Affiliate disclosure: This article contains GetYourGuide affiliate links. If you book through one of them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Part of a larger journey: This focused Azerbaijan guide is adapted from my complete Caucasus itinerary. Use this page for the Azerbaijan day-by-day detail; use the complete trip for the cross-border route through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.

I travelled through Azerbaijan in 2019 as the first part of a larger journey across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. This six-day route fits neatly into one week once you include your arrival or onward journey.

Itinerary done quick

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

That’s it! Click the destination names to jump to each day.

Day 1 Arriving in Baku

I actually arrived the night before, after flying through Kyiv from France, but it was night, so it doesn’t count. Treat this as a fresh first day and adapt it to your own arrival.

Spend the day inside Baku’s walled old city, İçərişəhər. Start around the Maiden Tower, then wander through the narrow stone streets to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the old mosques, caravanserais and baths. The centre is compact, so there is no need to rush.

Continue to the Carpet Museum and Mini-Venice in the afternoon, then walk along the waterfront. Do it once in daylight and once after dark for the Flame Towers’ light show. Fountain Square and Nizami Street fit naturally into the same walk, with beautiful paving, architecture and old balconies.

Bad hostel experience number one: in the middle of the night, I woke up to an old Pakistani man watching me sleep. He genuinely scared the shit out of me.

Day 2 Modern Baku

Day 2 is for the newer side of Baku. You will cover more distance and use the metro much more than on the first day.

Visit the enormous Heydar Mosque, then continue south to the famous Heydar Aliyev Center, probably the city’s most recognisable piece of modern architecture. Not far from the centre, heading southwest, you have the main bazaar. Continue towards the Heydar Aliyev Palace and one of my favourite buildings, the Russian-style ballet theatre.

If you still have energy, the Museum of Modern Art is nearby. Personally, I was totally beat by then.

Day 3 Qobustan

I took a guided day tour to the Qobustan mud volcanoes, the Ateshgah Fire Temple and Yanar Dag.

This Qobustan, mud volcanoes, Fire Temple and Fire Mountain tour (affiliate link) is similar to mine, which no longer exists. The complete outing takes roughly a day. Qobustan alone takes half a day, so you could catch an afternoon bus to Sheki if you skip Xinaliq.

The guide led us through the petroglyphs, let us play with the mud, then extended the trip to the Fire Temple and Yanar Dag with half the group. Qobustan itself wasn’t as interesting as I expected, but I liked the wonder in Civilization VI, which had been released only months before my trip! The petroglyphs and Fire Temple were my highlights.

Day 4 Xinaliq

Take a tour through Quba and into the mountains to Xınalıq, one of Azerbaijan’s highest villages. It is hard to visit independently, so a tour is recommended. The exact one I used no longer exists, but this Quba and Khinaliq village tour (affiliate link) is close to it.

Be prepared for a very long day. I loved its side-quest nature. We crossed mountain roads while Russian tanks travelled the opposite way, with no photos allowed. To enter Xinaliq’s small museum, we had to find the keykeeper: children sent us to a man on a roof, who sent us to a little girl, who found the keys within minutes.

Day 5 Sheki

From Baku International Bus Terminal, take a direct bus to Sheki’s central station. The road journey takes roughly six to seven hours. Buy your ticket at the station or through its booking service and check the departure time in advance.

Once in Sheki, spend the rest of the day exploring its historic centre, the Palace of the Sheki Khans and the caravanserai.

In Sheki I had one of my worst hostel experiences: a rundown room with seven to nine beds, an outside shower full of spiders, and an owner who followed me everywhere and even slept next to me.

Day 6 Kish

Take a local marshrutka from central Sheki to Kish, around 15 to 25 minutes away. Visit the old Albanian church, then continue on foot towards Galarsan-Gorarsan Fortress. Allow several hours for the return hike, take water and return to Sheki by marshrutka.

My friend Tim and I got a bit lost and ended up crossing a river on foot, jumping and throwing our bags from rock to rock. Good times.

If you are continuing through the Caucasus, travel next towards Georgia and Sighnaghi. In 2019 I took a bus from Sheki to the border, then found another going through Sighnaghi towards Tbilisi.

More days?

• Give Baku another day for museums, the waterfront and a slower pace.
• Spend an extra night in Sheki and explore its surroundings without combining everything with a transfer day.
• Continue west into Georgia, following my complete Caucasus route.