Tours/Baku/Baku Old City Tour
Viator · group up to 15 pax

Baku Old City Tour

4.9(309)Baku1 hour
VIATOR5.0(23)TRIPADVISOR4.9(286)

Description

Step beyond Baku’s modern skyline and discover the heart of the city in its UNESCO-listed Old City (Icherisheher). Led by a knowledgeable local guide, this small-group walking tour offers a deeper understanding of Azerbaijan’s rich history, culture, and architecture. Explore iconic landmarks including the Maiden Tower, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, ancient caravanserais, mosques, bathhouses, and hidden courtyards often missed by visitors. Hear fascinating stories, local legends, and historical facts that bring centuries of history to life. With a small-group setting, you'll enjoy a more personal experience, ask questions freely, and gain authentic local insights. Your guide will also share trusted local recommendations for traditional Azerbaijani cuisine, sweets, souvenirs, and places worth visiting after the tour. Perfect for first-time visitors and history lovers, this tour reveals the cultural and historical soul of Baku beyond the guidebooks.

Tour Options

English group
Private Tour
  • English or Russian language
2026 Formula 1 Racing Dates
  • Additional Group Tour Start time
Russian group
  • Russian language

Itinerary

Admission not included2 min

Baku old city tour for a small group up to 8 people.it is 2 hours tour.Entrance price to buildings Maiden tower and Shirvanshahs palace is seperated and not depends on tour price.(About 15 AZN for each of them)Enjoy personal and professional attention from your local tour guide during this tour where you will discover top attractions of Baku Old Town. You will learn about the main and unique monuments of Baku. Those include the Maiden Tower, the Palace of Shirvanshahs, the courtyard known as “Divankhana”, mosques and minarets, caravansaries and bathes. Old Baku has lots of treasures that will leave you with memories for many years. Baku Old Town Walking Tour will give you an insight about the rich history of oriental side of Baku.İf you are the only registered to the tour please book at least 60 minutes before starting the tour. You can aslo try our other tours like:

Admission not included2 min

Shirvanshah Palace was built in Baku in the 15th century for the rulers of Shirvan in connection with transferring the nation's capital from Shemakha to Baku. The complex includes the two-story building of the palace, the tomb, the mosque, the divanhane, the mausoleum of Sayyid Yahya Bakuvi, the bath, the eastern portal and the gate of Murad (16th cent.). The main building of the complex is the palace, which was started in 1411 by Shirvanshah Sheikh Ibrahim I. After his death the construction was continued by his son - Shirvanshah Khalilullah I. The laconic design, sunny tone of smooth surfaces of the walls, terrazzo lattice - shebeke of the upper windows and window slits of the lower floors of the building give it a unique expressiveness. The two-story building of the palace consists of about fifty different rooms of various sizes and shapes connected by three narrow spiral staircases. Of the 25 rooms on the second floor only 16 have survived. The ground floor of the building (27 rooms), which was used by servants and for the storage of domestic supplies, has been preserved exactly as it was built in the 15th century. The severity of the facade facing the front yard is different from the richer interpretation of other households’ buildings. Near the palace there is a mosque. Under the stalactite belt of the minaret is the inscription which reads: “...the greatest Sultan Khalil-Ullah I ordered the construction of this minaret. May Allah exalt the days of his rule and reign. The year of eight hundred and forty-five (1441-1442). Almost all the palaces of the Middle East had special facilities for the reception of ambassadors and the meetings, which were called “Divan-Khane” (State Council). Divan-Khane of the Shirvanshah palace complex is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments of Azerbaijan. The slender portal, which served as the main entrance to the Divan-khane is decorated with stalactite semi-dome richly ornamented and inscribed. This portal is considered the most beautiful not only among the monuments of Baku but also among similar monuments of Iran and Asia Minor. In 1964 the complex was declared a museum and taken under state protection. Since then this unique monument of Azerbaijani architecture is one of the most popular tourist sites.

Admission included10 min

The Museum of Miniature Books, located within the old city - Icheri Sheher, is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the museum with the largest number of miniature books. The creator of the museum, Zarifa Salahova has amassed this unique collection over the past 30 years. The only museum of miniature books in the world opened its doors on April 2, 2002. Today, the museum holds a unique collection of over 5,600 books published in 66 countries around the world.Entrance to Miniature books museum is free.

