Samarkand

Founded as ancient Afrasiyab as early as the 7th century BC, Samarkand reached its height under Timur (Tamerlane) and his successors in the 14th and 15th centuries, when it became the capital of an empire and a showcase for the finest architects, tile-makers and scholars of the Islamic world. UNESCO inscribed the city on its World Heritage List in 2001 as Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures.

The city falls into three parts: the grassy hills of Afrasiyab to the north, the Timurid old town around the Registan, and the 19th- and 20th-century Russian town to the west, with broad, tree-lined avenues. Samarkand is the second stop on most journeys through Uzbekistan, between Tashkent and Bukhara, and is linked to both by high-speed train.

Few places concentrate so much grandeur in so small an area. Within walking distance you can see the three madrasas of the Registan, the colossal ruins of the Bibi-Khanym mosque and the dazzling avenue of tombs at Shah-i-Zinda, then step into a bazaar that has fed the city for generations. Samarkand also rewards those who linger: the light at dusk on the tilework, a long lunch of plov, a paper-making workshop in a nearby village. It is the most photogenic city in Central Asia, and one of the most welcoming.

• Registan. The city's great square is framed by three madrasas: Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor with its famous tiger mosaics, and Tilla-Kari, whose mosque glows with gilded decoration. Come early morning and again at dusk to see the façades change colour.
• Gur-Emir. Timur's mausoleum, crowned by a ribbed turquoise dome, holds the tombs of the conqueror and his descendants beneath a richly decorated interior. It is a short walk south-west of the Registan.
• Shah-i-Zinda. A narrow, stepped lane of mausoleums covered in some of the finest tilework anywhere, built around a shrine traditionally associated with Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. It remains a place of pilgrimage, so dress modestly.
• Bibi-Khanym Mosque. Built for Timur after his Indian campaign, this vast congregational mosque was one of the largest of its age. Its scale is still overwhelming, even after extensive restoration.
• Siab Bazaar. Beside Bibi-Khanym, the city's main market is piled with round Samarkand bread, dried fruit, nuts, spices and seasonal melons. Taste before you buy.
• Afrasiyab and its museum. Walk over the earthworks of the pre-Mongol city and see the 7th-century murals in the site museum, which depict foreign ambassadors arriving at the Sogdian court.
• Ulugh Beg Observatory. The remains of the 15th-century observatory of Timur's astronomer grandson, including part of its giant meridian arc set into the hillside, with a small museum on his work.
• Konigil paper workshop. In a village on the city's edge, craftspeople revive the making of Samarkand paper from mulberry bark using water-powered mills, a pleasant half-day out.

The ideal months are April to early June and September to October, when days are warm and evenings mild. Summer is very hot and best handled with early starts, a long midday break and evening strolls when the monuments are lit. Winter can be cold and grey, but crowds are thin and hotels quieter. Navruz on 21 March brings festive food and music to the city.

For atmosphere, stay in a family-run guesthouse in the old town near the Registan, Gur-Emir or Bibi-Khanym, many set around shaded courtyards. You will be able to walk to the main sights at sunrise and sunset. Larger mid-range and upmarket hotels cluster along the avenues of the Russian-era town and near University Boulevard, which are quieter, a little further from the monuments and convenient for taxis. Whatever you book, your accommodation will register your stay through the national system.

Registan and the old town: the historic heart, with the great madrasas, Gur-Emir and the residential mahallas behind them, where guesthouses hide behind plain walls.

Bibi-Khanym and Siab Bazaar: the busy market district, lively in the morning and the best place for snacks, spices and people-watching.

Shah-i-Zinda and Afrasiyab: the northern edge of the old city, with the necropolis, the ancient mounds and the Afrasiyab museum.

The Russian town: leafy 19th- and 20th-century avenues and boulevards to the west, home to larger hotels, cafés and everyday city life.

The high-speed Afrosiyob train reaches Samarkand from Tashkent in roughly two to two and a half hours, and continues to Bukhara in under two hours. Book through the official Uzbekistan Railways site (eticket.railway.uz) well ahead, as trains sell out. The station is in the north-west of the city, a short taxi ride from the centre.

Samarkand International Airport, with a modern terminal opened in 2022, handles a growing list of international routes as well as domestic flights. Within the city, the old town is easy to explore on foot, and a pedestrian street links the Registan with Bibi-Khanym and the bazaar. For longer hops use Yandex Go or official taxis. For practical information about the wider country, see our Uzbekistan guide.

Samarkand is proud of its non, dense round loaves stamped with patterns and baked in tandoor ovens; buy them warm at Siab Bazaar. The local plov is often layered rather than stirred, with rice, carrots and meat served in tiers, and is a lunchtime dish, so plov houses may run out by mid-afternoon.

Elsewhere, look for shashlik grilled over charcoal, oven-baked samsa, manti dumplings and hearty shurpa soup, followed by green tea and dried apricots or halva. Restaurants with terraces facing the monuments are pricier than local tea houses, but the view is part of the meal.

Shahrisabz, Timur's birthplace south of Samarkand across a mountain pass, has the colossal ruined gateway of his Ak-Saray palace and a historic centre that is a separate UNESCO World Heritage site (placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2016 over concerns about development). The Imam al-Bukhari memorial complex, honouring the great hadith scholar, lies a short drive north of the city and is an important place of pilgrimage.

With the fast train, Bukhara is close enough for a very long day, though it deserves at least two nights of its own. See the Uzbekistan country guide for ideas on combining Samarkand with Khiva and Tashkent.

Samarkand offers good value. Guesthouse rooms in the old town are generally inexpensive and often include a generous breakfast, and meals in tea houses and bazaar cafés cost little. Spending rises with terrace restaurants, boutique hotels, high-speed train classes and private drivers for day trips. Monument tickets are sold at each site; buy them with cards where accepted or in so'm, and keep some cash for the bazaar.

Time the light. Visit the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda early in the morning for soft light and fewer groups, and return to the Registan after dark.

Dress for shrines. Cover shoulders and knees at Shah-i-Zinda and other active places of pilgrimage; women may want a scarf.

Carry your passport. It is a legal requirement in Uzbekistan, and hotels need it for registration.

Book trains early. Afrosiyob seats to and from Samarkand often sell out, especially in spring and autumn.

Ask before photographing. Most people are happy to pose, but some bazaar traders and worshippers prefer not to be photographed.