing food scene round out an easy, rewarding week.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the most pleasant — warm, clear and comfortable for both Baku and the mountains. Spring greens the countryside; autumn brings harvest and mellow light.
Summer (July-August) is hot and humid on the Caspian coast, though the higher villages stay cool and make a fine escape. Winter is mild in Baku but genuinely snowy in the Caucasus, with skiing at Shahdag and Tufandag — pack for two climates if you combine coast and mountains.
Visa & entry
Most nationalities use Azerbaijan's quick official ASAN Visa eVisa system, which issues a single-entry e-visa online within a few days for short tourist stays; some nationalities enter visa-free. A passport valid at least three months beyond your stay is standard.
Apply only through the official ASAN Visa portal to avoid overpriced third-party sites, and confirm the current rules for your nationality before booking. Note that travel to the Nagorno-Karabakh region and entry from Armenia is restricted; check current guidance carefully.
Health & safety
Azerbaijan is generally safe with low crime, and Baku is a relaxed, modern city. The important caveat is geopolitical: areas near the Armenian border and the Nagorno-Karabakh region can be sensitive or off-limits, and having Armenian stamps or visiting Nagorno-Karabakh from the Armenian side can cause entry problems — research current guidance carefully.
Elsewhere, use standard precautions against petty theft and taxi overcharging. Mountain weather and roads warrant care. Medical care is good in Baku, limited in remote areas. Always check your government's latest travel advisory before departure.
Getting around
Baku has a clean, cheap metro and reliable ride apps (Bolt), plus the BakiKart tap-card for buses. Intercity travel is by comfortable trains (including an overnight service to Sheki/Zaqatala) and frequent buses from Baku's main terminal.
To reach mountain villages like Lahic and Xinaliq, shared taxis run from regional hubs, but hiring a driver or joining a tour is far easier given rough final roads. Domestic flights are limited given the country's compact size.
Money
The Manat is used throughout, with cards widely accepted in Baku's hotels, restaurants and shops and ATMs plentiful. Outside the capital and in mountain villages, switch to cash for guesthouses, markets and small eateries.
US dollars and Euros are easily exchanged at banks and exchange offices; bring clean notes. Tipping around 10% is customary in Baku restaurants that don't add service. Bargaining is normal in bazaars but not in fixed-price shops.
Azerbaijan