Journal
Why I Would Go Back to Baku, The City I Didn’t Expect to Love
Every so often I arrive somewhere with relatively few expectations and leave wondering why more people aren’t talking about it. Baku was one of those places.
Azerbaijan’s capital is an intriguing mixture of influences. At moments the grand boulevards and elaborate architecture feel almost Parisian; turn a corner and you are wandering through the ancient lanes of the walled Old City.
Then you look towards the skyline and Baku becomes something else entirely — bold, contemporary and ambitious.
It shouldn’t necessarily work.
Somehow it does.
I loved walking the Old City and then emerging onto the sweeping Caspian waterfront. I loved the contrast between old stone buildings and striking modern architecture. Most of all, I liked that Baku continually surprised me.
But I wouldn’t travel all the way to Azerbaijan simply to see the capital.
The real pleasure comes from using Baku as the beginning and end of a wider journey — travelling into the country’s extraordinary landscapes, historic towns and villages before returning to the city.
It is also why I particularly like combining Azerbaijan with Georgia. The two countries are neighbours, yet culturally and visually they feel remarkably different.
That contrast makes the journey.