These were my favorite things to do and places to eat in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara from my 2024 trip to Uzbekistan.
Tashkent
Getting Around
Yandex is the main app for getting around in Uzbekistan, and works well in all of the cities we visited – It’s affordable, safe, and faster public transportation.
I had a bit of a chaotic train experience in Tashkent – There are two train stations in Tashkent, and we nearly missed our train because we assumed we were going to the closer train station. We also boarded the wrong train – The conductor didn’t look at our tickets closely enough. The locals were incredibly kind – Multiple people helped us get on a different train when we’d boarded the wrong one.
Things to Do in Tashkent
Hazrati Imam Complex
This complex includes a mosque, madrasah, and the world’s oldest Qur’an. The grounds and the architecture are beautiful, and I really enjoyed browsing the small artisan stalls nearby, where there are some amazing paintings of Central Asia.
Kanishka is a Russian leather bag, clothing, and accessory store. It’s very affordable, relative to the U.S., and high quality – I picked up a great leather bag for about $35 USD.
Where to Eat in Tashkent
This spot is famous for its plov (Uzbek rice pilaf). I had the traditional plov (with lamb and beef), warm bread with tomatoes, and hot tea. Everything was delicious!
Trendy, Korean-inspired cafe – Very minimalist. The iced flat white was good, but the croffle with ice cream was just okay.
Samarkand
Things to Do in Samarkand
Samarkand’s most famous and iconic buildings. We took a guided tour to learn about the history behind the three madrasahs and mosaics.
A mausoleum with tombs built in Islamic architectural style. Surprisingly, I enjoyed Shah-i-Zinda more than Registan Square – It’s quieter, a bit less grand, but with more variety between individual buildings.
Beautiful during golden hour. I also got a great rooftop view of it from my hotel nearby.
Where to Eat in Samarkand
Incredible cafe – It’s absolutely beautiful inside and we had the most polite waiter ever. Their risotto with mushrooms and duck confit was delicious (although a bit salty), and the V60 filter coffee was incredible.
Their breakfast was not as impressive as their lunch menu – The avocado toast was kind of disappointing (served on brioche instead of sourdough and the avocado was very underripe). The free honey butter and honey sourdough bread made up for it, and the chocolate croissant was excellent.
Emirhan Restaurant
Recommend the chuchvara (Uzbek dumplings) and tea. Food was fine, though service was a bit slow. They have a rooftop that overlooks major Samarkand monuments (reservations recommended).
Bukhara
Things to Do in Bukhara
The Ark of Bukhara
This fortress was one of the coolest things I saw in Uzbekistan. The architecture and history are fascinating, and the views of the city are great.
I also recommend getting some postcards from the vendors near the Ark – They’re hand painted, and the vendors are really nice – one of them even customized our postcards for us for free.
Where to Eat in Bukhara
Saffron Restaurant
An amazing meal. The rabbit chuchvara was so good, and the fruit platter was huge, had ten different types of fruit, all incredibly fresh, and only cost $6. I also loved the dessert sampler – the pahlava, honey cake, and apple samsa were all fantastic and it was a great way to try Uzbek specialty desserts.
Ayvan Restaurant
Family owned restaurant, overlooks a beautiful courtyard in a fancy hotel. The grilled chicken is fantastic, and the owner and his family are all really nice.
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