Baku

in

Baku spreads around a wide bay on the Caspian Sea, combining a compact walled old city with grand nineteenth-century buildings and extensive modern development. Wealth from oil transformed the city’s architecture, leaving ornate stone mansions alongside government avenues and striking contemporary towers. Dry hills rise behind the centre, while a long promenade follows the waterfront.

The old city, shopping streets and seafront are easy to combine on foot, but outer districts extend far beyond the historic core. Strong winds are a familiar part of the climate and help define the open coastal setting. Restaurants, music and museums reflect both Azerbaijani traditions and the city’s long role as a meeting point between Europe, Russia and western Asia.