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Page Content
- Welcome To Uzbekistan
- Tashkent
- Samarkand
- Bukhara
- Khiva
- Food In Uzbekistan
- Getting To Uzbekistan By Flight
- And That's A Wrap!
Welcome To Uzbekistan: 7 To 10 Days Of Culture, History, And Silk Road Cities
“How did I end up here?"
That was a phrase I repeatedly asked myself during my trip to Uzbekistan because the country's grandeur, colours, patterns, and details had me hypnotized.
A month before setting foot in Uzbekistan, the country wasn't even on my travel radar. But as I started researching more and more, I realized it was a hidden world of unexpected wonders that defied all expectations. This is one of those hidden gem countries that’ll take you by surprise. If you need a break from mainstream travel destinations and would like to dive into a whole new world of culture, history, art, architecture, and cuisine, head to Uzbekistan. Watch as the beauty unfolds before you!
Uzbekistan had me awestruck by the symmetrical architecture and tile work this culture has to offer. Also, I really vibed with the dominant colour themes of green, blue, and cream that are present everywhere
In this travel guide, I share all the must-see attractions and things to do in Uzbekistan’s 4 most popular cities: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva across a 7-10 day trip.
📍 Tashkent (1–3 nights)
The capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, is the main international gateway into Uzbekistan. Whatever you do, you’ll most likely start your trip here and adjust based on how deep you want to go or how fast you like to travel.
It would be wise to spend 2 full days here and perhaps an extra 1 rest day to coordinate travel in and out of the country. Tashkent has the strongest city vibe and is layered with history in certain pockets. It’s a good place to ease into the rhythm of the country.
Top Attractions In Tashkent
- Hazrati Imam Complex: A serene spiritual hub showcasing stunning Islamic architecture and Uzbekistan’s most sacred Quran manuscript.
- Amir Temur Square: The symbolic heart of Tashkent where history, pride, and national identity converge beneath the imposing statue of a legendary ruler.
- Hotel Uzbekistan & National Library: A modern centre of literature and culture where Soviet-era nostalgia and intellectual charm come together.
- Chorsu Bazaar: A mesh of local life where spices, silk, and tradition come together under a turquoise dome.
- Minor Mosque: A gleaming marble sanctuary beside the river, perfect for golden hour reflection and quiet moments.
- Tashkent TV Tower: Skip the dining, but head to the top of this tower for panoramic views of the city’s scale, symmetry, and Soviet-meets-modern skyline.
- Navoi Theatre: A legacy of artistry built by Japanese prisoners of war, where culture and craftsmanship take centre stage.
Tours & Experiences In Tashkent
To get a sense of what Tashkent has to offer, check out some of these activities you could dive into from our partners at GetYourGuide.
Pro Travel Tips & Recommendations
- The shashliks (skewers) in Tashkent are delicious! I'd recommend sampling the street vendors for a true local experience. For a fancier upscale experience, head to Khan Chapan where they dramatically serve shashliks on swords.
- Grab a delicious plov (rice pilaf dish) at Besh Qozon. It’s one of the most famous and local spots in the country for plov.
How Many Days To Spend In Tashkent
Personally, I think 2 days are enough to cover the main spots in Tashkent. If you’d like to take things slow, you could choose to spend 3 days. Though if your priority is history and culture over city life, you could even spend one day in Tashkent and head to Samarkand ASAP.
Where To Stay In Tashkent
The most recommended areas to stay in Tashkent for travellers are within a 2km radius of Amir Timur Square.
Mercure Tashkent is a popular hotel choice for many travellers. If you prefer a residence style accommodation, you should opt in for STYLO Residences.
Explore Tashkent Accommodations →
📍 Samarkand (3 nights)
Samarkand, the Heart of the Silk Road, was hands down my favourite city in Uzbekistan. It has an equal balance of mind-blowing ancient beauty while balancing modern amenities for a comfortable stay. Samarkand is rich in majesty, scale, and soul and will take you centuries back in time!
Top Attractions In Samarkand
- Registan Square: Three madrasahs facing off in perfect symmetry, it’s the kind of place that makes silence feel right. The highlight of Uzbekistan.
- Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum: Amir Temur’s resting place. A bold, understated, and oddly intimate given the weight of history it holds.
- Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis: A narrow walkway of tilework and tombs named after a dead shah who came back to life, more moving than any museum could ever be.
- Bibi Khanym Mosque: Once one of the largest in the Islamic world, now a beautiful reminder of ambition, love, and time’s erosion.
