3-Day Baku Travel Itinerary Under INR 50,000 with E-Visa for Indian Travelers
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When I think of Baku, I picture a city like Dubai: a cosmopolitan mélange of towering buildings, luxury cars, and shiny new concrete structures fueled by its reputation as a booming oil hub. In reality, this is only one quarter of Baku’s multi-faceted history. This city was all this and so much more.
The city has not shaken off its past but infact preserved it purposefully with European-style boulevards, Ottoman-inspired bazaars, a well-preserved Old Town, and traces of its Soviet past in the theatres, metro stations, and apartment blocks. Baku doesn’t just look modern — it carries its history in the streets, and that mix is what makes it worth exploring.
For just INR 50,000 (including round trip from India, Airbnb stay, meals, sightseeing and taxis), I explored Baku over three days, with an onward internal flight to Tbilisi, Georgia to complete the Caucasus experience. Here’s my Baku travel itinerary with top places to visit in Baku, tips, places to eat, vegetarian food suggestions and how to make the most of your trip.
Getting There: Flying to Baku with Azerbaijan Airlines
I booked my round-trip flights from India to Baku for about ₹33,000, four months in advance. We flew from Delhi on Azerbaijan Airlines, which operates Airbus A320 Neo aircraft — comfortable enough for the 4.5-hour journey. The flight included a basic travel kit (eye mask, earplugs, and wet tissue) and a decent breakfast with fruit, a hot meal, and even alcohol. There was no in-flight entertainment, but since it was a red-eye flight, I didn’t really miss it.
From Baku, I booked a 1-hour flight to Tbilisi, Georgia on the same airline for around ₹5,000–6,000. It was a short and smooth trip, with a light breakfast (sandwich and juice) served on board.
Applying for an Azerbaijan E-Visa
One of the biggest concerns for Indian travelers is visa hassle — but not for Baku travel. Azerbaijan offers a smooth e-visa process:
Apply online via the official portal https://evisa.gov.az with your passport, recent photograph, and flight details and accommodation information ready.
Standard e-visa (processed in 4 days) costs $25 and urgent e-visa (processed in upto 3 hours) costs $60
I got my visa in just 4 days without any follow-ups. The visa is valid for 30 days and allows single entry, which is perfect for most tourists
Tip - Use a Gmail address when applying. I initially used my Apple ID email and didn’t receive the confirmation mail. It worked smoothly once I switched to Gmail.
Where to stay, Currency & Getting Around
We were traveling as a group of six and because we wanted a space to hang out together, we ended up booking a gorgeous Airbnb apartment that came with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a sprawling living room. Our host Negar was helpful, gave us clear instructions and gave us a local point of contact for any help.
Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN)
Conversion: 1 Manat ≈ ₹51 INR (as of April 2025)
It is very hard to find the currency in India. Carry Dollars or Euros which can be exchanged locally.
Most places accept cards, but carry cash for local markets, taxis, and underground shops.
Bolt app is your best friend for taxis — think Uber, but cheaper. They offer 50% discounts on airport trips so it’s worth exploring.
Day 1: Old Town Walks & Baku By Night
After dropping off bags, we headed to Nizami Street — a beautiful pedestrian avenue lined with shops, cafes, and street performers. Our first meal was at Sehril Tendir, a local restaurant serving traditional Azerbaijani dishes like Qutab bread, eggplant salad, dates pilaf and ayran, a cooling buttermilk drink similar to the Indian version.
Then we walked to the Old City — a UNESCO Heritage Site with cobbled streets, Middle eastern cafes with great views, small souvenir shops, and the iconic Maiden Tower. Right across was Cay Bagi 145 — highly recommend sitting outside with their coffee and soaking in the Caspian Sea breeze.
From here, we walked along Baku Boulevard, a seaside promenade that stretches for miles. The view of the Caspian Sea, the sea breeze, and distant flame towers make for a surreal walk.
We had signed up for a Baku by Night free walking tour covering its main buildings. As a group of about 15 people, we started from Sabir Garden, learnt about Baku’s unique architecture with buildings inspired from Monte Carlo, Italy, Spain and Soviet metro stations and cultural centers. We walked through the boulevard at sunset, saw Carpet Museum and Mini Venice, took the funicular up to Highland Park, near Parliament Avenue and reached Flame Towers, glowing majestically against the night sky. Our guide shared stories about Azerbaijan's post-Soviet identity, oil boom history, and cultural quirks. Even if you're not a tour person, this one's worth it.
Tip: Even though it is a free walking tour, tipping your guide is mandatory. We paid 70 AZN for a group of 6 people.
After the tour, we had dinner at Sahil Restaurant, a fine dining spot recommended by our guide. The menu was easy to navigate, with clear English descriptions and photos for each dish, which really helped. They had a good number of vegetarian options, which was a plus. While it was on the pricier side, the food was fresh, flavorful, and felt like a satisfying end to the day.
