Holiday Time...Yes You are Right!!! We decided to Visit
Baku- a glamorous capital city of Azerbaijan! We opted for an economic yet comfortable aircraft to and fro i.e. Air Arabia from Mumbai to Baku with a short transit at Sharjah. Our total flying time was almost 8-9 hours with food being included as a part of the package which is otherwise not served in an economic carrier like Air Arabia. As I entered Baku city, I realized it was much more beautiful than what it looked on the net. It was a giant mix of cultures. The basis of Baku's Economy was Petroleum. The presence of oil has been know there since antiquity. The place was also known for harsh sandy winds, as well as desert- like dry and hot summers.
After I headed over to my Hotel and kept my luggage, we all decided to walk around the Old City also known as
Icheri Sheher..
The
Icheri Sheher (The Old City) was located in the heart of Baku. It was highly picturesque, with its maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings The streets of Baku were just breath taking. We spent several hours exploring the carpet shops, handicraft stalls, little museums and monuments, and occasionally glimpsing the inside of someone’s courtyard or apartment through an open door.
Apart from the rich culture, we also got a chance to see modern graffiti art in the old city which tells various stories of specific times about people, culture and art of the city.
THE OLD CITY
Walking down the alleys of Old Baku city, we reached the
Philharmonic Garden which was 10 mins walk from the wall of the Old city. This was one of the oldest park of Baku. It was an ideal place to take a moment to soak up the sun, listen to the parrots living in the park and watch the world go by. It was very beautiful, worth clicking lots of pics and making memories..
PHILHARMONIC GARDEN
After a mesmerizing experience of Old city of Baku and Philharmonic Garden next day we headed to the
Nizami street which is a large pedestrian and shopping street in downtown Baku, Azerbaijan, named after classical Persian poet
Nizami Ganjavi. The place had a combination of local gifting items, souvenirs, fashion and beauty products and even beautiful statues along the paths.
The day had much more in store for us. After filling our shopping bags we witnessed the stunning skyline of the city by taking a cruise ride on the
Caspian Sea. The duration of the ride was approximately an hour. We got a chance to experience a beautiful and lit evening of the old and new city through the eyes of Caspian sea. The highlight of the ride was the glowing flame tower and the sparkling city of Baku.
Flame tower is the City’s most iconic Building. The skyscraper trio is shaped like a set of flames. The best part was that even from afar, we could see the Flame Towers licking the skyline.
FLAME TOWER
Next day morning, after having our healthy & delicious breakfast we decided to go to
Heydar Aliyev Centre whose beauty was mesmerizing me from day 1. The building is noted for its
distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. In my opinion, it was the best building in Baku. Various cultural events and exhibitions are organized in it.
Heydar Aliyev Centre
Just outside the building is a big garden with a big
‘I love Baku’ signage which again attracts the attention of a lot of tourists.
I and my family clicked lot of pictures and cherished each day at Baku making beautiful memories!! During my time in Baku, I experienced nothing but genuine hospitality. The Azeri have a deep-set pride of their culture and are keen to share it with anyone who shows an interest.
We had a ball of time ..would recommend everyone to go and visit Bakuuu.
