Baku, Azerbaijan, May 16
Trend:
The German tabloid BILD has published an article on the Azerbaijani capital on the eve of the UEFA Europa League final in Baku, Trend reports.
Baku was already in the focus of international attention on May 26, 2012 – back then the Eurovision Song Contest was being held in Baku. On May 29, 2019, the world’s eyes will be on Baku once again - this time because of soccer: Chelsea F.C. and Arsenal F.C. will compete in the Europa League finals.
Country on the Caspian Sea
Covering an area of 86,000 square kilometers and being only slightly larger than Austria, Azerbaijan is surrounded by Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran and the Caspian Sea. The capital Baku is located right on the sea - even a bit below the sea level. The distance from Berlin is 3,524 kilometers.
Old City - part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Oil made the metropolis rich, just as its geographical location on several historical trade routes. There are many historical buildings in the Old City, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000. Among them are walls and towers (the most famous of them being the Maiden's Tower), the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious buildings can be found in Azerbaijan as well.
Modern city with a historic heart
Baku is a modern city. The capital is a little bit of Paris, a bit of Dubai and a bit of Moscow, and here one can find everything from skyscrapers to historic buildings. The new landmarks of the city are the three Flaming Towers, in which hotels and offices are located.
Stadium
Another attraction is the National Stadium (Baki Milli Stadionu), which seats 70,000 spectators. It is here that the Europa League finals start on May 29th. The stadium is part of the Olympic Village with training grounds and accommodation facilities. The city had already bid twice to host the Olympic Games (2016 and 2020). The stadium is located close to the airport and is easily accessible by taxi from there. The nearest metro station is Koroglu, and it is about a 12-minute walk to the stadium from there. Those with a bit more time can take part in a tour of the stadium, which is held on game-free days, including in German.
Arrival in Baku
Flight from Frankfurt (direct or stopover) costs from 130 euros. Some organizers offer packages (hotel, transfer to the stadium and back or city plan, game), e.g. Vietentours (from 298 euros without a flight) or Fanreisen24.com (from 510 euros without a flight).