Uzbekistan

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

Magic City turned out to be an entertaining introduction to modern Tashkent. This vibrant entertainment complex offers a variety of activities including magic shows, shooting games, and teddy time games. The atmosphere is lively, and the fountain show adds a special touch to the experience. It's an excellent place to spend a couple of hours, especially if you want to ease into your Uzbekistan trip with something fun and relaxing. We also found the Yandex taxi service to be incredibly convenient and affordable for getting around the city.

What Can Be Skipped

If you're short on time or more interested in historical sites, Magic City can be omitted from your itinerary. While it's an enjoyable modern attraction, it's not essential to the Uzbekistan experience, especially if you're more interested in cultural and historical sites.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Afrosiyob train service exceeded our expectations, offering a smooth and efficient journey with no complaints whatsoever. Samarkand itself proved to be an incredibly walkable city, with a magical atmosphere enhanced by the fall season. The trees painted the cityscape in stunning shades of orange, yellow, and red, creating a beautiful backdrop for our explorations. The walk from our hotel to Registan Square, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, and Siyob Bazaar gave us an excellent introduction to the city's layout and atmosphere. The location of our hotel, Hanifa Boutique, was perfect for exploring the city on foot.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Bibi-Khanum Mosque was absolutely stunning, and having a guide here was invaluable for understanding its historical significance.

Similarly, Gur-i-Timur proved to be incredibly beautiful, with its guide sharing fascinating stories about Timur and the architecture. We highly recommend getting guides at both monuments, as they provide essential context that would otherwise be missed. The experience of walking between sites was pleasant, and we used Yandex taxis for some longer journeys.

What Can Be Skipped

The Bibi-Khanum Mausoleum, located opposite the mosque, can be skipped. Despite its 35,000 UZS entry fee, it's just a single room containing Bibi-Khanum's tomb and doesn't offer much value compared to the magnificent mosque complex itself.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

Registan Square was absolutely stunning and a must-visit for both day and night views. We spent over 5 hours here, and having a guide was extremely valuable for understanding the complex's history and significance. While the 8 PM light show was average, the natural night lighting of the square was breathtaking. The Afrosiab Settlement offered an interesting glimpse into ancient history, though the experience would have been enhanced with a guide. The museum houses numerous artifacts, though better descriptions would have helped in understanding their significance.

What Can Be Skipped

The Afrosiab Settlement can be omitted if you're short on time. While historically significant, the lack of good descriptions and difficulty in understanding the site layout without a guide makes it less engaging than other attractions. Also, the 8 PM light show at Registan is skippable - the natural evening illumination is more impressive.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The underground section of Ulug Beg Observatory was particularly fascinating, offering a tangible connection to the advanced scientific work conducted here in the 15th century. Having a guide here was invaluable for understanding the astronomical significance of the site. Shah-i-Zinda proved to be a highlight with its multiple Timurid dynasty tombs and stunning architecture. The most significant tomb belongs to Prophet Mohammed's cousin who introduced Islam to Central Asia in the 7th century. While English-speaking guides are rare here, if you can find one, their insights greatly enhance the experience.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Afrosiyob train journey was once again excellent, with comfortable seats and efficient service. Old Bukhara proved to be wonderfully walkable, with a magical atmosphere as we explored the areas from our hotel to the Poi Kalan ensemble, the Ark, and Lyabi Square. The city truly captures the essence of an ancient Silk Road settlement. The view from the top of the Ark fortress offers a spectacular panorama of the old town, making it worth the visit even without a guide.

What Can Be Skipped

The Ark of Bukhara can be skipped if you're unable to secure an English-speaking guide. The museums inside lack good descriptions, making it difficult to distinguish between 5th and 18th-century constructions. Without a guide, only the view from the top of the Ark is truly worthwhile.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

Chor Minar provided a wonderfully peaceful experience with fewer tourists, allowing us to sit and admire the architecture at leisure. The courtyard of Abdul Aziz Madrasa was particularly impressive, and Maghak-i-Attori's well-preserved structure offered fascinating insights into Bukhara's religious history. For dining, we discovered Joy Restaurant, which offers excellent vegetarian options and accepts cards - a rarity in Bukhara. Their Potato Samsa, Bichat with Spinach, and Grilled Vegetables were particularly good.

