Baku Region

Baku Region is a region in Azerbaijan, which includes the Absheron, Agsu, Baku, Haciqabul, Khyzy, Qobustan and Shamakhi rayons.

Destinations

40.4931|49.3|lang=en

Cities and Towns

Baku GPS 40.3952778,49.8822222 – Capital of the nation whose historical center is UNESCO legacy. Sumqayit GPS 40.5897222,49.6125 – Due to its industrial plants and the Blacksmith Institute, a US environmental pollution agency, ranked the city as the first in the most polluted city's of the planet, both in 2006 and 2007. Agsu GPS 40.568,48.3952 – In the 18th century, it was one of the largest city's in Azerbaijan. Shamakhi GPS 40.633888888889,48.639166666667 (Şamaxı) – A town that used to be the capital of the Medieval state of Shirvan. Famous for its traditional dancers, Şamaxı dancers and its impressive mosque. An ancient history and once one of the key city's along the Silk Road. Xirdalan‎ GPS 40.454580,49.730343 – Absheron neighborhood capital, Xırdalan, is also home to the nation's largest brewery and the Baltika Baku. Novkhany GPS 40.555116,49.776912}} Qobu GPS 40.405207,49.709290

Travel to Baku Region

Fly to Baku Region

Heydar Aliyev International Airport IATA Flight Code: GYD 40.4675,50.046667 Heydar Aliyev International Airport - Heydar Aliyev International Airport, 2009 - is the main airport of the region.

Travel by train to Baku Region

Trains from Russia and Georgia arrive to

Baku Central Station

Travel by Bus to Baku Region

International bus arrivals are available from Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye, Iran, Belarus to the Baku International Bus Terminal.

By road

Drivers commonly friendly with backpackers and road trippers, so auto-stop is option to get from Türkiye and Georgia.

Travel by boat to Baku Region

It is also feasible to get to the region from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan by sea. Vessels arriving to Port Alat.

How to get around in Baku Region

The best way to explore the region and hole country is probably to rent a car. Famous rental services are available in Baku, but Aznur might just be your best choice. The Baku Region is a great place for cycling. Azerbaijan also hosts the international Tour d'Azerbaidjan competition. Azerbaijan has a well developed bus system within the nation. Bus services are available from local terminals. There are many local buses from Baku available for day trips around the Baku Region. Auto-stop is also an option to travel within the region.

What to See

Absheron Peninsula

There are several interesting sites here for a day trip from Baku. Yanar Dag - Flaming Hillside - Yanar Dag - Yanar Dagh.JPG

Yanar Dagh - Yanar Dağ, Burning Hillside | 40.50231,49.89226 Take bus 147 from metro station Azadliq Prospekti or bus 217 from the Koroghlu metro station, both to their final destination Adults 2 manat, children 0.20 manat, parking 1 manat Yanar_Dag Yanar Dagh is a mountain that has been continuously on fire for one thousand years. The natural gas vents ensure that hot flames roar out of the sides of this hill even when it rains. Flames jet out into the air 3 m from a thin, porous sandstone layer. }} - Atashgah Fire Temple.jpg
Atashgah Fire Temple - Baku Fire Temple | 40.415485,50.008504 Take marshrutka 191 or bus 113 from Qara Qarayev metro station, or marshrutka 184 from Nariman Narimanov or Koroglu metro stations. Look out for Suraxani - abandoned? - suburban train station as the spot to get off. From Suraxani station walk about 100m and you can arrive at the temple Opening Hours: 9am-6pm Adults 2 manat, children 0.20 manat, students 1 manat, 2 manat to take photos A fortified religious temple located in Suraxanı near Baku. Declared the nation's historic-architectural state reserve in 2007.
Tuba Shahi Mosque - Azerbaijani: Tuba-Şahi məscidi | Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev Street 40.491847,50.140806 Mardakan (Mərdəkan) township - TubaShaxi1.JPG Built in 1481.
Quadrangular castle Zeynalabdin Tagiyev Street off 40.4918,50.1408 Next to Tuba Shahi Mosque This was built in 1187. The rectangular fortress is 22 m high. Its 76-step tower has two drinking water and 60 food wells. There is a circular tower 500 m away, has been known as a “round fortress”. It is also called the “Six fortress” after Sheikh Abu Said Abulkheir. It is 12 m high. The Arabic inscriptions on it suggest that it was built by architect Abdulmajid Masud in 1232.
Industrial Wasteland 40.57504,49.62766 near Sumqayit - Thit is Sumqayit is quite known for, a lot of former industrial ruins. It offers some stunning and picturesque sights, in the middle of which sometimes you can watch a herd of sheep. Be cautious of the dogs - if they get too close, pick up a stone (and throw) and they will remember from the last painful experience and run off.

