Uzbekistan sits at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, where traders once swapped spices, silk, and stories beneath turquoise domes. Today, its cities blend Timurid grandeur with lively tea houses, bustling bazaars, and a rail network that makes exploring remarkably easy.

Expect architectural showstoppers—Registan’s blue tiles, shimmering shah mausoleums, and carefully restored old towns. Between city days, head for the mountains, where Chimgan and Charvak promise alpine air, cable cars, and lunch with a view.

Practical notes: Spring and autumn are ideal. The currency is the Uzbek soʻm; cards are increasingly accepted in cities, but keep cash for markets. Dress modestly in religious sites, and note some mosques close during Friday prayers. Many nationalities enjoy visa-free entry or e-visas—always verify before travel.

Tashkent

Tashkent is Uzbekistan’s dynamic capital—broad boulevards, leafy parks, and a metro lined with marble halls. Rebuilt after a 1966 earthquake, it became a showcase of Soviet modernism and Central Asian craftsmanship.

Highlights include the Old City’s Khast Imam Complex (home to the famed Uthman Qur’an), kaleidoscopic Chorsu Bazaar, the Museum of Applied Arts, and a metro whose stations rival museums. Food-wise, the city excels at plov, shashlik, and flaky samsa.

• Stay: For hotels, see Hyatt Regency Tashkent, Wyndham Tashkent, Art Hostel, or Topchan Hostel. Browse more on Hotels.com or apartments on VRBO.
• Top eats: Afsona (modern Uzbek—try the succulent lamb shank and qoqi somsa), Caravan (traditional fare with live music; manty and lagman are standouts), Central Asian Plov Center “Osh Markazi” (watch chefs stir cauldrons of plov; best for early lunch), and street snacks at Chorsu (hot tandoor non, samsa, and kurt).
• Fun fact: Tashkent’s metro opened in 1977—the first in Central Asia—and its opulent stations were once off-limits for photography; they’re now a traveler favorite.

Samarkand

Samarkand is the Silk Road dream made real: colossal portals, celestial blue tiles, and a legacy of star-gazing scholars. The city flourished under Timur and Ulugh Beg, whose monuments still dazzle at golden hour.

Must-sees include Registan Square, Gur-Emir Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the kaleidoscopic Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Ulugh Beg’s observatory, and Siab Bazaar for spices, nuts, halva, and dried apricots.

• Stay: Explore options on Hotels.com or find apartments on VRBO.
• Top eats: Platan (garden setting; samsa, grilled trout, homemade lemonades), Karimbek (big local portions; shashlik and salad “achichuk”), Bibikhanum Teahouse (Uzbek staples beside the mosque; order pumpkin manty), and Siab Bazaar bites (fresh non, halva, dried fruit).
• Fun fact: Ulugh Beg, Timur’s grandson, was an astronomer-king; his 15th-century observatory measured the length of the year with astonishing accuracy.

Day 1: Arrive in Tashkent, Old City wander, and Uzbek welcome dinner

Morning: In transit.

Afternoon: Land in Tashkent and check in. If arriving internationally, compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com (travelers starting in Europe can also check Omio flights). Ease in with a stroll through the Old City—Khast Imam’s courtyards glow in late light, and the neighborhood chaikhanas are perfect for tea.

Evening: Dinner at Afsona—start with crisp eggplant rolls and move to plov or saffron chicken with apricot. Cap the night with a short hop on the metro to admire ornate stations like Kosmonavtlar and Alisher Navoiy on your way back.

Day 2: Tashkent architecture, bazaars, and the metro’s marble halls

Morning: Breakfast at Breadly (flat whites, quark pastries) before diving into Chorsu Bazaar for produce pyramids, spice mounds, and hot samsa from tandoor ovens. Then visit the Museum of Applied Arts for carved ganch, suzani textiles, and wood latticework.

Afternoon: Join a specialized city walk to decode the capital’s post-quake design language and subway art:

Tashkent Soviet Architecture (Modernism) and Subway station tour.

Break for lunch at Central Asian Plov Center “Osh Markazi” (go before 2 pm; the rice-to-meat ratio is perfect and the chay is endless).

Evening: Dinner at Caravan—order manty and lamb shashlik, then a slice of “chak-chak” with tea. If you’ve energy, stroll Sayilgoh (Broadway Alley) for artists and street performers.

Day 3: To Samarkand by Afrosiyob, Registan at sunset

Morning: Ride the Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand (~2–2.5 hours; economy roughly $12–30). Search schedules on Trip.com trains or secure seats via Viator’s ticket service:

Afrosiyob high speed train tickets - Guaranteed Pass

Check in to your Samarkand stay (Hotels.com or VRBO).

Afternoon: Start at Gur-Emir, where Timur rests under a dusky blue dome, then glide to Registan for the golden-hour glow as mosaics shift color. A guide adds context to the trio of madrasas—Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilya-Kori.

