Winter in Baku: A 4-Day Insider's Guide

Four Seasons Hotel Baku invites visitors to experience the best of the city in winter, as recommended by Hotel staff and locals.  Use this 4-day guide to see the best in  Baku, and then explore the Shakhdag ski resorts.

Day One

• After breakfast, it's the perfect time for a short tour inside the Old City. Enclosed within the fortress walls, Baku's Old Town area is an open-air museum featuring the famous Maiden Tower, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This one-hour excursion starts from Double Gates and ends in the Maiden Tower. 
• Have your lunch in cosy and traditional tandir restaurant in Old City that serves homemade bread from the tendir oven.  Try tandir bread, gutabs and the local favourite dushbere – the winter dish.
• Explore the Museum of Miniature Books, which has several thousand of the fairy-sized books and is the first and so far only museum of miniature books in Azerbaijan and in the world.
• Cold season is the perfect time to try some traditional tea with local sweets. In Old City you will find a lot of tea houses where you can try savour layered bakhlava with walnut stuffing and spices; and shekerbura filled with nuts and sugar. You can also enjoy badambura filled with sugar, cinnamon and almonds, as well as local homemade jams. Don’t forget to order the traditional Azeri tea in an armudu (pear-shaped) glass.
• Walk along Torgovaya (which means "trade" in Russian) Nizami street - one of the main streets in Baku. Then visit Fountains Square.  The Square is a noisy, fun and crowded epicentre of Baku with a huge amount of cafes, restaurants and shops. And of course, the name of this place speaks for itself: it also has lots of fountains, not simple ones, but musical fountains. Fountains Square becomes most fabulous in the evening, when the sky gets darker and the whole street is beautifully lit up with big hanging garlands.
• Afterwards, try the local wine in KEFLI Local Wine & Snacks. The place has a simple concept: only local wine, delicious cheese and cosy atmosphere with live music.

Day Two

• Start your day with the Modern Baku tour. The Modern Baku tour includes New Boulevard, one of the symbols of Baku, a beautiful seaside boulevard where you can enjoy long walks and leisurely strolls. It features attractions for children and adults, with numerous tea-cafes and restaurants offering local and international cuisine.
• Check out the best kebab at Mirvari Restaurant. Satisfy your craving for culture and visit the Yarat Contemporary Art Centre and Azerbaijan Stone Museum, also located along the New Boulevard.
• Visit the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum. The museum  is a unique institution that keeps one of the richest collections of Azerbaijan carpets in the world. Besides old carpets and works of applied art, the museum also exhibits works by modern weavers and craftsmen.
• Dinner is served at MAYA Mexican Restaurant & Bar or at Spanish restaurant El Portalone. Both of these restaurants are located in New Boulevard, next to the Yarat Contemporary Art Centre.
• Next, the breathtaking view to the Caspian sea and Baku are available from the Baku ferris wheel. The observation wheel is 200 feet tall (60 metres). There are 30 cabins capable of holding up to eight people at one time. Officially opened in 2014, this big wheel performs attractive light shows after dark.

Day Three

• Start your morning from the walk in Philharmonic Garden (Governor’s Garden). One of the oldest parks in Baku got one of its names – the Governor’s Garden – because of its position in front of the former Governor’s House. It was designed in the 1930s and for many years, access to the park was limited for ordinary citizens while noble people, oil millionaires and high society representatives could visit the garden any time. The famous State Philharmonic and the House of Poets are located in this park. The interesting fact is that today numerous parrots, atypical for the fauna of Azerbaijan, live in the trees of the garden.
• Another must visit place is the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre.  Designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and noted for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. The complex building includes a congress-centre, a museum, a library and a 22 acre (9 hectare) park.
• Have your lunch in Nakhichevan Restaurant. Located on the Avenue of Parliament, restaurant Nakhichevan is one of the best places in the city to explore the cuisine of Azerbaijan. As a starter you can order puff pastry with lamb, rice and dill or traditional rolls of eggplant. Choosing the main dish, consider govurma beef and lamb, braised veal with spices in its own juice, several kinds of plov (rice dishes) and, of course, chygyrtmu made of beans, spinach or chicken. Meat lovers will enjoy a large selection of kebabs, and for dessert, traditional Azerbaijani desserts - schyakyarburu, baklava and jam.
• Enjoy organ recitals in the German Lutheran Church, which was converted into a music recital hall during the Soviet period, a role that it still serves today. In 1910 a pipe organ was installed and evening organ performances in the church became a tradition. Today, the building is still known for its fine acoustics and continues to be used as a recital hall, primarily for chamber orchestra concerts and organ recitals.
• If you're looking for a traditional and unique gift, visit Menzer Hajiyeva's showroom. The essence of the brand Menzer Hajiyeva reflects the synthesis of art and technology. The traditional and modern fuse to create wearable art inspired by the heritage of Azerbaijan.  Inspired by the Azerbaijani culture, architecture, nature and crafts the scarves rapidly became to be known as Art Scarves, which became the signature product of the brand.

Day Four

• Time to say goodbye to Baku and explore Shahdag ski resorts.  Shahdag offers a comprehensive range of accommodation and services, world-class skiing facilities, and recreational and cultural experiences. Located 125 miles (200 kilometres) north of Baku, it takes approximately 2.5 –3 hours to reach by car.
• With no less than 19 ski slopes suitable for a wide range of experience levels, the Shahdag Mountain Resort presents world-class skiing at a breathtaking 8,200 feet (2,500 metres) above sea level. The Resort’s own ski school offers experienced private instructors for beginners, as well as advanced skiers. In addition to skiing, the slopes also provide exciting opportunities for snowboarding and snowmobiling. Other winter activities, especially suited for young children, include quad biking and bouncy castles and snow tubing. Additionally, the Resort’s Spa will provide a refreshing break from the snow and ice.
• Enjoy a leisurely dinner after an active day.