FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION AND MOVEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
Azerbaijani food is full of flavors and delicious bread.
With one stopover to Baku
There are no direct flights from Finland to Azerbaijan, but the country can be easily reached with one stopover. Flights from Helsinki to Baku are offered by, for example, Ukraine International Airlines, Aeroflot and Turkish Airlines. The flight time depends on the duration of the stopover, but is at best just over six hours.
Prices for flights to Azerbaijan do not vary much according to the seasons, but those departing for a Formula 1 race, for example, should be prepared to pay a little extra for air tickets due to high demand. On average, flights from Helsinki to Baku cost about 270 euros.
The country’s largest airport is an international airport in Baku named after the country’s former president, Haidar Aliyev. The airport, located about 20 km from the center of Baku, is quite well connected to the city center, in the meantime you can fold either by bus, taxi or rental car. The bus connection between the airport and the center every half an hour from morning to evening. Passengers arriving at the airport at night must therefore use either a taxi or a rental car.
A wide range of accommodation
Azerbaijan’s accommodation offer is paling alongside the world’s major tourist cities, and is quite limited, especially outside Baku. With the exception of popular destinations, the accommodation situation is even poor, as in some places home accommodation may be the only option.
However, there are quite a lot of accommodation in Baku, and you can choose your own place to stay in several different price ranges. There are luxury hotels of international chains as well as modest hostels and home accommodation options.
The price of accommodation is comparable to the rest of the country’s price level, and you can get a hotel night much cheaper than in Finland, for example. However, the level of accommodation is not directly comparable to the international level, and a three-star hotel in Azerbaijan may resemble more two- or even one-star accommodation internationally.
Move in your own car or resort to the public
Short for AZE by abbreviationfinder, Azerbaijan has a fairly good public transport network, as locals prefer minibuses, which ensures that almost anything can be reached without your own car. Long-distance buses often run from city bus stations, where the best bus is best found by asking. The buses only leave in full, so you should prepare for the trip on a flexible schedule. Payment will be collected shortly before departure.
Most tourists also use taxi rides during their trip to Azerbaijan, as public transport is not accessible everywhere. Taxis in Azerbaijan are cheap from the point of view of those accustomed to the Finnish price level. The price of a taxi ride should always be agreed before boarding the car. There are plenty of dark taxis in Azerbaijan.
The capital, Baku, has an affordable and functional metro network that allows tourists to easily move from place to place.
Renting a car in Azerbaijan is the same price as elsewhere, ie not very cheap. There are many international car rental companies in the country. Driving a car in Azerbaijan is a bit challenging in Finnish, as the traffic culture is chaotic in some places and traffic rules are not followed as strictly as in Finland.
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN AZERBAIJAN
Baku’s handsome flame towers can be seen far around the city.
Skyscrapers of Baku
Azerbaijan has invested in the development of infrastructure in its capital, Baku, and this is reflected in the street scene.
The cityscape of Baku is dominated by brand new skyscrapers, which tell about the westernization of the country and the goals of economic growth. The downside is the concentration of power and prosperity in the hands of authoritarian rule and a small privileged district.
Outside the center of Baku and elsewhere in the country, conditions still await the comforts of the modern world and the tourist should also take this into account in his expectations in terms of accommodation or means of transport.
The main attractions of the capital are the atmospheric old town, the spectacular Virgin Tower, the magnificent flame towers, the Baku TV tower, the harbor area as well as the numerous stadiums and shopping streets of the city center. There are quite a few attractions, but the holidays are spent watching the cityscape and, for example, the numerous parks in Baku.
Mud volcanoes are an Azerbaijani specialty
Despite its quite descriptive name, the mud volcanoes – mud volcanos are fairly shallow mud puddles and, contrary to imagination, the mud inside the volcanoes is not scorching hot, but rather cool.
There are about a thousand mutulous mountains in the world that sound like a special phenomenon, of which there are about 400 in Azerbaijan alone. The largest mutulous mountains in the world are Boyuk Khanizadagh and Turaghai in Azerbaijan.
Mud volcanoes are pretty safe because they hardly explode: because massive explosions happen about once every 20 years. However, gas and sometimes also water and oil are thrown through the mud from a depth of about 800 meters, which makes the mutulous mountains bubble with fun. A visit to the mud volcano can be conveniently combined with a trip to Bakun: the mud sites closest to the city are located in Alyat and Gobustan.
Eternal fire will return to Azerbaijan
One of the most fascinating natural attractions in Azerbaijan is Yanar Dag – the eternal fire. As the name implies, the all-burned fire is an exciting natural attraction that attracts Azerbaijani tourists beyond Baku.
About 25 kilometers from Baku, Yanar Dag is a 116 meter high hill with an eternal fire blazing in its hem. The fire comes from natural gas discharges, and a strong smell of gas hovers on the spot.
The flames burn in an area of about ten meters, and can reach a height of up to three meters at best. A particularly spectacular destination is in the dark at night, but Yanar Dag’s visit is also interesting during the day.
