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.
Baku sits on the Absheron Peninsula on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, with a dry, windy semi-arid climate. Summers are hot and sunny (July and August highs of about 31-32 C / 88-90 F, with humid sea air), winters are cool and damp rather than snowy (January averages about 4 C / 39 F), and rainfall is low at roughly 200-250 mm a year, peaking in autumn. The city is famous for its winds: the cold northerly khazri blows mostly in winter and can last for days, and the warm southerly gilavar brings milder, humid weather. Sources vary slightly on monthly figures, so the numbers below are rounded averages.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
4°C/39°F
Cool, damp, and windy with occasional khazri storms; quiet Old City, lowest hotel prices, and snow only on rare days
February
4°C/39°F
Still cool and breezy with brighter days; museums, tea houses, and restaurants are the best bets
March
7°C/45°F
Winter loosens and spring flowers appear; Novruz on 20-21 March fills the city with bonfires, sweets, and celebrations
April
12°C/54°F
Mild and bright with comfortable walking weather and few crowds; occasional showers
May
18°C/64°F
Warm and green with long days; one of the most comfortable months for the Old City and day trips
June
23°C/73°F
Warm to hot and dry with long evenings on the Boulevard; beach season begins on the Absheron Peninsula
July
26°C/79°F
Hot and dry with highs around 32 C / 90 F and humid sea air; best for evenings, less comfortable for midday sightseeing
August
26°C/79°F
Hottest month with heat spikes above 35 C / 95 F; the city is busy in the evenings and empties in the afternoon
September
22°C/72°F
Warm days and cooler nights; ideal for sightseeing, the sea is still swimmable, and crowds ease after summer
October
16°C/61°F
Mild with the highest rainfall of the year in showers; comfortable for walking, with the Baku Jazz Festival season and fruit markets
November
10°C/50°F
Cool, windy, and damp; fewer visitors and lower prices, with museums and restaurants the best bets
December
6°C/43°F
Cold and breezy with New Year lights on Fountain Square and the Boulevard; hotel rates rise around 31 December
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Mild and increasingly sunny, with temperatures rising from about 7 C / 45 F in March to 18 C / 64 F in May. Parks and the Boulevard bloom, rain is occasional, and Novruz (20-21 March) brings bonfires, sweets, and street celebrations.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Hot, dry, and sunny, with July and August highs around 31-32 C / 88-90 F, occasional heat spikes above 35 C / 95 F, and humidity from the Caspian. Evenings on the Boulevard are lively, and beaches on the Absheron Peninsula are busy on weekends.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
September is warm and pleasant, October is mild with the highest rainfall of the year, and November turns cool, windy, and damp at about 10 C / 50 F. Pomegranate and persimmon season fills the markets.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cool, damp, and windy, with daytime highs of 8-10 C / 46-50 F and nights near freezing. Snow in the city is rare, but the khazri wind makes it feel much colder. The Old City is quiet and prices are lowest.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Jun-Sep, plus Novruz week in late March and the New Year holidays
- Shoulder Season
- Apr-May and Sep-Oct (ideal for sightseeing and day trips)
- Low Season
- Nov-Feb (quiet, cool, windy, lowest prices, excluding New Year)
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Novruz
The Persian-origin spring festival is Azerbaijan's biggest public holiday, with bonfires, wheat sprouts (semeni), pakhlava and shakarbura sweets, and concerts at Fountain Square and the Boulevard; offices and many shops close for several days
Independence Day
National holiday marking the 1918 Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, with flags, official events, and a public holiday
National Salvation Day
Public holiday commemorating Heydar Aliyev's return to power in 1993, with official ceremonies
Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
The Baku City Circuit runs along the Old City walls and the Boulevard; hotel prices rise sharply, roads close, and the race weekend is usually in September, so check the official F1 calendar for the exact dates
Independence Restoration Day
Public holiday marking the 1991 restoration of independence, with ceremonies and flags
Baku Jazz Festival
Annual jazz festival with concerts at venues around the city; confirm the programme on the festival website
Victory Day
Public holiday commemorating the 2020 victory in the Second Karabakh War, with parades and ceremonies in Baku
New Year
The main winter celebration, with lights on Fountain Square, fireworks on the Boulevard, and a two-day public holiday; book accommodation early