Destinations

Cities to visit in Uzbekistan

Five major stops on the Silk Road, each with its own atmosphere and architectural treasures.

The Pearl of the East

Samarkand

Capital of Tamerlane's empire, Samarkand is Uzbekistan's most iconic city. Registan Square, framed by three madrasas covered in turquoise ceramics and golden mosaics, is one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Don't miss the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and the Ulugh Beg Observatory.

  • Registan Square, magical at sunset and lit up at night
  • Siab Bazaar, the city's largest market
  • The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and its blue mosaics
  • Allow 2 to 3 days to fully enjoy the city
Read our articles on Samarkand
Registan Square in Samarkand
The city of a thousand minarets

Bukhara

Bukhara is arguably the best-preserved city in Central Asia: its UNESCO-listed historic centre can be explored on foot among madrasas, caravanserais and the Kalon Minaret, nearly 1,000 years old. The atmosphere here is more intimate and authentic than in the larger tourist capitals.

  • The Kalon Minaret and the Po-i-Kalyan Mosque
  • The Ark fortress, former residence of the emirs
  • The Lyabi-Hauz pools, surrounded by century-old mulberry trees
  • Allow 2 days on site
Read our articles on Bukhara
Kalon Minaret in Bukhara
The city frozen in time

Khiva

At the gates of the Kyzylkum desert, Khiva surprises visitors with its fortified city of Itchan Kala, entirely preserved and UNESCO-listed. Smaller and less visited than Samarkand or Bukhara, it offers an almost timeless experience, especially at sunrise and sunset.

  • Itchan Kala, the walled inner city with ochre clay walls
  • The unfinished Kalta Minor minaret, covered in turquoise ceramics
  • An ideal stop at the end of a trip, before or after the desert
  • Allow 1 to 2 days
Itchan Kala in Khiva
The modern capital

Tashkent

The entry point for most trips, Tashkent mixes monumental Soviet architecture, a metro with stations worthy of museums, and traditional districts like Chorsu. An often underrated stop that's full of surprises, especially for fans of 20th-century urbanism and history.

  • Tashkent's metro and its monumental stations
  • Chorsu Bazaar under its turquoise dome
  • Amir Timur Square and the Fine Arts Museum
  • 1 day is enough as part of a wider itinerary
Metro station in Tashkent
Off the beaten track

The Fergana Valley

For travellers with more time, the Fergana Valley holds wonderful craft discoveries: silk workshops in Margilan, ceramics in Rishtan, and a preserved rural way of life, far from the major tourist sites.

  • The Yodgorlik silk factory in Margilan
  • The blue ceramics of Rishtan
  • A spectacular mountain road via the Kamchik Pass
  • Best suited to a trip of 12 days or more
See the 15-day itinerary
Silk workshop in the Fergana Valley

Ready to choose your route?

Discover our ready-made itineraries linking these cities according to the length of your trip.

See the itineraries