Baku: best months to visit

Baku (Bakı), capital of Azerbaijan: 2.3 million inhabitants on the Caspian coast. Nicknamed "Dubai of the Caucasus" since the post-2000 oil boom (futuristic Flame Towers + Heydar Aliyev Center architectures). Geopolitically at the crossroads of Russia, Iran and Turkey — Turkic-Azeri culture + Shiite Muslim heritage + Persian influence + Soviet Russification. June is my favorite month (9.6/10): 68-84°F, 8% rain, ideal temperatures before the summer heatwave. From May to June and September-October, these are the best seasons: 48-84°F, 15-23% rain. From July-August drop to 6.9/10 due to the heat (73-90°F with Caspian humidity). From December to March, expect 37-52°F and 20-25% rain: mild but windy (Baku is one of the windiest cities in the world, its name means "city of winds" in Persian). Highlights: Old town Içeri Şeher (UNESCO 2000, fortified 12th-15th century, alley maze), Maiden Tower (12th century, 92 ft, architectural mystery — no known function, legend of the princess who allegedly threw herself from the top rather than marry her father), Shirvanshahs Palace (UNESCO, 13th-16th century, mausoleum and baths), Heydar Aliyev Center (Zaha Hadid 2012, organic architecture iconic of the Iraqi-British architect, exhibitions, Design of the Year 2014 prize), Flame Towers (3 towers of 620 ft in the shape of flames 2012, spectacular night LED illuminations, Fairmont hotels + residences + offices), Seaside Boulevard (Bulvar, promenade by the Caspian 10 miles, parks, restaurants), Azerbaijani Carpet Museum (architecture in the shape of a rolled carpet), Yashil Bazaar Market. Excursions: Yanar Dag ("Burning Mountain" 16 miles away, natural flames burning continuously since antiquity due to underground gas emanations, gave the nickname "Land of Fire" to Azerbaijan), Atashgah Fire Temple (Surakhani, former Zoroastrian and Hindu place of worship 17th-19th century, eternal flames maintained by gas since 2007 after natural drying up), Gobustan Mud Volcanoes (UNESCO 2007, the largest concentration of mud volcanoes in the world 350+, prehistoric rock carvings 6000 years). Try Azeri plov (saffron rice pilaf), kebab, dolma (stuffed vine leaves), qutab (pancakes), pakhlava (local baklava), tcha (tea) served in armudu tulip glass, Shamakhi wines.