- Hazrat Khizr Mosque: Perched just high enough for a view, it’s quiet, active, and still part of the city’s living faith.
- Islam Karimov Memorial: Politically loaded, yes, but worth a visit if you're curious about how Uzbekistan frames its modern identity.
- Siob Bazaar: Not just for produce, but it’s where the locals actually are. Best explored slow, with your phone down.
Tours & Experiences In Samarkand
To get a sense of what Samarkand has to offer, check out some of these activities you could dive into from our partners at GetYourGuide.
How Many Days To Spend In Samarkand
Samarkand has the most attractions to see in the country. Personally, I believe Samarkand is the most charming Uzbek city. I recommend spending 3 nights here and exploring every corner of this city in depth.
Travel Tips & Recommendations
- Hire a local guide for one day to narrate the stories and peel the historical layers you might otherwise miss. There are so many captivating legends and tales to learn about in Samarkand.
- Make sure to book a meal at Platan. Their manti dumplings and mastava were delicious!
Where To Stay In Samarkand
I recommend you stay either on or close to the main street that connects Bul'var to Registan Square. You'll tend to find a lot of accommodation options around these spots.
We had a wonderful 3 night stay at Continental Hotel and since it's tried and tested, this is my top recommendation. DiliMah Premium and Zarafshon Parkside are other great options worth exploring.
Explore Samarkand Accommodations →
📍 Bukhara (2 nights)
Bukhara has an old-world charm wrapped in a walkable, tourist-ready core.
There is an ancient saying in Uzbekistan that roughly translates to
“If Samarkand is the beauty of the earth, Bukhara is the beauty of the spirit.”
Bukhara is compact, charming, and sometimes feels too perfectly curated, but it’s still absolutely worth the visit. Bukhara’s main tourist attractions and hotels are close together and well within walking distance, making Bukhara the most convenient city from a tourist’s standpoin
Top Attractions In Bukhara
- Poi Kalon Complex: A towering minaret, an active mosque, and two madrasahs that create Bukhara’s most powerful open space.
- The Ark Fortress: Once the command centre of an empire. What’s left tells you just enough to imagine the rest.
- Ulugbek & Abdulaziz Khan Madrasas: One is refined, the other is flamboyant. Together, they show how taste evolved with time and power.
- Lyabi Hauz: A pool framed by old trees and tea houses. Still the city’s social core, not just a photo stop.
- Chor Minor: Quirky, compact, and completely unique. You won’t expect much but you’ll remember it.
- Samanid Mausoleum: Stripped-back and precise. Built over a thousand years ago, and still quietly perfect.
- Bolo Hauz Mosque: Slender wooden columns mirrored in water. Not loud, just graceful.
- Magoki Attori Mosque: Half-sunk into the ground. Feels more like a forgotten passage than a holy place.
- Chashmai Ayub: Linked to an old prophet’s legend. Feels more like folklore than architecture.
- Toqi Zargaron (Trading Dome): Jewellery stalls sit beneath curved brick ceilings. Still a working market, not a frozen exhibit.
- Nodir Devonbegi Madrasa: Built to teach, used for trade and performance. One of those places that adapted instead of fading.
Tours & Experiences In Bukhara
To get a sense of what Bukhara has to offer, check out some of these activities you could dive into from our partners at GetYourGuide.
How Much Time To Spend In Bukhara
2 nights is a good amount of time to explore Bukhara. If you’re short on time, I think one day should be enough to get a sense of the vibe. However, many other travellers have happily spent 3 nights there and felt complete as well.
Travel Tips & Recommendations For Bukhara
- The main Bukhara complex looks completely different after sunset when all the monuments are adorned with lights.
- Bukhara is the best city to shop for handicrafts and souvenirs. Pro tip: be ready to haggle.
- We absolutely loved Old Bukhara Restaurant for their old-school Uzbek dishes and The Plov for the best… well, plov (surprise!).
Where To Stay In Bukhara
To make the most of your stay, I highly recommend staying within 5-10 min walk of the old town in Bukhara.
We stayed at Mercure Bukhara Old Town and this was the perfect hotel! Great location, great food, amazing quality rooms. Out of our whole trip, this hotel provided us with the best stay.
Explore Bukhara Accommodations →
📍 Khiva (Optional 1–2 nights)
Khiva is a beautiful Silk Road city in Uzbekistan, known for its impeccably preserved walled inner town, Itchan Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its intricate tilework, towering minarets, and maze-like alleys, it feels like stepping into a living museum. For any traveller seeking authenticity and history, Khiva offers an unforgettable window into Central Asia’s past.
