The quaint Fountains Square

Night & day ’s capital is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic cities in the world. Joseph Reaney spends 24 hours exploring everything from its historic heart to its modern shell ’s iconic SaksThe mood-litinside Old Town Saks outside

05.15 09.45 on Rasul Rza, or buy melt-in-the-mouth 16.30 Land at Heydar International Airport After a coffee break, make your way through chocolate at Patchi. Keep walking until the Put your feet up and enjoy a small aperitif in (www.airport.az) and flag a taxi to Fairmont the winding alleys to Shirvanshah’s pristine pavement turns into a dusty street, nearby Chinar (Shovkat Alekberova 1; +994 onemoreday Baku. Located in one of the three iconic Palace. This (mostly) 15th-century site is and you’ll arrive at the off-the-trail Museum 12 404 8211; www.chinar-dining.com). If you’ve more time, check out some of the other luxury hotels in town including the Flame Towers — flame-shaped columns that home to royal , a mausoleum, of Modern Art (Yusif Safarov St 5; +994 12 palatial Four Seasons Baku on the edge of the Old Town (www.fourseasons.com) or rise high above the city — the hotel boasts the mosque and courtroom, as well as excavated 490 8404; www.mim.az). The musuem is 17.30 head slightly further afield to the Kempinski Hotel Badamdar (www.kempinski.com) best views in Baku. It might be a little early Bayil Stones with beautiful Arabic text home to hundreds of pieces by contemporary Take the funicular behind Chinar up to or Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel (www.jumeirah.com). to check in, but you can deposit your bags and animal engravings. From the palace, Azerbaijani artists, as well as European Martyrs’ Lane, comprising several hilltop Art aficionados and collectors might want to visit one of the myriad contemporary and tuck into an early breakfast at Le Bistro. head to the Vahid Gardens, home to an masters such as Dalí, Picasso and Chagall. grave memorials that commemorate the lives and traditional galleries springing up all over town. For a dose of architectural imaginative bust of the poet Aliagha Vahid, of Azerbaijan’s victims in a 1990 skirmish enlightenment, make a detour to the -designed Center 07.15 whose character creations are weaved into 14.45 with Soviet troops, as well as the Turks and its museum, dedicated to the life and heritage of the late Azerbaijani president Spend a morning getting lost in Baku’s the stone waves and knots of his hair. Next, head down to the Bulvar (Baku and Brits who fought here during the First (heydaraliyevcenter.az). delightful Old Town, a majestic mix of Boulevard), which follows the coast of the World War. As sunset approaches, head to cobbled streets, charming caravanserai 11.30 and is dotted with modernist the eternal flame for a memorable panorama. (traditional inns) and tempting tea shops. The day started early, so lunch can too. Make buildings. Shopaholics should stop at the first, Start at the , a 29-metre-high your way to Fountains Square, Baku’s (+994 12 598 8080; www. 18.45 21.00 STAY stone structure that dates back to the 1100s. social hub. Carnivores will love the lulya parkbulvar.az), for high-end stores; otherwise, After freshening up at the Fairmont, right next Time for a bar crawl, taking in swanky cocktail Folklore says the tower was built by a rich local (minced lamb) kebab in flatbread at Yeni walk for 45 minutes along the Bulvar until you to Martyrs’ Lane, take a taxi back down to the joints such as Mamounia (Uzeir Hajibeyov 51; Fairmont Baku ruler, who wanted to marry his daughter. She Bah Bah Club (+994 12 498 8734), while reach the building shaped like a giant half- seafront. Sahil Bar & Restaurant (+994 12 +994 12 51 799 7777) or open-air venues Tel: + 994 12 565 4848 was so disgusted, she requested he build the vegetarians might prefer a qutab (pancake unfurled carpet. This is the Carpet Museum 404 8212; www.sahil-dining.az) serves up like Caspian Terrace (90 Nizami St; +994 www.fairmont.com tower as a wedding present, then promptly turnover) filled with cheese or spinach. (132 Neftchilar Ave; +994 12 493 0501), fine traditional cuisine on a lovely outdoor 12 465 2000; www.thelandmarkhotel.az). threw herself off the top. After enjoying the home to a vast collection of rare and fine rugs terrace. Order the Caspian noodle soup, Next, delve into Baku’s late-night scene at Four Seasons Baku views of the Old Town from the tower’s roof, 12.30 that chart the work of Azerbaijani craftsmen followed by pan-fried sturgeon with walnut Face Club (+994 12 51 788 1010). Tel: +994 12 404 2424 www.fourseasons.com walk down the steps in front to the striking Stroll along Nizami Küçəsi, the city’s most over the centuries. Alternatively, you can walk crust, then sip a cocktail in the restaurant’s 15th-century Haji-Bani Bathhouse, then popular shopping avenue, and investigate a little further along the Bulvar to take a ride bar Pasifico. Other fine dining options include 01.30 Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel turn the corner to drink tea in Karvansara the boutique-laden side streets. Foodies on the Baku , offering views over the chic Brit-style Evde (25 Səməd Vurğun; Take a taxi back to the hotel and enjoy a final Restaurant or buy a traditional Azeri silk can try delicious Sevruga caviar, for which the oil-slicked sea to the Crystal Hall and a +994 12 404 8213; www.saffron.az), and nightcap in Alov Jazz Bar, then crawl into Tel: +994 12 565 4000 n www.jumeirah.com Baku scarf in the store opposite. the country is famous, at Taza Bazaar towering flagpole. the Fairmont’s own Alov Restaurant. bed for a welcome night’s sleep.

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