Baku

Baku, the capital and the largest city of the Caucasus, sits on a bay on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. It brings together the modern Flame Towers, the tallest of them 182 m and lit up at night, and the walled Old City, İçərişəhər.

Inside the walls stand the Maiden Tower, dating at least to the 12th century, the 15th- and 16th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs with its mosque, mausoleum and bathhouse, and old caravanserais. In 2000 the Old City became the first site in Azerbaijan on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Along the waterfront runs Baku Boulevard, laid out in 1909, with gardens, cafés and a long promenade. In the north-west of the city, the Heydar Aliyev Center shows off the flowing curves of its architect, Zaha Hadid.

Baku is a good base for day trips to Gobustan and Shamakhi, and we suggest at least three nights. It has many mosques and halal restaurants in every district.