Places / Asia / Uzbekistan
Samarkand
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At a glance
- Country
- Uzbekistan
- Region
- Samarkand Region
- Population
- 550,000
- Best time to go
- April to May, September to October
- Main airport
- Samarkand International (SKD)
- Coordinates
- 39.65°N, 66.96°E
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Overview
Samarkand was Timur's capital and a great crossroads of the Silk Road, and its tiled domes and soaring portals still stop you in your tracks. The scale of the Registan alone is worth the journey.
The monuments are close together, linked by a pedestrian boulevard, with the bazaar and older mahallas of mud-brick houses behind them. Stay a couple of nights so you can see the tilework in both morning and evening light.
Things to see
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Photo: Registan_-_Gusjer.jpg : Gustavo Jeronimo from Aranjuez, Spai, CC BY 2.0 Registan
Three monumental madrasas face each other across a vast square, every surface covered in blue and gold tiles.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0 Shah-i-Zinda
An avenue of mausoleums climbing a hillside, with some of the finest tilework in the Islamic world.
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Photo: Willard84, CC BY-SA 4.0 Gur-e-Amir
Timur's tomb, a fluted turquoise dome with a glittering gold interior.
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Photo: Шухрат Саъдиев, CC BY-SA 4.0 Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Once among the largest mosques in the world, its colossal entrance arch towers over the bazaar.
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Photo: Victoria, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ulugh Beg Observatory
The remains of a giant 15th-century sextant used by Timur's astronomer grandson to map the stars.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Yoshi Canopus, CC BY-SA 3.0 Siab Bazaar
Piles of round bread, dried apricots, nuts and spices beside the Bibi-Khanym Mosque.
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Photo: Bgag, CC0 Registan at night
Come back after dark, when the madrasas are floodlit and the square takes on a calmer mood.
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Photo: Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0 Konigil paper workshop
Watch silk paper being made from mulberry bark by water-powered mills in a village just outside town.
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Photo: Normuratov7, CC BY 4.0 Day trip to Shahrisabz
Timur's birthplace, over a mountain pass, with the ruins of his enormous Ak-Saray Palace.
Where to stay
Near the Registan
Walk to the main monuments and see them early before the crowds arrive.
Hotels in Near the RegistanOld town
Family-run guesthouses in traditional courtyard houses, often with generous breakfasts.
Hotels in Old townUniversity Boulevard
The tree-lined Russian-era quarter, with larger hotels and cafés.
Hotels in University Boulevard
Getting around
The main sights are walkable along the pedestrian boulevard, and taxis booked by app are cheap for longer hops.
The Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent takes a little over two hours; the station is about 15 minutes from the centre by taxi.
When to go
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are ideal, with warm days and cool evenings. Summer is very hot, so sightsee early and late. Winters are cold but quiet.
Plan your trip to Samarkand
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.