Safety in Baku

Good to Know

• Central tourist zones like the Old City, Fountain Square, and Baku Boulevard are well-lit, patrolled, and considered the safest parts of the city, but pickpockets specifically target the crowds in exactly these areas — keep bags zipped and phones secured.
• Use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps (e.g., Bolt) rather than hailing unofficial street cabs, which are a much more common source of tourist trouble (overcharging) than violent crime.
• If someone claiming to be a police officer demands cash on the street, it's reasonable to politely ask to go to the nearest police station to resolve it formally — this is a documented scam pattern targeting tourists.
• Solo women have reported unwanted attention on the street and in taxis; sticking to well-lit, busy areas and licensed transport reduces this risk.
• Areas near the Armenia border and the former Nagorno-Karabakh region are a separate category of risk (landmines, security zones) and are not part of any normal Baku itinerary — this has no bearing on day-to-day safety in the city itself.
• Cannabis and CBD are fully illegal in Azerbaijan with no medical exception — leaving any cannabis product at home (including CBD oils/gummies) is the safest approach, even if legally purchased elsewhere.
• Sex work is an administrative (fine-based) offense for the individual, but running a brothel is criminal — either way, foreigners have no special exemption and engaging, even consensually, carries legal risk.
• Street solicitation happens fairly openly in some central Baku nightlife areas; a common scam pattern starts with a stranger asking for a photo or your phone number, which is later used to push paid services or attempt to extort money.