Samarkand

Good to know

1. 1Samarkand has been settled for well over two thousand years and was an important stop on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean.
2. 2In the fourteenth century Timur, also known as Tamerlane, made Samarkand the capital of his empire and filled it with mosques, tombs and madrasas built by craftsmen brought from the lands he conquered.
3. 3The Registan, a square framed by three grand madrasas covered in blue tilework, is the city's best-known landmark and is especially striking when the light changes toward evening.
4. 4Timur's grandson Ulugh Beg was a ruler and an astronomer, and he built a large observatory here in the fifteenth century. Its remains can still be visited.
5. 5Samarkand is known for its round, flat bread, baked in clay ovens and often stamped with a pattern. It is sold in the bazaars and eaten with almost every meal.
6. 6Both Uzbek and Tajik are spoken in the city, and many people also speak Russian. Uzbek is the official language, and the currency is the Uzbek som.

Tips for a first visit

• Most of the main sights are spread over a few districts, so plan your days by area and use short taxi rides to link them rather than trying to walk everything.
• Carry some cash, since smaller shops, bazaar stalls and some guesthouses may not take cards. Cash machines are easy to find in the centre.
• Try plov, the rice dish with meat, carrots and spices, and eat it at a local place at lunchtime when it is freshest. Fresh bread, dried fruit and nuts from the Siab Bazaar make good snacks.
• Dress modestly when entering mosques and mausoleums, with shoulders and knees covered, and take off your shoes where asked.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women and older people at the market. Most are happy to chat, and a few words of Russian or Uzbek are welcomed.
• Give yourself at least two full days so you can see the major monuments without rushing, and go early or late in the day to avoid the heat and the tour groups.

When to go

Spring, from April to early June, and autumn, from September to October, are the most comfortable times, with mild days and clear skies. Summers are very hot and dry, so sightseeing is best kept to mornings and evenings. Winters are cold and can bring frost and some snow, but the crowds are thinner and the blue domes look lovely against a pale sky.

From the airport

Samarkand's airport lies a short distance northeast of the city, and the centre is usually reached by taxi in around 15 to 25 minutes. There is no need for a complicated transfer, and a taxi, booked through an app or arranged with your hotel, is the simplest option. Many visitors also arrive by the fast train from Tashkent or Bukhara, and the railway station is a short taxi ride from the main sights.