Things to Do in Baku in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Baku
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Genuinely comfortable sightseeing weather - those 4-9°C (40-48°F) temperatures mean you can walk the Old City for hours without overheating, and the wind off the Caspian actually feels refreshing rather than punishing like it does in January
- December 2026 catches the tail end of pomegranate season, and you'll find vendors selling fresh-pressed nar juice on nearly every corner in Icheri Sheher for 2-3 AZN. The locals drink it obsessively this time of year, supposedly for winter immunity
- Hotel prices drop roughly 30-40% compared to September-October peak season, and you can actually book decent Fountain Square area hotels for 80-120 AZN per night instead of the 150-200 AZN you'd pay in autumn. The oil conference season wraps up by early December, which opens up inventory
- The Flame Towers light displays run longer evening shows starting around 4:30pm due to early sunset, giving you nearly 7 hours of the illuminated skyline instead of the abbreviated summer versions. December evenings are when Baku actually looks most dramatic
Considerations
- The Caspian wind is relentless and unpredictable - some days you'll get pleasant 15-20 km/h (9-12 mph) breezes, other days it hits 40-50 km/h (25-31 mph) gusts that make the Boulevard genuinely unpleasant. Locals call it the Khazri wind, and it tends to pick up late morning through afternoon
- Daylight runs roughly 9am-5pm, which sounds manageable until you realize most outdoor attractions photograph terribly in the flat winter light. The golden hour you'd get in October is basically nonexistent, and by 5:30pm you're done with outdoor photography
- About 10 rainy days means you'll likely hit 2-3 wet days in a week-long trip, and Baku's Old City cobblestones get genuinely slippery when wet. The rain itself is usually light and intermittent rather than tropical downpours, but it's the kind that seeps into everything
Best Activities in December
Old City Walking Routes
December is actually perfect for exploring Icheri Sheher on foot - the cooler temperatures mean you can comfortably spend 3-4 hours wandering the maze of alleys without the summer heat exhaustion. The Maiden Tower and Shirvanshahs Palace are indoor-outdoor combinations that work well when the weather turns. Most guided walking tours run 2-3 hours in the morning (10am-1pm) when light is best, and the narrow streets provide decent wind protection. The 70% humidity sounds high but feels less oppressive in single-digit Celsius temperatures.
Caspian Boulevard Cycling
The 25 km (15.5 mile) Boulevard promenade is surprisingly rideable in December despite the wind - you just need to time it right. Early mornings before 10am tend to be calmer, and the protected sections near the Carpet Museum offer wind breaks. The path is well-maintained and mostly flat, and December means you're not competing with summer crowds. Rental bikes are available at multiple points along the route for 5-8 AZN per hour. The Little Venice section and Ferris wheel area make natural turnaround points if the full route feels ambitious.
Gobustan Petroglyph Tours
December is genuinely one of the better months for Gobustan - the 60 km (37 mile) drive southwest takes about an hour, and the outdoor petroglyph sites are far more comfortable in 8-10°C (46-50°F) weather than summer's 35°C+ (95°F+) heat. The mud volcanoes nearby are accessible year-round, though December rains occasionally make the access roads muddy. Most tours combine Gobustan petroglyphs with mud volcanoes and the Ateshgah Fire Temple for a full-day circuit. The low UV index means you're not getting scorched while examining 10,000-year-old rock carvings.
Baku Museum Circuit
December weather makes this an ideal museum month, and Baku's opened several world-class spaces in recent years. The Carpet Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and National History Museum all have excellent climate control and can absorb 2-3 hours each. The Heydar Aliyev Center (the Zaha Hadid building) is worth visiting for architecture alone, and the indoor exhibitions mean weather is irrelevant. Most museums are quiet in December compared to autumn conference season, so you can actually spend time with exhibits without crowds. Typical admission runs 10-20 AZN per museum.
Sheki and Northern Azerbaijan Day Trips
December transforms the northern regions into a completely different landscape - Sheki sits at higher elevation (about 700 m or 2,300 ft) and often gets light snow in December, making the Khan's Palace and surrounding mountains genuinely atmospheric. The 350 km (217 mile) drive from Baku takes 4-5 hours, so these are long day trips or better as overnights. The Caucasus foothills get proper winter weather while Baku stays milder. Most tours include stops at the Lahij copper craft village and Sheki's famous piti soup restaurants.
Traditional Azerbaijani Cooking Classes
December is prime comfort food season in Azerbaijan, and cooking classes focus on winter dishes - plov variations, dovga (yogurt soup), qutab flatbreads, and the elaborate dolma preparations. Most classes run 3-4 hours in local homes or culinary schools, and you're learning techniques that locals actually use during the colder months. The indoor setting means weather is irrelevant, and you end with a proper meal. Classes typically include market visits to buy ingredients, which gives you insight into Taza Bazaar or other local markets.
December Events & Festivals
New Year Preparation Season
While not a single event, late December sees Baku transform for New Year celebrations, which Azerbaijan observes more enthusiastically than Christmas. Fountain Square and Nizami Street get elaborate light installations starting mid-December, and the temporary markets selling decorations and winter foods appear around December 20th. This is when you'll see locals shopping for holiday ingredients and the city takes on a genuinely festive atmosphere. New Year's Eve itself (December 31st) brings massive crowds to Fountain Square.