2 min

Many of the architectural monuments of Baku were built on the ruins of very old buildings belonging to the pagan period in the history of Azerbaijan. Thus, according to archaeologists, the Maiden Tower is built on the site of a pagan temple. The basement of Sabail castle also contains some fragments of the older buildings. Juma mosque in the Icheri-sheher can also be listed among such monuments.Juma mosque or mosque in the Icheri-sheher has been functioning since the 12th century. This mosque was built in 1899 at the funds of Baku philanthropist Khadja Shikhali Dadashev. In 1888 the Russian academician A.Pavlinov took measurements of the Juma Mosque. The mosque was built on the site of the temple of fire worshipers. Only four uncoated arches remained from the old building, they allegedly belonged to the temple. According to many modern archaeologists, there was a pagan sacred center on the site of Juma Mosque, where the fire worshipers gathered. In the 14th century pagan temple was converted into a mosque. According to the inscription on the Mosque, "in the month of Rajab in the year 709 Hijri (1309) Amir Sharaf al-Din Mahmud ordered to update this mosque." In the 15th century, minaret was attached to the north side of the Mosque. By the end of the 19th century the old mosque came into disrepair and was replaced by a new one - Juma Mosque. Juma mosque itself is small. There is little hall for men, women's prayer rooms. The conical dome of the building, which rests on four pillars located in the center of the Juma Mosque ,is of special interest.

1 min

Old city area

1 min

Monument to Azerbaijani satiric poet Aliaga Vahid

1 min

Bukhara Caravanserai

1 min

Remainings of St.Bartholomew church in Baku

1 min

Quadrangular Tower

1 min

Muhammad mosque was built in 1078-1079 years .

Admission included1 min

Azerbaijani famous artist workshop

Admission included1 min

The Main gate of Baku Old City

Admission not included1 min

Aga Mikayil Public Bath House

Admission not included1 min

Azerbaijan Archaeology and Ethnography Museum

1 min

Multani Caravansarai

Admission not included1 min

House of Baku Khans

Admission not included1 min

Baku Marionette Theatre

1 min

Azerbaijani jazz musician

2 min

Khanagah Cmplex or old Market square

Admission not included1 min

Baylar Mosque Old City, Baku

Highlights

information about the monuments
conversation
local tour guide

What's included

Included
information about the monuments
conversation
local tour guide
Not included
Coffee and/or Tea
Dinner
Bottled water
Snacks

Traveller Ratings

4.9
309 reviews
5
294
4
13
3
0
2
1
1
1

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Reviews(309)

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_H2934OL
June 17, 2026
Getting to know the Old City of Baku

I highly recommend this tour! It was the second time I'd been to the Old City, but guide Emin had so much to say that it was like rediscovering Baku. There's a lot of information, but it's easy and interesting. Special thanks to Emin for being a great photographer, showing off the cool spots for the photo. And the main plus: he told you where to buy really delicious sweets and where to eat cheaply and comfortably. We wouldn't have found this without him. If you're going to Baku, start with this tour. Highly recommended!

O
olgavZ3233PV
June 16, 2026
Perfect

Guides explaining and showing old city was perfect

2
242ksenias
June 16, 2026
Walking through the old town

Beautiful tour! Very informative, by beautiful locations, lots of useful information, nice atmosphere!

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_N361DG
June 8, 2026
Excursion to Icheri Shecher

We had a sightseeing tour of the Old Town with Faud. The tour, the itinerary, the feeding, it was all good. Faud answered all questions about the history of the city, architecture, people's lives at the time. We sometimes re-asked, clarified, Faud kindly and patiently repeated or supplemented. Mosques, caravansherds, the streets of the old city were so clear and interesting. Time has passed by unnoticed. Thank you very much, further success to Faud!

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_P8591NP
June 8, 2026
Interesting, not exhausting tour.

Beautiful tour with the wonderful guide Fouad. Seen the Old Town, all the sights, very interesting. Fouad also told me where to exchange money, advised me where to eat. Thank you!) Baku is a beautiful city)

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_H5901HX
June 8, 2026
Old Town

A very interesting tour! Guide Fouad knows how to interest and intrigue))) I recommend excursions to Fouad (organized by Emin)

C
Caroline_E
June 4, 2026
A great introduction to Baku

Fascinating and fun tour of the main highlights of the old town! A few stops also at local shops and definitely I recommend the nuts jams wines teas and sweets shop!

A
alexandervX6864XB
May 27, 2026
About Baku and about Fuad

Our guide Fuad a historian by education. He is young man in love with his city. turned out to be a very informative with him both from a historical point of view and simply from everyday life: everyone knows where to buy real souvenirs and any other products of local manufacturers. Thanks a lot

A
Ayush_D
May 26, 2026
Emin is very...

Emin is very knowledgeable and friendly. He showed us the best parts (and a lot of hidden gems) of the Old city area and also doubled up as a great photographer for us! Finished our tour getting some killer food recommendations, also from Emin. We highly recommend this trip!

G
gregorymC4050UA
May 23, 2026
A must when in Baku

Great tour of this UNESCO heritage site. Very knowledgeable guide. Thank you Fuad Tagiyev for a most informative tour

Operator response

Dear Gregory, Thank you very much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. It was truly a pleasure to guide you through the historic heart of Baku and introduce you to the rich heritage of our UNESCO-listed Old City. We are especially honored by your appreciation of Fuad Tagiyev’s tour and insights. Your feedback means a great deal to our team, and we sincerely hope to welcome you back to Azerbaijan again in the future.

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