Secrets of the Old City's Residents

This is the most personal of my tours — a walk not through famous monuments but through the real, everyday life of the Old City. We'll start at the Shamakhi Gates and wander the narrow streets of Icheri Sheher, where I'll show you places that usually never make it into standard tourist routes.

The first stop is the workshop of Ali Shamsi, a local artist Bakuvians nicknamed the "barefoot painter." You'll see his work and hear why he calls himself that, and why locals have taken to his art.

Next I'll show you into the courtyard of the Kulibekov house, home to the only wisteria vine in Baku, and tell you the difficult story of the mansion's owner. At the house of Musa Naghiyev — one of Baku's leading oil magnates and philanthropists — you'll learn how many buildings he built and how they've "lived on" more than a century later.

I'll definitely show you the "Italian houses" — and explain when and why they were built in that style, who lived there before, and who lives there now. The contrast between European architecture and the Eastern Old City is what surprises guests the most.

We'll pass the filming locations of two beloved Soviet comedies, stop by old caravanserais and the domes of an ancient hamam, and along the way visit souvenir shops selling carpets and ceramics. If the ceramics master happens to be in, we'll drop into his gallery of unique figures too.

But the real focus of this tour isn't the buildings — it's the people. We'll visit genuine courtyards where Baku families have lived for generations, and talk over tea about traditions, holiday rituals, and the secrets of local cooking — the way Bakuvians themselves do.

The tour lasts about 2.5 hours and is conducted in Russian. The price is 139 AZN for a group of up to 10. It's a great fit for anyone who wants to see the Old City not as a tourist, but as a guest of a local family. Message me on WhatsApp to arrange a date.