Out of all the cities on this list, Khiva is the toughest to get to which is why a lot of people skip out on it.
If you plan to visit Khiva, here are your route options:
- Tashkent → Samarkand → Bukhara → Khiva → Tashkent (fly)
- Tashkent → Khiva (fly) → Bukhara → Samarkand → Tashkent
Top Attractions In Khiva
- Itchan Kala: The walled inner city where mudbrick meets majesty. Walkable, compact, and surreal in golden light.
- Kunya Ark: The old fortress residence with layers of power, punishment, and pause. Step inside for the views, stay for the silence.
- Kalta Minor Minaret: Short, unfinished, and oddly striking. What it lacks in height, it makes up for in bold tilework.
- Islam Khodja Minaret & Madrassa: The tallest point in Khiva. Climb it for the full sweep of the city’s tight geometry.
- Juma Mosque: A forest of carved wooden pillars holding up calm and shadow. Unlike any other mosque you’ll see.
- Tosh-Hovli Palace: A maze of courtyards, each more detailed than the last. Built to impress and to isolate.
- Ishrat Hovli: Less restored, more real. Wander through and you’ll feel the past, not just see it.
- Pahlavon Mahmoud Mausoleum: A sacred site with Sufi spirit and rich turquoise domes. Still active, still respected.
Tours & Experiences In Khiva
To get a sense of what Khiva has to offer, check out some of these activities you could dive into from our partners at GetYourGuide.
How Much Time To Spend In Khiva
Going from Tashkent to Samarkand and from Samarkand to Bukhara will take you around 2 hours by train, which is not bad at all! However, getting to Khiva is a 6.5 hour train from Bukhara, or a short flight from Tashkent.
If you have a 7 day trip and would like to do Khiva, I’d recommend cutting down on your Tashkent time and spending time in Khiva instead. However, if you have a 10 day trip, you can comfortably do Khiva without sacrificing your time in the other cities.
Where To Stay In Khiva
Khiva is relatively limited when it comes to accommodation options however one thing is clear, try to be near the old town area. The old town of Khiva is the top area to stay for travellers.
For Khiva, we recommend you stay at Farovon Khiva Hotel. It is unanimously the top hotel in Khiva across most booking platforms.
Explore Khiva Accommodations →
Food In Uzbekistan
Uzbek cuisine originates from a blend of Central Asian, Persian, and Russian culinary traditions. The food in Uzbekistan is rich in flavour and extremely delicious. Their dishes are bound to leave a lasting impression on anyone who tries them.
Uzbek food is extremely meat-heavy and occasionally contains local delicacies like horsemeat in some dishes. Vegetarians might have a hard time, whereas hardcore carnivores would thrive with the high-quality meat the country has to offer.
If you want to learn more about Uzbek dishes, check out these 7 Uzbek Dishes You Must Try.
How to Get Around Uzbekistan
For intercity travel, the Afrosiyob bullet train is your best option. It's clean, fast, and reliable, perfect for routes between Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. However to reach Khiva, you'll likely need a flight to Urgench Airport.
For getting around within the city, download the Yandex Go app. It works like Uber and is the easiest way to book taxis.
When navigating your way in a city, Google Maps is a good option, though Yandex Maps often offers more accurate directions and local reviews.
Getting To Uzbekistan By Flight
Tashkent International Airport is well-connected with many international destinations and will serve as your main entry point into the country.
If you haven't booked your trip yet, you can use our Skyscanner widget below to get an idea of flight prices for the dates you’ve got in mind. If you spot a great deal, you could lock in your tickets to Uzbekistan today!
And That’s A Wrap!
Uzbekistan may not be the first place that comes to mind when planning a trip, but it’s exactly that element of surprise that makes it so special. Over just 7 to 10 days, you can uncover centuries of history, architectural brilliance, and rich culture that rivals the world’s most iconic destinations without the crowds. Uzbekistan offers the kind of travel experience that hits deeper. I hope this guide helps you craft your own unforgettable journey across this underrated gem. And who knows, you might just find yourself asking, like I did, “How did I end up here?” but with the biggest smile on your face.
If you're planning to head somewhere else after Uzbekistan, considering exploring Almaty, Kazakhstan for a couple of days. It's a beautiful and underrated city that will show you a different side of Central Asia.
