| City - Airport | Departure: | ||
| Iasi | Chisinau | ||
| to Baku (BAK) | IAS → BAK | RMO → BAK | |
| - Heydar Aliyev Intl. (GYD) | IAS → GYD | RMO → GYD | |
Baku - a city with a thousand years of history, which is entrusted with preserving the monuments of ancient culture, which must surprise, amaze and teach people. Like a sofa stick, the city is studded with many tourist attractions, today the capital of Azerbaijan amazes and surprises with new forces.
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, stretches along the Caspian Sea and is a somewhat curious combination of the Icheri Seher walled old city and a modern building frenzy that has led to an explosion in skyscrapers, many of them adorned with screens LCD. Among them, make sure you don't miss the Flame Towers, three towers built to resemble fire that cast a tanned glow over the city at night. The city also embraces the modern at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which has over 900 works of art featuring up and coming artists from the region and is well worth a visit for those interested in modern culture. You can also sample the local produce with a visit to Teze Bazaar, a market famous for its cheeses and spices, or grab a kebab, a local delicacy at one of the many restaurants open throughout the city.
Known as the "Old City" and the "Citadel", Icheri Seher is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the center of Baku, and you'll find amazing architectural feats throughout the city's protected district. These include the Maiden's Tower which dates back to the 12th century and is part of the old city around the walls of Baku, as well as the Shirvanshah Palace, built in the 13th century. Come here not only for the architecture, but also for handicrafts such as ceramics, as well as textiles such as carpets and traditional national clothes of Azerbaijan. There are plenty of shops located in Icheri Seher which are perfect if you want a leisurely stroll around the historic city center and a chance to pick up some souvenirs.
Located in the Azizbeyov region of Baku city, Absheron National Park covers 783 hectares of protected land and is the perfect place to come to witness the amazing flora and fauna of Azerbaijan. The national park has a whole variety of local wildlife such as geese, birds, jackals, badgers and Caspian seals. The land here is mostly dry steppe, giving way to red sand dunes and a reed like grass that swirls in the wind. The waters here are also known to be crystal clear and teem with wildlife, including the occasional sea snake. If you want to see the famous Caspian seals, you must visit from September.
Many visitors to Azerbaijan may not know that the country has the largest number of mud volcanoes in the world. 350 to be exact! One of the most famous is the Garasu volcano, which has been known to spew mud over 1,000 meters into the air. Volcanoes are caused when gases underground build up and push mud up into the air as a release. The first mud volcanoes are said to have erupted in Azerbaijan 25 million years ago, and visitors to Garasu often say it looks like the surface of the moon!
The Naftalan resort is famous for the Naftalan crude oil found here, which is said to have healing properties, and has sparked a boom in medical tourism in the region. The resort is located in the Naftalan oil fields in the city of Naftalan, and visitors come here to bathe in the oil or undergo a series of oil-based treatments said to aid in pain relief and anti-inflammatory healing. Whether or not visitors travel here for health reasons or just to indulge in this unusual practice, you can still enjoy bathing in the resort's oil and experience a range of relaxing or stimulating oil treatments at the spa at the scene.
Gobustan is often called Azerbaijan's version of Stonehenge in the United Kingdom because it has a prehistoric cromlech (a circle of stones that have been positioned vertically). It does not end, however, because Gobustan is an archaeological reserve located south of Baku and offers a fascinating look at ancient civilizations, thanks to more than 6,000 rock drawings that stretch over an area of 537 hectares. The findings at Gobustan indicate evidence of habitation dating back to the Stone Age and outside of the cave and rock drawings there is also evidence of human settlement and even precious stones.
What with the wrong name, the Caspian Sea is actually the largest lake in the world and measures 371,000 square kilometers. The Caspian Sea sits on a layer of ocean and the water is indeed poor, although the salt content is lower than that of other seas and oceans, which means it is the perfect place for swimming as it is less likely to cause irritation . Popular activities in the Caspian Sea include boat cruises, diving opportunities and fishing.
Shirvan National Park, officially established as a protected area in 2003, was located under the Caspian Sea and now covers an area of more than 54,000 hectares south of Baku. This protected area is mostly made up of semi-desert landscape, which means you'll find rolling sand dunes that are a perfect haven for the gasses found here, and nature lovers can also spot a variety of species, including turtles , hedgehogs, and jackals. For those more interested in bird life, you will find swans and even flamingos in the park, which tend to gather around the lake called Flamingo. Volcanic volcanoes are also frequently encountered in the park, the most famous being Mount Bandovan, which is worth a visit to take in this amazing natural phenomenon. For those who want to spend their time taking in all the natural attractions here, there is accommodation available in the form of quaint bungalows or, for more adventurous visitors, camping on the park's northern beach is permitted with a permit.
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