Day 2: Day Trip to Mud Volcanoes & Gobustan Rock Art
Our Airbnb host introduced us to a local guide, who took us on a private day tour by car to the outskirts of Baku.
Stop 1: Mud Volcanoes
After about an hour of driving, we reached our first stop – mud volcanoes. To access these, we went off-roading into a barren, almost Martian-like landscape in a rugged Lada car in a bumpy but thrilling ride that felt like we were in the middle of an adrenaline fueled car chase. The views, the landscape and the jerky ride is a thrilling adventure in itself. The volcanoes, a bit smaller than what we expected bubble and spit mud constantly due to trapped methane gas. We bottled a bit of the mud to bring home — great for skincare!
Stop 2: Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Reserve
This UNESCO World Heritage Site features ancient petroglyphs that date back over 10,000 years. These carvings depict scenes of hunting, rituals, and daily life, offering a window into prehistoric culture. Set against a dramatic backdrop of rocky hills and open plains, the site also offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, making it as scenic as it is historic.
Stop 3: Ateshgah (Fire Temple)
A historical Zoroastrian temple where natural gas ignites eternal flames. Worth a visit for historical context but not as visually impressive as the rest.
Stop 4: Yanar Dag (Fire Mountain)
Another natural fire attraction where gas oozes from the ground and keeps a small flame burning. Very average — you could skip if short on time.
We grabbed lunch from a roadside Doner shop — surprisingly accommodating for vegetarians. Fresh veggies, mayo, and flatbread make for a great wrap on the go.
After the tour, we walked through the lively Nizami Street with European style al-fresco cafes, live music and Neo-classical and baroque buildings. After a quick dinner, we found an underground bar, Etud that looked like a spot frequented by locals.
Day 3: Cafes, Culture & Last-Minute Shopping
We started the day with a trip to Cresecent Mall for breakfast at Mado, a Turkish chain with a fantastic breakfast spread (cheeses, olives, pastries, and many egg dishes). The Crescent Mall, however, didn’t offer much else.
Next stop was the Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid, an architectural icon known for its flowing, wave-like form — a striking contrast to the city's Soviet-era structures. Inside, the museum showcases exhibitions on Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage, the life of former president Heydar Aliyev, and rotating displays of art, fashion, vintage cars, and design objects, making it both a visual and cultural highlight of the city.
Tired and eager to rest our weary bodies, we went to the Old School, an underground bar with Soviet era memorabilia for drinks and a highly recommended cheese platter polished off in seconds. For dinner, we were craving Chinese food and ended up going to The Great Wall restaurant and walked around the Boulevard to burn off the calories.
We ended the day with a grocery store haul of local pomegranate wine, local snacks and headed back at our Airbnb to soak in our last day before heading to Tbilisi on an early morning flight.
Vegetarian Dishes to Try in Azerbaijan
Manqal Salati – Smoky eggplant salad
Sirin Plov – Rice pilaf with sweet dates
Qutab – Local flatbread filled with greens or cheese
Dovga – Cooling yogurt soup with herbs
Dolma – Ask for veg versions wrapped in vine leaves
Ayran – Buttermilk with a tangy twist
Lokum – Turkish delight, best enjoyed with local coffee
Where We Ate in Baku
Sehril Tandir - Azerbaijani restaurant in Old City with local dishes like Qutab bread, pilaf, eggplant salad and a pitcher of their buttermilk ayran
Old School Cafe & Bar - Lively bar with board games and Soviet era memorabilia
Mado - A Turkish cafe chain with great breakfast and dessert options
Cay Bagi 145 - A cafe opposite the seaside boulevard with great views and excellent coffee, dessert and drinks
The Great Wall - Chinese restaurant in Nizami street with good vegetarian options. The fungi salad is highly recommended
Etud Bar - A late night bar in Nizami street open till 2 am with live music. Frequented by locals so a great place to be if you want to avoid tourists
Souvenirs to Bring Back from Baku
Oil-based perfumes
Local wines and pomegranate liqueurs
Rosewater, saffron, and skincare from Rossmann
Kilim rugs with bold, geometrical patterns part of Baku’s carpet-weaving heritage
Travel Tips for Baku
Weather in April: Baku can get hot during the day and slightly chilly at night. Carry a light jacket to be prepared for different weathers.
Getting around with Bolt taxis for convenient and cheap. We never had to wait more than a few minutes and we were able to find 6-seater London taxi cabs easily.
Baku has fresh, ripe fruits which make for a great post-lunch snack. We stocked up on strawberries, oranges, grapefruit and sour plum from the supermarket and carried them around for our road trips
There are many, many local tour operators for day trips. Find someone who can give you a good price as well as an English speaking guide.
We only did one day trip to Gobustan and skipped Gabala as it was a long drive. But if you have more days, Gabala is worth adding.
We combined 3 days in Baku with 3 days in Tbilisi, Georgia for a great trip that offered Baku's Middle Eastern charm with Tbilisi's European style cafes and rustic beauty. If you have a weekend, this trip is worth the planning.