What Can Be Skipped

We recommend skipping all museum interiors in Bukhara as they are poorly labeled and unimpressive. Specifically avoid:

• The museum inside Abdul Aziz Madrasa (focus on the courtyard instead)
• Nodir Devon Begi Museum (the exterior is beautiful but the museum is disappointing)
• The calligraphy museum in Ulug Beg Madrasa

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Poi Kalon complex was absolutely stunning, and we highly recommend viewing it both during day and night. Our guide provided excellent insights during the one-hour tour, making it essential for understanding the complex's significance. The Ismail Sommani Mausoleum, despite its simple structure, holds fascinating historical importance, and the nearby park provides a perfect spot for relaxation. For food, we enjoyed both Joy Restaurant (for their samsa and bichat) and Chess Zone (known for their tasty mushroom burger and fries).

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Pahlavan Makhmud Mausoleum was a highlight - while its exterior is modest, the interior is absolutely stunning and shouldn't be missed. The experience of walking through Khiva's ancient lanes was magical, offering an authentic glimpse into life along the Silk Road. For dining, we tried Terressa (their vegetarian sandwich and tomato soup were pricey but good) and MJ Cafe (known for excellent fries, though their carrot soup was disappointing).

Tips

Staying inside Ichan Kala is highly recommended for the authentic experience. Once you're checked in, everything is walkable within the city limits, eliminating the need for taxis during your stay in Khiva.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The guided tour was excellent and provided crucial context to understand Khiva's rich history. The universal ticket proved to be great value, allowing access to numerous monuments. For meals, we tried Mirzo Boshi Cafe, which offered excellent fries and good gumma (though their tomato soup was disappointing), and revisited Terressa, though the food wasn't as good as our previous day's experience.

What Can Be Skipped

If you're planning to climb the Islam Hoja minaret (which we did the next day), you can skip walking the city wall as the minaret provides even better views. Consider visiting Nurallaboy Palace if you have extra time, though we didn't manage to include it in our itinerary.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The minaret climb was a definite highlight, offering unparalleled views of Khiva. Despite the steep steps, the climb was quite manageable and not as challenging as it might seem. We had another good meal at Mirzo Boshi Cafe, with excellent fries and good gumma, though the lentil soup was just okay.

Tips

It's best to climb the minaret earlier in the day to avoid crowds and heat. Take the steps slowly, especially the steeper sections, and you'll be fine. The views are absolutely worth the effort.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The metro stations were architectural masterpieces and incredibly economical to visit. Walking through Chorsu Bazaar was fascinating, with its variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, and bread stalls. For dinner, we tried Karvaan Indian Restaurant (good food but no card payments) and Raj Kapur Indian Restaurant (average quality).

What Can Be Skipped

After seeing the grand architecture of Samarkand and Bukhara, Kukaldosh Madrassa feels less impressive and can be skipped. Tashkent City Park, while nice, is mainly a pricey area and optional unless you're specifically interested in modern developments.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The highlight was undoubtedly the ancient Quran at the Hazrati Imam complex - it was fascinating to be in the presence of a book written 1,400 years ago. The Minor Mosque's bright white tiles were stunning, and the metro stations continued to impress with their architectural beauty. We also ate our best Indian meal in Tashkent at Mumbai Indian Restaurant, where we particularly enjoyed their tomato soup and dum aloo.

Tips

Plan extra time at Hazrati Imam complex to fully appreciate the ancient Quran. Note that Independence Square is closed on weekends, so plan accordingly if you want to visit. Of the three Indian restaurants we tried in Tashkent, Mumbai Indian Restaurant was definitely the best.

What We Enjoyed & Recommend

The Besh Qazon experience provided a wonderful glimpse into local food culture and community gathering. The TV Tower offered spectacular views of Tashkent, and the revolving restaurant added a special touch to our final day. We concluded our Uzbekistan journey with another excellent meal at Mumbai Indian Restaurant, consistently our favorite Indian restaurant in Tashkent, enjoying their delicious tomato soup and malai kofta one last time.

What Can Be Skipped

If you're really short on time, both Besh Qazon and the TV Tower can be skipped. While they offer interesting experiences, they're not essential to understanding Uzbekistan's cultural heritage. The Museum of Applied Arts was on our potential list but we didn't visit it - you might want to consider it if you have extra time.

Tips

The TV Tower visit costs 40,000 UZS per person. If you're interested in the revolving restaurant, consider getting a coffee there. For our final meal in Tashkent, we again went to Mumbai Indian Restaurant - after trying three Indian restaurants in the city, this was consistently the best.