Evening: Dinner at Platan—try pumpkin manty and herb salads in the courtyard. Return to Registan after dark; the lighting is magical for photos.

Day 4: Samarkand’s icons—Bibi-Khanym, Shah-i-Zinda, and Siab Bazaar

Morning: Coffee and fresh non at Siab Bazaar, then step into the vast Bibi-Khanym Mosque, once among the Islamic world’s largest. Pop into the adjacent Bibikhanum Teahouse for a mid-morning green tea and view.

Afternoon: Explore the dazzling tilework at Shah-i-Zinda (a long ribbon of mausoleums—look for the cobalt-glazed muqarnas). Continue to the Ulugh Beg Observatory and Afrosiab Museum to meet the astronomer-king and ancient wall paintings.

For an expert-led overview, consider:

Private City Tour in Samarkand with Guide and Transportation

Evening: Dinner at Karimbek—juicy shashlik, lagman noodles, and Uzbek pickles. Grab halva and apricots at Siab for dessert on the stroll back.

Day 5: Mountain lakes day trip (Seven Lakes) or cross-border Penjikent

Morning: Early departure for a full-day mountain escape. If you crave wild scenery and cool air, book:

Full Day Private Tour in Seven Lakes from Samarkand

These jewel-toned lakes hide in narrow gorges; expect picnic stops and village hospitality. Note: The Seven Lakes are in Tajikistan—carry your passport and check visa rules in advance.

Alternatively, dive into Sogdian history with:

Panjakent day trip from Samarkand

Afternoon: Continue the excursion—mountain teas, home-cooked lunches, and village handicrafts. Keep small USD or som on hand for border crossings and tips.

Evening: Return to Samarkand. Casual dinner near the old town—Bibikhanum Teahouse’s dumplings and plov make a comforting end.

Day 6: Free morning in Samarkand, then back to Tashkent

Morning: Slow coffee and a pastry, then visit the Merosi house-museum workshops (traditional textiles and wood carving) or do last looks at your favorite madrasa courtyards. Pick up suzani or ceramics around the Registan lanes.

Afternoon: Board the Afrosiyob back to Tashkent (~2–2.5 hours). Check in. If you missed it earlier and love the outdoors, pencil in a next-day mountain run (or swap today’s afternoon):

Explore Amirsoy, Chimgan & Charvak – A Full-Day Mountain Tour

Evening: Dinner back in the capital—return to Caravan for a different spread (try tandir kabob and warm non) or sample contemporary twists at Afsona. Night walk through Amir Temur Square and the tree-lined avenues.

Day 7: Tashkent gardens or mountain dash, then departure

Morning: If your flight is late, pick one last experience. For nature lovers, head to a mountain-and-lake sampler (if not done on Day 6):

Tashkent Chimgan Mountains, Charvak Reservoir and Amirsoy Resort

Prefer to stay in town? Stroll a serene city park and pop into the Museum of Applied Arts gift shop for last-minute crafts.

Afternoon: Head to the airport. For flights, compare options on Trip.com or Kiwi.com (travelers in Europe can also check Omio flights).

Evening: In transit—savor the memory of tiled portals, fragrant plov, and mountain light.

Dining and coffee cheat sheet (handy picks)

• Tashkent breakfast/coffee: Breadly (bakery classics, solid espresso); quick bites at Chorsu (fresh non, samsa).
• Tashkent lunch: Central Asian Plov Center “Osh Markazi” (go early; beef or lamb plov with quail eggs), samsa stalls at Chorsu.
• Tashkent dinner: Afsona (modern Uzbek plates), Caravan (traditional, hearty mains, occasional live music).
• Samarkand breakfast/coffee: Siab Bazaar (non with kaymak and jam), tea stop at Bibikhanum Teahouse.
• Samarkand lunch: Platan (light salads, grilled fish), market snacks at Siab (nuts, halva, fruit leather).
• Samarkand dinner: Karimbek (classic Uzbek—lagman, shashlik), Platan (cozy garden setting).

Getting around and practical tips

• Trains: The Afrosiyob is the fastest way between cities; book via Trip.com trains or Afrosiyob high speed train tickets - Guaranteed Pass.
• City taxis: Local ride-hailing apps are plentiful; confirm the fare when hopping in a street cab.
• Etiquette: Shoulders and knees covered in mosques; remove shoes when required. Ask before photographing people at markets.
• Money: ATMs are common in city centers; keep small notes for bazaar purchases and tipping.

Optional add-on: If you crave one more Silk Road legend and can stretch a day, take an early Afrosiyob from Samarkand to Bukhara (~1.5–2 hours) and book a focused walk:

Best of Bukhara: All Day Private Old Town Tour

From marble-metro Tashkent to the blue-tiled majesty of Samarkand, this 7-day itinerary captures the spirit of the Silk Road—history you can touch, markets you can taste, and mountains you’ll never forget. With fast trains, flavorful meals, and flexible day trips, Uzbekistan is wonderfully easy to love—and even easier to navigate.