Natural Reserves

Gobustan State Reserve 05 - Gobustan Mud Volcanoes

Absheron National Park - Abşeron Milli Parkı | 40.319845,50.318112 - Absheron_National_Park A popular national park within the reach of Baku that allows for day trips. It houses a variety of species and flora, including tigers and a load of snakes that escaped from their cages a couple of years ago.
Qobustan|Qobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve 40.09593,49.38869 Max. 2 manat Gobustan_National_Park Qobustan is best known for its rock petroglyphs (a UNESCO site) and mud volcanoes.
Gobustan Mud Volcano (2) 39.996304,49.402729 near Bash Alat (Baş Ələt) No admission One of the most stunning mud volcano parks near Baku with a large mud swimmingpool further behind and for free, contrary to the Qobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve further north. Accessible via mud/dirt road from Bash Alat and the highway that can be used with a regular car, assuming it did and does not rain. Do not miss the mud lake.
Altyaghach National Park - Altıağac Milli Parkı | 40.886667,48.893611 - Altyaghach_National_Park }}

There are many more mud volcanoes around Baku, which can be found by having a look at a map like ?query=volcano%2C%20Azerbaijan#map=8/40.315/48.455 OpenStreetMap, which many mobile Apps like OsmAnd, MAPS.ME, etc. use.

Other sights

Calais (Kale-i) and Bugurt fortress - Gəleybuğurt | 40.755921,48.567773 20 kilometers northwest of Shamakhi - Medieval fortress near the village of the same name, on top of the mountain. In the 16th century and the traveller Diovan Mario Antonello from Venice, noting that the fortress is inaccessible due to its location on the mountains, wrote that village is great.
Feast-Mardakan alar (Göylərdağ) 40.4915,48.6816 17 kilometers south of Shamakhi - Hanega Mausoleum of the 12/13th century. The Hanega complex is located on the ancient trade route that once connected Shamakhi with other city's and towns of the Mideast.
Octagonal Mausoleums Kalahana village 40.554746,48.651533 south of Shamakhi - The 17th century memorial complex consists of 8 octagonal stone mausoleums, each of which is covered by a pyramid tent. The area is about 150–250 m and there were once nine mausoleums. Today and the 7 surviving mausoleums are in good condition and one is in dilapidated.

Muslim Travel Tips

The Absheron rayon is home to one of the best beaches in Azerbaijan, in Novkhany. There are many of luxury resort areas along the coast.
Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory - Şamaxı Astrofizika Rəsədxanası - Pirkuli 40.782150,48.600115 22 kilometers from Shamakhi ☎ +994 12 4398248, +994 12 4394304, +994 12 5108291 Opening Hours: 09:00-22:00 2 manat (with a group of about 10 people) Observatory located on the southeastern foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, on the basis of the "Astrophysics" sector of the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, at an altitude of 1,435 meters. Excursion includes a visit to the main building of the observatory and one of the telescopes.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Baku Region

Roadside cafés and restaurants are oases and somewhat points of interests for Muslim travellers. You definitely will happy to discover islands of civilization while road tripping. There are a lot of spring water points, especially near shrines and mountain areas, however in south side of the region it can be a problem and only stores will be available.

News & References Baku Region

Go Next

Within Azerbaijan

Northeastern Azerbaijan in the north. Famous for its location at the Caspian Sea, with beaches and resorts and remote mountain villages.
Sheki Region in the north west. Gateway to the Azerbaijani Caucasus.
Southern Azerbaijan in the south west.
Talysh Region in the south.

Outside Azerbaijan

Georgia – There are direct buses and trains to Tbilisi from Baku.
Iran – Buses take international Visitors onwards from Baku there.
Turkmenistan – A ferry departs daily from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi. This ferry has become somewhat of a sleeper hit with backpackers on the Silk Road, but is very uncomfortable and should only be taken by adventure-seekers.
Kazakhstan – A ferry depart irregularly to Aktau (every 7–10 days maybe). Docks are located 2 km to the West of the old town in Baku. It is difficult to get tickets!