Azerbaijan 5 days - vibrant Baku and remote villages

Day 1: Explore Baku - the glitzy capital

Baku was the biggest surprise of the trip. It’s a fascinating mix of over-the-top modern architecture, Middle Eastern luxury vibes, and gritty Eastern European neighborhoods once you leave the polished city center. The downtown area is spotlessly clean, full of designer shops, massive fountains, and futuristic buildings. It’s clear that Baku wants to impress—and it does.  Local tour guides joke that it's mini Dubai or Abu Dabhi.

In order to get to know Baku I'd recommend a walking tour (we did Night Baku tour) which had a nice balance of history and photo ops around dusk and nightfall.

If you want to visit the main sights by yourself, I would recommend the following:

• Baku promenade - A scenic walkway along the Caspian Sea, perfect at sunset when the Crescent Hotel reflects beautifully in the water.
• Swans fountain - A charming fountain in the heart of the city, featuring elegant swan sculptures.
• Mini Venice - A quirky attraction near the Boulevard with small canals and gondolas
• Flame towers -Iconic skyscrapers shaped like flames, symbolizing Azerbaijan’s nickname “Land of Fire.” Best visited after dark when they light up with LED displays. You can hike or take the funicular to get panoramic views of the city.
• Highland park - A popular hilltop park (next to Flame towers) offering stunning views over Baku Bay, especially at sunset or night. It’s also home to the Martyrs’ Alley and monuments honoring fallen soldiers.
• Baku old town - A UNESCO-listed historic district full of narrow alleys, mosques, caravanserais (inns for merchants and theirs caravans, and souvenir stalls.   (note, that Night Baku tour does NOT cover old part of the city)

⏳ Extra Time in Baku?

If you have more than a day:

• Deniz mall - A modern shopping and entertainment complex (it's shape may remind you of Sydney Opera house from afar)
• Azerbaijan carpet museum - A visually striking building shaped like a rolled carpet. Inside, it showcases centuries of Azerbaijani carpet-making traditions, with intricate displays and cultural context.
• Heydar Aliyev center - An architectural masterpiece designed by Zaha Hadid, known for its flowing curves and futuristic design. Located slightly outside the city center, it houses a museum and cultural exhibitions.

Day 2 - Fire & Rock Art – Day Trip Around Baku

Azerbaijan is also called the Land of fire due to natural oil and gas resources, and since these resources are naturally combustible, it makes for great tourist attractions which are conveniently scattered around Baku.

🔥 Must-Sees:

• Atashgah Zoroastrian Fire Temple - a 30 mins drive from Baku by car and less than hour by public transport. Originally used by Zoroastrians (fire worshipping religion), the temple was constructed over a natural gas that once produced a constant flame. Right now the fire is still burning, however it is a no longer a natural fire, as lots of Azerbaijan oil resources were exhausted.

• Yanar Dag ("Burning Mountain") - another nearby stop, another fire focused exhibit. Yanar Dag literally means“Burning Mountain” and is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside near Baku. Though be warned that the place is extremely touristy and you might need to wait a while to get a clear look or a pic with fire.

• Gobustan - A UNESCO World Heritage Site around 1 hour from Baku. This area has multiple points of interest:
  • Gobustan mud volcanoes -Unlike typical volcanoes these volcanoes are supposed to spew cold mud, water, and natural gases, mainly methane. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit volcanoes were quite inactive, looking like giant anthills.
  • The Gobustan Rock Art is a vast collection of ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings).  The carvings date from as early as 40,000 years ago (Upper Paleolithic) to the Middle Ages and it is quite cool to observe discernable figures,  such as humans, animals and scenes from daily life.

🚗 Getting Around

For Days 2–5, I recommend renting a car. Rentals are cheap (~$30–40 USD/day), and fuel is around $0.70/liter. Driving in Azerbaijan is straighforward EXCEPT Baku. Due to very heavy traffic on multiple lanes and aggressive local driving style, I'd only recommend driving in the capital if you're a very experienced driver. Alternatively, you can pick up a car outside the city center (e.g. airport) or join an organized tour (e.g. on Viator). Note,  that entry tickets (around $30–35 USD) are usually not included in the tour price.

➡️ Return to Baku for the night.

Day 3: Besh Barmag & Candy Cane Mountains

Less than 2 hours from Baku you can find a Besh Barmag mountain (literally "Five Fingers Mountain") that gets its name from its distinctive shape, which resembles five outstretched fingers rising from the earth. But honestly? The mountain is most striking when viewed from the road as it really sticks out from surrounding lowlands.

Next step is Candy Cane Mountains, located less than an hour's drive from Besh Bermag. These mountains are known for its vivid, colorful, and layered rock patterns that resemble the stripes of a candy cane. The landscape feels almost surreal or otherworldly and if you're not visiting the place with a tour, you're likely to have the area all to yourself. You can choose wander the paths nearby if you have sufficient time and energy, do a proper hike - just be sure to download offline maps since reception is spotty.

⚠️ The hike is point-to-point, so double your distance/time if you plan to return to your car the same way!

🚌 How to Get There

Contrary to sights of the previous day, Besh Barmag and Candy Cane mountains are much more off the beaten tourist path, so getting there without a car can be quite expensive, e.g. baku-pink-lake-candy-cane-beshbarmag-tour , or  bakuguba-candy-canes-shahdag-tour.

Alternatively, many day tours to Khinalig (our next stop) also includes a short stop to Besh Barmag or  Candy Cane Mountains

➡️ Overnight in Quba. Compared to Baku, Quba feels singificantly less fancy and more authentic in surprising ways. ne fun surprise? Most restaurants seat you in private cabins, even if you're only A party of two. Each booth comes with a TV, music, A/C, and space to dance—apparently, privacy is a big deal here!

Day 4 - Visit Khinaliq – Azerbaijan’s Highest Village

Khinaliq (or Xinaliq) is perched at 2,350 meters (7,700 feet), making it one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe.

In 2023, UNESCO designated it a “Cultural Landscape” and it truly feels like another world. The locals speak Khinalug, a language unrelated to Azerbaijani or any other language in the region. Houses are stacked on the mountainside so that rooftops serve as patios for the homes above. Cow dung mixed with hay is still used as fuel, and bathrooms are outdoors.

Despite the rustic lifestyle, the village has electricity and internet. It's beautiful, rugged, and humbling.

💡 Visit Tips:

• You can do a day trip from Quba, which is about 65 km away.
  • While the journey can be challenging due to mountainous terrain, it offers breathtaking views of the Caucasus Mountains.
• Roads are mountainous and can be impassable in winter/spring—we had to wait 2 days for access in late April! The best time to visit would be between May and October.
• Local homestays are available if you want to spend the night, but be prepared for very basic conditions.
• Expect little to zero english knowledge. Have google translate handy, or check that your hosts speak some english if staying over.

If you're not feeling like roughing it like a local, day trip is also more than enough to experience Khinaliq, as it's territory is not vast. You can admire breathtaking views from the roofs, walk around the village as well as visit Khinaliq Mosque and historical-ethnographic museum.

🚌 How to Get There

You can take a day tour from Baku or get a driver in Quba, which should cost arouond 60-80 usd both ways for a day trip. Your hotel or guesthouse will be normally more than happy to help you arrange a driver. If you have a good car suitable for mountain roads and steep inclines, you can also drive yourself just check with your hotel about the road conditions before starting!

Alternative option: Laza village

If Khinaliq seems like too much of an adventure, Laza is yet another picturesque mountain village near Quba and, contrary to Kinaliq, it's situated "only" 1,300 meters above sea level and is normally easier accessible. It is famous for dramatic cliffs, lush greenery and waterfalls.