Things to Do in Baku in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Baku
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Nowruz celebrations transform the city during March 20-21 - you'll catch the most important holiday on the Azerbaijani calendar with street festivals, traditional music in Icherisheher, and locals dressed in their finest. Hotels fill fast but the energy is worth planning around.
- Spring arrives properly in late March with almond and apricot blossoms appearing in Gobustan and along the Boulevard. Temperature sits in that perfect 8-13°C (46-55°F) range where you can walk comfortably for hours without overheating or freezing.
- Caspian wind season hasn't fully kicked in yet - March typically sees calmer conditions than April and May when the khazri wind makes waterfront walks miserable. You'll get maybe 3-4 genuinely windy days instead of 15.
- Shoulder season pricing means accommodation runs 30-40% cheaper than the May-September peak, and you can actually book decent restaurants in the Old City without three days notice. Flight prices from Europe drop noticeably after the late February ski season ends.
Considerations
- Weather is genuinely unpredictable - you might get a sunny 15°C (59°F) day followed by 5°C (41°F) with drizzle. Pack layers because you'll use all of them, sometimes in the same afternoon. Early March particularly can feel more like winter than spring.
- Nowruz week (typically March 18-24) means many local businesses close or run reduced hours, banks shut down for days, and transportation gets crowded with domestic travelers visiting family. If you're here March 19-22, expect limited services and book everything in advance.
- Mud volcanoes and some Gobustan areas can be inaccessible or frankly miserable if you hit the rainy days - the clay becomes slippery and vehicles can't safely reach certain sites. Tour operators will reschedule but it might eat into your itinerary.
Best Activities in March
Gobustan Rock Art and Mud Volcano Tours
March is actually ideal for Gobustan before the summer heat makes the exposed rock sites brutal to explore. The petroglyphs are 40km (25 miles) south of the city, and at 10-12°C (50-54°F) you can comfortably spend 2-3 hours examining the UNESCO site without melting. Mud volcanoes are hit-or-miss depending on rain - if the ground is dry, they're fascinating, but after heavy rain the access roads become challenging. The UV index of 8 means you still need serious sun protection despite the cool air, as there's zero shade at the sites.
Old City Walking Tours and Maiden Tower
Icherisheher's narrow stone streets are perfect in March temperatures - cool enough that the uphill climbs to the tower viewpoints don't leave you drenched, but not so cold that you're rushing through. The 12th-century Maiden Tower and Palace of the Shirvanshahs are mostly outdoor experiences, and March gives you that sweet spot before summer tour groups arrive. Lighting is particularly good for photography in the softer spring sun, and the 70% humidity actually helps with the dust that plagues the Old City in summer.
Flame Towers and Modern Baku Architecture Tours
The contrast between 8°C (46°F) mornings and the Flame Towers' evening light show is striking in March - you'll want to catch the LED display around 7:30pm when it's properly dark but not yet freezing. The funicular to Highland Park (where you get the best tower views) runs until 11pm, and March evenings around 10-12°C (50-54°F) are comfortable for the 20-minute walk around the viewpoint. The newer Heydar Aliyev Center designed by Zaha Hadid is a 15-minute taxi ride and worth 2-3 hours inside, which works perfectly for those rainy afternoons.
Caspian Boulevard Cycling and Waterfront
The 25km (15.5 miles) Boulevard is Baku's pride, and March is one of the few months you can cycle or walk the full length without battling wind or heat. Bike rentals cluster near the Carpet Museum (around 5-8 AZN per hour), and at March temperatures you can comfortably ride for 2-3 hours. The Little Venice section looks better in photos than reality, but the stretches past the Ferris wheel toward the National Flag Square are genuinely pleasant. Wind is the variable - if you hit a khazri day, cycling becomes work rather than pleasure.
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum and Indoor Cultural Sites
Essential for those 10 rainy days you'll likely encounter. The Carpet Museum is genuinely world-class - budget 2-3 hours minimum. Entry is 10 AZN and the building itself (shaped like a rolled carpet) is architectural theater. Combine with the Museum of Modern Art (7 AZN) and the National History Museum (10 AZN) for a full rainy-day circuit. March is smart timing because summer sees more tour groups, and you'll have galleries largely to yourself on weekday mornings.
Sheki and Northern Azerbaijan Day Trips
If you have 4-5 days total, the 350km (217 miles) trip to Sheki is worth it in March before summer heat makes the journey less comfortable. The drive takes 5-6 hours through increasingly mountainous terrain, and March weather means you might see snow on the peaks while Baku is spring-like. Sheki's Khan's Palace with its stained glass is the highlight, and the town's authentic feel beats Baku's oil-money polish. The route passes through Shamakhi and Lahij village if you want to break the journey.
March Events & Festivals
Nowruz (Persian New Year)
March 20-21 is Nowruz, the spring equinox celebration that's been observed here for 3,000 years. Bonfires appear across the city on the Tuesday before (Odlar Bayramı - Fire Tuesday), families jump over flames for purification, and the Old City hosts concerts and traditional dance. Markets sell samani (wheat sprouts), painted eggs, and sweets. It's genuinely special but be prepared for closures - banks shut for 3-4 days, many restaurants close March 20-21, and hotels book solid. The public holiday technically runs March 20-24, though the main celebrations are March 20-21.
International Women's Day
March 8 is a major public holiday in Azerbaijan, a Soviet legacy that's still enthusiastically celebrated. Men buy flowers for every woman they know - you'll see flower sellers on every corner and prices triple. Restaurants and cafes fill with celebration dinners. It's charming to witness but book restaurants well ahead if you want dinner on March 8, and expect some businesses to close early or run weekend hours.