Samarkand and Bukhara Uzbekistan

Samarkand and Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Central Asia still doesn’t get the visitors it deserves, and Uzbekistan’s two great Silk Road cities are significantly quieter than equivalent monuments in Europe or the Middle East. That is changing quickly as Uzbekistan opens up and international routes improve. Go while you can still walk around Registan Square without fighting through organised tour groups.

Samarkand

Registan Square is genuinely one of the most impressive architectural ensembles in the world. Three madrasahs from the 15th to 17th centuries enclose the square on three sides, their tiled facades more vivid in person than any photograph suggests. The Tilya-Kori Madrasah has a gold-encrusted interior ceiling that borders on overwhelming. Plan at least two hours, longer if you want to explore the interior galleries.

Gur-Emir Mausoleum holds the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane), who died in 1405 during a campaign to invade China. His tomb is marked by a slab of dark jade – the largest single piece of jade in the world. The ribbed blue dome is immediately recognisable from the outside. Worth 40 minutes.

Shah-i-Zinda is the most atmospheric site in the city: a narrow lane of tiled mausoleums from the 14th century, used as a royal and noble necropolis for centuries. Late afternoon light on the tilework is exceptional. Go at 4pm.

Bibi-Khanym Mosque is partly reconstructed but conveys the scale of Timur’s ambition. He intended it to be the largest mosque in the world. He slightly overestimated what his architects could achieve, and sections of the building collapsed during construction.

Eating and Staying in Samarkand

Kamol Knab does solid plov (the Uzbek rice dish with lamb, carrots, and chickpeas) and excellent samsa pastries at around 60,000 to 80,000 UZS for two.

Karavan Serai is a boutique option inside a converted madrasah, which sounds gimmicky but works well as accommodation. Hotel Samarkand is the more conventional comfortable option near Registan.

Bukhara

Bukhara feels older and quieter than Samarkand. The Old City is largely preserved inside a compact area you can cross on foot in 20 minutes.

Kalon Minaret has stood since 1127. The story that Genghis Khan spared it when he destroyed the rest of the city because its height caused him to tilt his head back and his hat to fall off – making him bow involuntarily – is probably apocryphal. It is still standing. The Kalon Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasah opposite form the Poi-Kalyan Ensemble, the heart of the Old City.

Ark Citadel, the ancient royal fortress on the north side, has views from the walls over the city worth the entrance fee alone.

The trading domes around the central area (Toki-Sarrafon, Toki-Zargaron) are still functioning bazaars selling silk, ceramics, and handicrafts. Prices are negotiable.

Eating and Staying in Bukhara

Madrasah i’mom Bukhari serves good Uzbek food with courtyard seating inside an actual historic building – the atmosphere justifies a slightly higher price. Malaka Kamokhostari guesthouse puts you in the heart of the Old City.

Practical Notes

The Afrosiyob fast train connects Samarkand to Bukhara in under 90 minutes. Book ahead for weekend departures.

Cash in Uzbek Som is useful at smaller restaurants and in bazaars; most hotels accept cards. Dress modestly at religious sites – shoulders and knees covered. English is limited outside hotels; Russian gets you further in most shops.