Uzbekistan: Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva — Where to Go and What to Try

Tashkent: where the route begins

Tashkent is the capital and the most modern city in the country. Be sure to ride the metro: many stations are decorated with mosaics, marble and chandeliers. Drop in at Chorsu Bazaar under its huge dome — it sells spices, dried fruit, flatbreads and everything you need for plov.

Samarkand: turquoise domes

Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Registan Square with its three madrasas is the most famous place in the country, especially beautiful at sunset and in the evening when it's lit up. Nearby are the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, where Tamerlane is buried, and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis with its street of turquoise mausoleums.

Bukhara: a city-museum

Old Bukhara is a whole city that's a pleasure simply to wander. There's the Lyab-i Hauz ensemble beside an old pool, the Kalyan Minaret with the madrasas around it, and the trading domes where carpets, knives and ceramics are still sold. In the evening it's especially calm and beautiful here.

Khiva: the Itchan Kala fortress

Khiva is a city inside clay fortress walls. Itchan Kala looks like the set of a fairy tale: minarets, madrasas, palaces and narrow lanes. It's worth staying at least one night to see the city at dawn, without the tour groups.

What to try

Uzbek cuisine is hearty, fragrant and very generous.

• Plov is the country's signature dish, and every region cooks it its own way.
• Samsa — meat-filled pastries baked in a tandoor.
• Lagman — noodles with meat and vegetables.
• Shashlik and flatbreads fresh from the tandoor.
• Melons, grapes and dried fruit — especially in summer and autumn.
• Green tea, which people drink all day long.

Good to know before you go

Uzbekistan is a hospitable country, and a few simple rules will help you feel at ease.

• Visit mosques and mausoleums in clothing that covers your shoulders and knees; women will find a headscarf useful.
• Haggling is expected at the bazaars — calmly and with a smile.
• Summer days are very hot: plan sightseeing for the morning and evening.
• Cash comes in handy at the bazaars and in small cafés.
• Bread is especially respected here — it is never placed face down.

Staying connected

In Uzbekistan you need the internet from the very first minutes: to call a taxi, open a map, translate a menu, or show your train ticket or hotel booking. You can install your eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, so after landing you won't have to hunt for a SIM card at the airport or stand in queues. When a plan's validity begins is shown on the checkout page before you pay: for some plans it starts at the first connection in the destination country, for others on installation or right after purchase. Your main number stays in your phone, and calls and messages to it keep arriving as usual, under your carrier's terms.