Baku: Old City and the modern skyline

Icheri Sheher and Modern Baku is a tour for anyone who wants to see, in one packed day, how the city protects centuries of history while racing toward the future. We'll go from the narrow medieval lanes of the Old City to a museum of modern architecture, a historic mosque on the Caspian shore, and a boat ride along a canal in the heart of the boulevard — the contrast is usually so sharp that many guests say this is the real Baku.

We start in the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site ringed by 12th-century fortress walls. Inside is a maze of cobbled streets, a teahouse on every corner, and homes where the same families have lived for generations. We'll climb the Maiden Tower, one of Baku's most recognisable landmarks, whose exact origins are still debated by historians, and pass by the Shirvanshahs' Palace, home to Azerbaijan's 15th-century rulers.

Then we'll walk through the Old City's most atmospheric streets, lined with shops selling handmade carpets, papakhi hats and antiques — the owners are usually happy to tell you the story behind their goods if you have a couple of minutes. I'll show you the courtyards where Bakuvians themselves come for evening tea, places that rarely make it into a standard sightseeing tour.

We step outside the fortress walls to Fountains Square, ringed by early-20th-century mansions built by oil barons. A completely different, European-flavoured side of Baku lives here: cafés, street musicians, and architecture that shows just how wealthy the city became during its first oil boom.

Next we head to the Heydar Aliyev Center, one of the most recognisable pieces of modern architecture in the world, designed by Zaha Hadid. From outside it's a single white wave without a straight edge in sight; inside, the same flowing staircases and halls continue, as if carved from one piece. I'll tell you why this building became Azerbaijan's new architectural symbol and how it connects to the country's history.

The next stop is Bibi-Heybat Mosque on the Caspian shore, rebuilt in the 1990s on the site of a 13th-century mosque destroyed during the Soviet era. It's one of Baku's most beautiful mosques, with a view straight out over the sea, and I'll tell you the legend of Hakima Khanum, the saint it's named after.

On the way to the boulevard we'll stop at an open-air exhibit dedicated to Baku's oil history — an early-20th-century wooden drilling derrick and an old oil pump. Oil is exactly what turned a modest port town into one of the centres of the world economy, and here you can see it with your own eyes, quite literally.

On the boulevard, a slow boat ride awaits along the canal in "Little Venice" park — framed by greenery and little bridges, it offers one of the best views of the Flame Towers. It's a quiet, slightly unexpected moment for Baku, and it's usually what guests remember best.

We finish on the Seaside Boulevard, with a view of the Caspian and the Flame Towers themselves, Baku's newest landmark. In the evening the towers light up in dozens of scenes, including a flame effect — a striking nod to this land's ancient reverence for fire.

The route is mostly on foot and by car, at a relaxed pace, with stops for photos and shade — in one day we cover far more ground than a standard sightseeing tour. The price includes my company for the whole route, transfer between the more distant points, and water on hot days. The route is flexible — we can add a stop at a specific place if you'd like. Message me on WhatsApp to arrange a date and start time.