Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, a Caspian Sea port where a walled medieval Old City, Belle Epoque oil-boom mansions and the glass-and-steel Flame Towers share one crescent-shaped bay. Visitors come for the UNESCO-listed Icheri Sheher, the Heydar Aliyev Center, a seafront boulevard, mud volcanoes and rock art at Gobustan, and a tea-and-plov food culture at very low prices.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Azerbaijani carpets and rugs
Hand-knotted wool and silk carpets in Karabakh, Guba, Shirvan and Tabriz patterns, UNESCO-listed craft; carpets older than 50 years or of museum value need an export certificate, which reputable shops arrange (see tips)
Price: Small pieces AZN 150-800 (approx $88-470); large hand-knotted carpets AZN 1,000-10,000+ (approx $590-5,880)
Where: Old City (Icheri Sheher) carpet shops, Azerbaijan Carpet Museum shop
Kelaghayi silk scarves
Hand-printed silk headscarves from Sheki and Basgal, UNESCO-listed in 2014, with wooden block prints in muted colours
Price: AZN 15-80 (approx $9-47)
Where: Old City craft shops and Azerbaijan Carpet Museum shop
Copperware from Lahij
Hand-hammered copper trays, jugs, samovars and pans decorated with engraving, made in the mountain village of Lahij and sold in Baku
Price: AZN 20-250 (approx $12-147)
Where: Old City, Kichik Qala Street and Asaf Zeynalli Street shops
Armudu tea glasses and Azerbaijani tea
Pear-shaped glass tea cups with saucers and a pack of black tea from Lankaran; a classic gift
Price: Glass set AZN 8-30 (approx $5-18); tea AZN 4-12 (approx $2-7)
Where: Old City shops, supermarkets and Taza Bazaar
Pakhlava and shekerbura
Layered nut pastry and almond-filled crescent pastries, sold by weight in boxes and baked especially for Novruz
Price: AZN 15-40 per kg (approx $9-24)
Where: Pastry shops in the city centre, Taza Bazaar, Old City
Saffron, sumac and dried herbs
Azerbaijani saffron from Absheron and Lankaran, sumac and blended herbs used in plov and kebabs, sold in small sealed bags
Price: AZN 3-30 per bag (approx $2-18); saffron per gram AZN 4-8 (approx $2-5)
Where: Taza Bazaar, Old City spice sellers, supermarkets
Pomegranate products and jams
Narsharab (pomegranate molasses), fresh pomegranate juice, and fig, walnut and rose-petal jams; Goychay pomegranates are the best known
Price: AZN 6-20 (approx $4-12)
Where: Taza Bazaar, Old City shops, Port Baku Mall supermarkets
Tar, kamancha and saz instruments
Small hand-made folk instruments and decorative miniatures; a full-size tar or kamancha is a serious purchase and should be carried as cabin baggage
Price: Miniature AZN 20-80 (approx $12-47); instrument AZN 250-1,500 (approx $147-882)
Where: Old City music and craft shops
Azerbaijani wine, brandy and Shirvan products
Wines from Ganja, Shamakhi and Goychay and brandies from Azerbaijan; carry bottles in checked luggage and observe the duty-free allowance on departure
Price: AZN 12-60 per bottle (approx $7-35)
Where: Supermarkets, wine shops, duty-free at Heydar Aliyev Airport
Felt hats (papakh), embroidery and Gobustan-inspired prints
Sheepskin papakh caps, tablecloths with Sheki embroidery and modern prints inspired by Gobustan rock art
Price: AZN 15-120 (approx $9-71)
Where: Old City, Azerbaijan Carpet Museum shop
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Old City (Icheri Sheher) craft shops
Carpets, copperware, scarves, tea sets, souvenirs
Where: Walled Old City, around Asaf Zeynalli and Kichik Qala streets
Hours: Daily about 10:00-20:00; some shops close earlier in winter
Taza Bazaar
Fresh produce, spices, dried fruit, cheeses, nuts, honey
Where: Central Baku, near Nizami district
Hours: Daily about 7:00-19:00
Nizami Street and Fountain Square
International brands, bookshops, cafes, jewellery
Where: Pedestrian shopping street in the city centre
Hours: Shops mostly 10:00-21:00
Port Baku Mall
Luxury brands, cafes, supermarket
Where: Neftchilar Avenue, near the Seaside Boulevard
Hours: Daily about 10:00-22:00
Park Bulvar Mall
Mid-range brands, food court, cinema
Where: Seaside Boulevard, Neftchilar Avenue
Hours: Daily about 10:00-22:00
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum shop
Carpets, kelaghayi scarves, books, certified crafts
Where: Seaside Boulevard
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday about 10:00-18:00