Apartment near Maiden Tower

Near the tower, we found a café where we got coffee and water on a warm day. The coffee was good and the restroom was clean, which is useful since public toilets can be hard to find in the Old City. Prices there were a little high. The Maiden Tower is right by the main entrance to the Old City and made a strong impression on us, though we didn’t go inside. It’s probably one of Baku’s most touristy spots, and its history and location still left us with a positive impression. There were lots of persistent guides repeatedly offering their services, making it hard to take photos or enjoy the view in peace. Nearby cafés mostly cater to tourists, with above-average prices and rather ordinary quality. Street vendors sell souvenirs too, so compare prices and bargain, as they can be quite high.

You can climb through eight floors inside the tower, with historical facts and information displayed on each one. The viewing deck at the top looks out over the city. Get tickets at the counter just outside before entering. Combo tickets are available that can be paired with Shah Palace and the old bathhouse.

The money they charge for this visit isn’t worth it. The viewing point is a joke: there’s a two-meter-high fence with metal dividers around the whole perimeter, and the glass is muddy, so enjoying the view is impossible. Going up the stairs doesn’t help, since every small outside window is blocked off with an ugly fence and you can’t get close for a decent view. If that’s for “safety reasons,” they might as well lock the entrance so nobody gets hurt. Good job.

You can go inside the Maiden Tower and climb up for a lovely view of Baku and the Caspian Sea. It’s one of the best-known landmarks in the Old City (İçərişəhər), and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tower is roughly from the 12th century, though its foundations may be older. There are plenty of legends around it, including the famous tragic love story connected with the name “Maiden Tower.”