What’s worth seeing?
The Medieval Old Town (Icheri Sheher). Despite many earthquakes, it still remains in great shape and has been rebuilt in style. It is listed as a UNESCO part of the World Heritage. One of Old Town’s most precious features is the stone Maiden’s Tower (Qiz Qualasi).
The Shirvan Shah Palace (Şirvanşahlar Sarayı), dating mostly from the XV-th century. It’s almost door-to-door with the Siniq Qala minaret from the second half of the XI century.
Most of the Town’s buildings date around XX century and represent various European styles. That’s why Baku is called the Paris of the East. Scores of shoppers and tourists can be seen here every day. The best boutiques and restaurants are also located there.
The most spectacular sky-scrapers are the Flame Towers – three towers shaped like flames, 190 metres high, can be seen from various points of the town.
The boardwalk – already a few kilometers long, and still growing. Hundreds of meters wide in some places, full of alleys and benches. It also has a “dancing” fountain, a modern jetty, lot of restaurants, a fun-fair, a Divan Museum and a shopping mall.
Where to go for entertainment?
Baku is famous for its nightlife. It’s full of restaurants, nightclubs and discos. The world-renown Lonely Planet guide has put Baku in the top-ten places in the world to visit for the nightlife aficionado.
How to pay?
The currency is 1 manat = 100 quepik.
There is a large currency-exchange and ATM machines network in existence (VISA, MasterCard/Eurocard, American Express and Maestro are accepted). You can pay by card in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and shopping malls.
What to be aware of?
Beware of any alcohol bought from unknown sources (at bazaars). There are no photographing restrictions, except in places where signs are posted not to photograph (this is especially important around borders, for example in the border zone of Nakhichewan Zone). The people of Azerbaijan like to pose for pictures, but one should always ask their permission first.
Azerbaijan is a safe country. Common crime is relatively scarce. Auto theft, robbery and violence is not a great threat here. One should remain very careful with crossing the streets, though, as car accidents do occur here on a daily basis.
Cuisine
Lamb meat is prevalent in the country’s cuisine, pork, poultry and cow meat are much harder to find. The Azerbaijan cuisine is based mostly on meat and rice. The country’s most popular dish is pilaw. Also popular are dolma – stuffed vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes, sometimes wrapped in vine leaves. Turkish cuisine is also very much present, kebabs are available everywhere. Lentil soup (mercimek çorbası) and ayran drunk with every meal are a common sight. Other world cuisines are also available. Georgian cuisine is especially interesting, with its chatchapuri and chinkali. Ukrainian, Indian and Chinese restaurants are also not hard to find in Baku.
Rules
Compared to other Muslim countries, Islam rules are not that strict here, including those that concern drinking alcohol. Women often wear European clothes, men wear long trousers (local men never wear shorts in public, but shorts are not frowned upon in tourists).
Health and insurance
International insurance policies apply here. There are no compulsory vaccinations. Hepatitis is a large risk, tourists are also advised to vaccine against diphtheria and take anti-malaria preparations. Water should be boiled before drinking, or drank bottled, fruit and vegetables should always be washed before consumption.
In emergencies, call 103 for paramedics. Paramedic help is offered for a small charge or free thereof. There are also private paramedic companies in Baku, with more modern equipment and English-speaking personnel. Their services cost around 100 – 150 EUR. A visit to a private clinic costs around 30 EUR, 50 EUR for a specialist consultation. Dentist care costs around 80 EUR.
Transporting goods and valuables
If you need to take any valuables with you, always remember to declare them upon entering Azerbaijan (laptops, jewelry, works of art, expensive photo equipment). To transport any goods out of the country, one needs to hold onto receipts and acquire special certificates from the Ministry of Culture (specialized shops can help you in acquiring those).
Up to 0.5 kg of black caviar can be transported out of the country at one time. Up to 2000 USD can be taken into the country, however sums over 500 USD should be declared.
Severe penalties, without possibility of deportation, are dealt for possession and transportation of controlled substances and psychotropic drugs. For transportation of psychotropic drugs one needs a special doctor’s permission. Also severely punished are possession and dealing in weapons.
Following sources were used when writing this article:
http://www.kaukaz.pl/azerbejdzan/turystyka/poradnik_turysty/przepisy_meldunek.php
http://wikitravel.org/pl/Azerbejd%C5%BCan
http://podroze.onet.pl/azerbejdzan
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