Seven things to do and see in Baku as Formula 1 races in the Land of Fire
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is a low-lying city with coastline along the Caspian Sea and is the first flyaway race of the 2025 F1 season.
Formula 1 races at the Baku City Circuit for 51 laps at this exciting street track that has been dominated in qualifying by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Here, Travel News Blitz’s Ayla Vaughan explores seven things to do and see in the capital of Azerbaijan.
Baku Old City
Baku Old City is the historical core of Baku, surrounded by walls, and includes the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and Maiden Tower, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dating back to the 7th-12th century, it was a medieval city populated by ethnic Tats (of Iranian origin) before it was taken over by the Russian Empire in the 19th century and expanded into modern Baku.
Flame Towers
The Flame Towers are a group of three skyscrapers in Baku that are owned by the ruling Aliyev family's network of offshore companies, resembling the city’s nickname the Land of Fire.
Baku is a region where natural gas flares emit from the ground and historically Zoroastrian worshipers considered flames to be a symbol of the divine.
The three buildings consist of residential apartments over 33 floors, a Fairmont hotel tower and office blocks that often light up at night with the colours of the nation’s flag.
National Museum of History of Azerbaijan
The National Museum of History of Azerbaijan is the largest museum in this nation, located in the former residential house of Azerbaijani oil magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev.
Founded in 1920 (following the Russian takeover of Baku) the museum was designed by Polish architect Józef Gosławski, in imitation of the Italian Renaissance style and is four stories tall and showcases the country before and after its Soviet influence.
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Watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Formula 1 visits Baku from September 19-21 at this tight and twisty city/wide and open circuit that has been on the calendar since 2016, often providing exciting action that is unpredictable.
It runs along some of the most famous streets in the city, such as right outside the Old City, with its 20 turns and long straights, making it the second longest circuit of the year with a length of 6.003km.
Baku Boulevard
In between the racing, stroll along Baku Boulevard to admire the city which runs parallel to Baku's seafront and enjoy the lovely autumn weather.
This promenade goes back more than 100 years, to a time when Baku oil barons built their mansions along the Caspian shore and when the seafront was artificially built up inch by inch.
Heydar Mosque
The Heydar Mosque opened in 2014 and is named after Heydar Aliyev, a former President of Azerbaijan, and is also the largest mosque in the country and the Caucasus.
The mosque site covers 12,000 m2 (130,000 sq ft) with verses from the Quran written on the side of the mosque's domes, all completed in the Shirvan-Absheron style with four minarets and two domes.
Highland Park
If you’re looking for another way to view the city skyline, visit Highland Park on one of the hills of Baku and enjoy some lovely nature in this metropolis.
The park itself is a green zone in the middle of Baku with the Eternal Flame Memorial, wonderful gardens, sculptures and fountains that you can admire in your free time, as well as stop off at cafes nearby to grab a bite.
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