BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - DAY 1 (4K)

After arriving at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, Baku, our airport transfer was already there to welcome us. The weather was mesmerizing, pretty much cloudy, and 15 degrees Celsius in the month of May was totally unexpected. It was quite windy throughout the city.
The first impression of Baku was as good as exploring any European city; it was very clean, the traffic was controlled, and the infrastructure was planned as per the modern standards. It was totally a developed city at the first sight. The city gave us a freshening vibe due to its clean air and the lush green scenic views.
On our way to the hotel, I asked the airport transfer guy to stop at a money exchanger and mobile shop for a sim card. Money exchangers are quite widely available as many of the local banks were proving the exchange facility at the standard rates. I bought AzerCell sim card for 50 AZN (30 USD/5,800 PKR) having an internet package of 10 GB. The internet in AzerCell sim was 4G LTE and functioned quite smoothly throughout my trip. I did find it slightly expensive though.
I paid 50 AZN (30 USD/5,800 PKR) for the Airport Transfer. The vehicle was a Mercedes V-Class Vito for 5-6 people and enough room for luggage. I am sharing the contact details of the Airport Transfer Agency below.
Transport Agency: Automile Baku
Representative: Mr. Kamran
Contact: [phone] (WhatsApp)
You can talk to him with my reference.
Our hotel was a boutique hotel situated at 2 mins walk from the famous Nizami Street and was sea facing. After checking-in into the hotel and little rest, we visit the Nizami Street.
Nizami Street is a similar street as İstiklal in Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after a classical Azerbaijani Poet, Nizami Ganjavi. The street's history could be traced back to Baku's town-planning project of 1864. The street runs through the city's downtown from west to east. Currently, the Nizami Street consists of major shopping brands and food outlets with indoor and outdoor dining options.
As we were really hungry, we went for our first lunch at the Nizami Street. My love for the Arabic food never ends hence we went to Shaurma1. It is a famous food chain in Azerbaijan serving Shawarma made in Lebanese Style, Doner, Pizza & Fries. We were happy to discover the availability of Ayran (Lassi/Youghart Milk,/Laban) as commonly as we found in Turkey. Average meal per person costed us around 5 - 6 AZN (3 USD / 600 PKR).
Shaurma1: shaurma.az/
After having a scrumptious lunch at Shaurma1, we walked on the streets of Baku, explored the city, shops, people and much more. Our next stop were the Flame Towers and therefore we opted the Metro Bus which was easily available on the streets. The fare to reach the Flame Towers was 0.30 AZN (0.20 USD/40 PKR). The Metro Service in Baku was really nice and as per the international standards.
We had a little stop at the Flame Towers. The triplet towers truly are monumental and a masterpiece of architecture by Azerbaijanis. The height of the tallest tower is 182 m. The three flame-shaped towers symbolize the element of fire; a reference to Azerbaijan's motto, "The Land of Fire", historically resonant in a region where natural gas flares shoot from the earth and Zoroastrian worshippers saw fire as a symbol of the divine. The buildings consist of 130 residential apartments over 33 floors, a Fairmont hotel tower that consists of 250 rooms and 61 serviced apartments, and office blocks.
Just opposite of the Flame Towers, we could easily see the Parliament and National Assembly of Azerbaijan. While walking for less than 5 minutes, we reached the Martyr's lane (Şəhidlər Xiyabanı) and Shahidlar Monument.
Martyr's lane is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January 1990. It is estimated that approximately 15,000 people are buried in the cemetery. It is located on a hill in the south of the city overlooking the Caspian Sea. It is considered a shrine to those who have given their lives for Azerbaijan's independence and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Just beside the Martyr's lane, the Highland Park of Baku is situated. Personally, it was one of my favorite places in Baku. The Highland Park is the highest point of the capital of Azerbaijan, from where a beautiful panorama of the city and the bay opens. One can easily have the panoramic view of the bay of Baku.
After 10 minutes of straight walk, we ended up reaching the Deniz Mall constructed above the Caspian Sea. The Deniz Mall is one of the luxury malls of Azerbaijan with local & international shopping brands. It also has a large food court, play & entertainment area, a cineplex theatre. Kart Racing is also available along with a 3 floor long slide. On the ground floor, Bravo (Supermarket for Groceries) is also situated.
Lastly, we had our dinner at Köfteci Ramiz. It was purely a Turkish restaurant where we had Corba (Lentil Soup), Chicken Doner & Chicken Tavik.