Baku Old Town: Walking Tour, Maiden Tower & Shirvanshahs Palace

Wander Baku’s ancient walls, climb Maiden Tower, stories at Shirvanshahs Palace

You’ll walk Baku’s winding Old Town streets with a local guide, hear stories behind mosques and caravanserais, step inside the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, then climb the legendary Maiden Tower for sweeping city views. Expect real conversation, unexpected details, and that feeling when ancient stones suddenly feel personal.

Options for this experience

2 options

From US$ 95 per person, depending on the option and date you choose. See options & prices

Small Group Tour 5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00 Guide in English, Spanish or Russian

Private Tour 5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 17:00 Guide in English, Spanish or Russian Private tour; pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included

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Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Baku Old Town highlights

• Start at Icharishahar metro station
• Learn about mosques and old city walls
• Enter Palace of Shirvanshahs
• Tour palace courtyard and king’s rooms
• Visit mausoleums and pagan temple
• Climb Maiden Tower
• Hear legends and enjoy city views
• Pass by mosques and bathhouses
• Learn about the "Broken Fortress" mosque

Stops and time spent at each 4 stops

1. Fortress Walls of Icheri Sheher 10m
2. Palace of the Shirvanshahs Entry included 1h
3. Maiden Tower Entry included 1h
4. Lezgi Mosque 15m

What’s included

Your day includes a local professional guide who meets you outside Icharishahar metro station near Baku’s old city walls, plus bottled water to keep you going as you explore winding streets, palaces, mosques and climb up Maiden Tower together.

Times

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• Every day 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00

Information

Step inside Baku’s Old Town with a local guide, climb the Maiden Tower, explore Shirvanshahs Palace and ancient mosques. Includes bottled water and easy meeting point.

Group Up to 15 2 similar private tours ›

Live guide English, Spanish and Russian Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts. See the exact address

Book up to 4h before

Ages Adult (16 to 90 years) · Under 16: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Infant seats available Public transport nearby

More information The exact meeting point address, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

4.96 ★★★★★ Exceptional 82 verified traveler reviews 96% rated it 5 stars

5 ★ 79

4 ★ 3

3 ★ 0

2 ★ 0

1 ★ 0

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The experience

I didn’t expect the stones in Baku’s Old Town to feel so smooth under my shoes: like they’d been polished by centuries of footsteps. We met our guide, Farid, right outside Icharishahar metro station where the city walls just rise up out of nowhere. He smiled and handed me a bottle of water (which I immediately needed, it was warmer than I thought). The old trading squares were busy with locals chatting in bursts of Azeri. There was this faint smell of baked bread drifting from somewhere. I almost got distracted before we even started.

Farid led us through narrow alleys past mosques and caravanserais, pausing to tell us why some bathhouses have domed roofs and why one mosque is called “Broken Fortress.” He had a way of making history sound like gossip, “This king? Not so popular,” he said, grinning. Inside the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the light felt different, cooler, somehow quieter. We wandered through stone courtyards and mausoleums that looked like they’d seen both weddings and wars. I tried to imagine what it sounded like here centuries ago. Maybe not so different from today’s echoes.

The Maiden Tower was next. Eight stories up (I counted), my legs complained but the view made me forget for a second. Farid shared legends: one about a princess that honestly sounded tragic but also kind of mysterious. From up there you see all of Baku: glass towers on one side, tangled rooftops on the other. It’s funny how you can feel both lost and found at once in a place like this.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Russian.

How long does the Baku Old Town walking tour take?

The tour typically lasts around 2-3 hours depending on group pace and questions.

Where does the walking tour start?

The meeting point is right outside Icharishahar metro station by the old city walls.

Is bottled water included in this tour?

Yes, each guest receives 0.5 liters of bottled water during the tour.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels though there are stairs inside Maiden Tower.

Will we visit both mosques and bathhouses in Baku Old Town?

You’ll pass by several historic mosques and bathhouses as part of the route.

Does this day trip include hotel pickup?

No hotel pickup is mentioned. Guests meet at Icharishahar metro station.

Operated by Baku Explorer. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago