Baku winters are frigid, though the cold here is relatively tempered by virtue of its geographical situation as a sea port along the Caspian.  Summer months, however, can breach the other temperature extreme, with highs hitting the triple digits.  Come to Azerbaijan for the culture and attractions, but not so much for the weather.

Baku celebrates staple Western holidays, like New Years Eve and Christmas, though other unique sacred and festive dates, secular and Islamic, sprinkle the Azerbaijani calendar.  One of these is a bit of a downer—Sorrow Day—a memorial day that occurs every January 20 as an anniversary tribute to the deaths of demonstrators at the hands of Russians during Azerbaijan’s struggle for independence in 1990.  

On a lighter note, Novruz is a dedication to the start of spring that takes place during the vernal equinox and is associated with numerous nature and agricultural festivities.  Celebrations take place for four Wednesdays leading up to Novruz itself and culminate in great feasts and presents for children.  With fireworks, fires, and festivities, Novruz is quite big in Baku.