When Baku came up as the cheapest place to fly to after my week in Turkey, it was the first time I’d ever even heard of the city. I recognised the country, Azerbaijan, but to be honest that’s only because of Eurovision! I’m fairly well-travelled in terms of Western Europe, Asia and Australasia, but the Caucasia area is somewhere that rarely came up as a tourist destination in my five years of working in the travel industry.

a new country every week based entirely off the cheapest flight to a new destination. I would never have chosen Baku as a destination to spend a week in, but with a flight from Istanbul for only £90 (the cheapest of the destinations I hadn’t been to on the trip yet), I had no choice!

Unfortunately I was hit with a bad bug that week so I didn’t manage to get out of the city (or my hostel!) as I’d hoped, but I got a great feel for Baku and I look forward to going back in the future to see it properly.

Here are five reasons why you should visit Baku in Azerbaijan.

1. Baku is CHEAP

There’s nothing I love more than turning up to a new place and realising my money goes much further than I expect.

Low travel costs in Baku make it the ideal destination for an intrepid traveller on a budget. You’ll get a dorm bed at a decent hostel for £6/£7 ($12-14NZD), a private room from £15/$30, and a 3 star hotel room from only £25/$50. Metro and bus tickets are only £0.10 each.

In terms of food, a main meal and a drink is unlikely to cost you more than £10/$20 at most places, and even cheaper if you choose local cuisine or street food. A local beer at a casual pub will cost around £1.60, and a fancy cocktail at a sophisticated bar or club probably won’t be more than about £5.

2. The local cuisine is amazing

Azerbaijan’s cuisine is rich and varied, much like the country’s history, and it takes inspiration from both its biodiversity and geographical neighbours.

Boasting nine of the earth’s 11 different climate zones, Azerbaijan’s soil fertility means there are plenty of vegetables, fruits and herbs to choose from for local dishes. Eggplant, rice, beef, lamb, soups, kebabs and dumplings are all staples in Azeri cuisine.

Baku has loads of restaurants serving up traditional Azerbaijani fare like plov (a pilau rice dish), dolma (stuffed vine leaves) and qutab (kind of like savoury pancakes), as well as Armenian, Georgian and Middle Eastern-inspired menus too.

My top pick for local food in the city is the underground restaurant Firuze, with a menu so huge that I went three times!

3. The city’s history (or lack thereof) is fascinating

Azerbaijan’s history is impossible to track, because the constant change of who ruled the country has meant that important documents and artifacts have been destroyed. Which is pretty devastating for a region that has traces of human settlement from the Stone Age, and other parts of the country having ancient tools dated back to 1.5 million years ago.

Baku has been occupied by a number of different empires in more recent times, from the Persians to Russia to the Soviet forces, and the distinct differences from each can be seen in the city’s variety of architectural style. Where else in the world would you see ancient watchtowers, exquisite mosques, imperialistic theatres, Communist buildings and modern architecture stand side by side?

4.Azerbaijan is the land of fire

With vast natural gas reserves below ground that caused seemingly spontaneous earth fires, Azerbaijan’s been known as the Land of Fire for centuries, and the country was once home to the Zoroastrians or fire-worshippers.

While many of the natural reserves were exhausted by the occupying powers in the 20th century, there are still a number of eternal flames burning in the country.

Yanar Dag and Ateshgah Fire Temple are both less than half an hour from Baku by car and are well worth a visit. Yanar Dag is an eternal flame coming out of dirt and rocks on a mountainside, and Ateshgah is an old Zoroastrian pilgrimage site with a flame that’s now supplied by the city’s gas system.

The country’s affinity with fire is obvious, with Baku’s skyline paying the biggest homage. The city’s iconic Flame Towers are a modern nod to the ancients who once worshipped here.

5. It’s somewhere most people haven’t been

If you’re the type of traveller who prides themselves on getting off the well-trodden tourist trail, Baku is the perfect spot for you.

Whether you’re keen for a short city break (you can often find cheap fares to Baku flying Azerbaijan from major European transport hubs) or are looking to dive deep into Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, it’s a destination that’s guaranteed to spark conversation at hostel dinners and high school reunions!