Baku Old City walking tour: Palace & medieval streets

Medieval Baku without the maze: a guide walks you through the layers

The Baku Old City tour is a guided walk through the historic center, taking in the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Maiden Tower, City Walls, Juma Mosque and other landmarks while a professional guide explains the architecture and history spanning the 15th century to the Soviet era. The tour includes entrance to the Palace and a lunch of national Azerbaijani dishes served in the Old City, with guides available in English, Russian or Turkish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Baku Old City and lunch

• Walk through Baku Old City
• Visit Palace of the Shirvanshah
• Enjoy lunch with Azerbaijani dishes

The experience

Baku Old City sits as a distinct place inside the modern city: a medieval quarter where oriental architecture, European oil-baron mansions from the early 1900s, Soviet blocks and contemporary hotels all occupy the same streets. A guide leads you through this layering, pointing out how the styles interrupt each other and what each one says about who held power when. The walk takes in the Maiden Tower, the City Walls, the Monument to Lovers and Cats, the Juma Mosque and the Chinese Mosque, each one a stop where the guide anchors a piece of the story rather than leaving you to guess at plaques.

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is the centerpiece: the operator calls it the crown jewel of Baku, and you enter it as part of the tour rather than buying a separate ticket. The palace combines bright walls with what the source describes as "dark stories," a contrast the guide unpacks while you stand in front of it. After the walking portion, lunch happens in the Old City itself, a set of national Azerbaijani dishes eaten where the events the guide described actually took place, so the food and the history sit together.

The tour runs two to three hours total. A professional guide speaks English, Russian or Turkish depending on which option you book, and the route is wheelchair accessible. Children from age one are welcome, and public transportation stops are nearby if you need to reach the starting point without a car.

What’s included

• Professional guide in your choice of English, Russian or Turkish.
• entrance to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
• lunch of Azerbaijani national dishes served in the Old City.

Options for this experience

3 options

Group TourGuide in English, Turkish or Russian · 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00Lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, with a professional guide service

Guided in Turkish11:00, 14:00 and 17:00

Private tourGuide in English, Turkish or Russian · No fixed timeProfessional guide service, lasting 2 hours, with a private tour guide

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (12 to 50 years) · Senior (51 to 65 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Russian and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 17 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Baku Day Trips

Is this one for you?Book the group tour if you want to walk with other travelers and keep the price lower; choose the private tour if you prefer the guide's full attention and a schedule built around your pace; the Turkish-speaking guide option works if that is your language and you want to hear the history in it.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Russian and Turkish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need to buy a separate ticket to enter the Palace of the Shirvanshahs?

No. The Palace of the Shirvanshahs entrance is included in the Old City tour price, so you walk in as part of the guided experience rather than purchasing entry separately.

Can I do this tour if I use a wheelchair?

Yes. The Old City tour is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them to reach the starting point.

What kind of food is served at lunch?

Lunch includes a set of national Azerbaijani dishes, eaten in a restaurant within the Old City itself. The guide continues to share stories about the area while you eat.