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Photo: Registan_-_Gusjer.jpg: Gustavo Jeronimo from Aranjuez, Spain derivative work: MrPanyGoff, CC BY 2.0
Destinations / Uzbekistan

Samarkand

Turquoise domes at the heart of the Silk Road

historyarchitectureartbudget
Plan your trip to SamarkandSee the top 10
585,232Population
Uzbek, Tajik, RussianLanguage
UZSCurrency
3 daysIdeal stay
$80-140Typical day

Samarkand is one of the great Silk Road cities, with tiled madrasas, mausoleums and mosques. The Registan square is among the world's most striking. It is calm, affordable and easy to combine with Bukhara and Tashkent by fast train. Two or three days works well.

Where to start

Top 10 things to do

Tap a card to open it. Day trips are marked.

  1. A square framed by three grand madrasas covered in tilework, built from the 1400s to the 1600s. It is one of the most impressive ensembles in Central Asia.

    2 hoursTime needed
    about $8-15Cost
    noBook ahead

    Entry fee for foreigners, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Return at night for the lighting.
    See on the map

  2. A vast mosque Timur ordered after his Indian campaign, once among the largest in the Islamic world. Parts have been rebuilt.

    45 minutesTime needed
    about $3-6Cost
    noBook ahead

    Ticket, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Combine with Siab Bazaar next door.
    See on the map

  3. The main bazaar next to Bibi-Khanym, selling bread, dried fruit, nuts and spices. It is busy and colorful.

    1 hourTime needed
    FreeCost
    noBook ahead
    See on the map

  4. An avenue of mausoleums with some of the finest tilework anywhere. It is a pilgrimage site.

    1 hourTime needed
    about $3-6Cost
    noBook ahead

    Ticket, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Go in the morning.
    See on the map

  5. The mausoleum of Timur and his family, with a ribbed blue dome and gilded interior. It is beautiful at night.

    45 minutesTime needed
    about $3-6Cost
    noBook ahead

    Ticket in sum, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Visit early.
    See on the map

  6. The remains of a 15th century observatory built by Ulugh Beg, including part of a huge sextant. A museum explains his work.

    45 minutesTime needed
    about $3-6Cost
    noBook ahead

    Ticket, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Take a taxi up the hill.
    See on the map

  7. The site of ancient Samarkand on a hill north of the city. Its museum shows 7th century wall paintings.

    1 hourTime needed
    about $3-6Cost
    noBook ahead

    Ticket, 2026 estimate.

    Tip. Hire a guide to understand the murals.
    See on the map

  8. A workshop reviving traditional silk paper making with a water mill. Visitors see the whole process.

    1 hourTime needed
    noBook ahead

    Price not verified for 2026; check the official site before you go.

    See on the map

  9. A small mosque with a carved wooden porch overlooking the city. It holds a former president's tomb nearby.

    30 minutesTime needed
    noBook ahead

    Price not verified for 2026; check the official site before you go.

    See on the map

  10. Timur's birthplace, with the ruins of his huge Ak-Saray palace gate. It is a UNESCO site.

    Full dayTime needed
    FreeCost
    noBook ahead
    Tip. Car about 2 hours.
    See on the map
Map: OpenStreetMap contributors.
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Ready-made itineraries

Choose how many days you have.

Samarkand in three days

Day one core, day two Gur-e-Amir and observatory, day three Shahrisabz.

  1. Registan2 hours · about $8-15
  2. Bibi-Khanym Mosque45 minutes · about $3-6
  3. Siyob Bazaar1 hour · Free
  4. Shah-i-Zinda1 hour · about $3-6
  5. Gur-e-Amir45 minutes · about $3-6
  6. Ulugh Beg Observatory45 minutes · about $3-6
  7. Afrasiyab Museum1 hour · about $3-6
  8. Konigil Paper Mill1 hour
  9. Hazrat Khizr Mosque30 minutes
  10. ShahrisabzFull day · Free
Beyond the city

Day trips

Bukhara

Old Silk Road city.

168 mi · Train, about 1.5 to 2 hours

Tashkent

Capital with a metro.

186 mi · Train, about 2 hours

Urgut Bazaar

A busy Sunday market.

25 mi · Taxi, about 45 minutes

Plan your dates

Weather and seasons

Best: April to May and September to October. Mild, sunny days.

Busy and priceyShoulderQuiet and cheaper

Temperature

Daily high and average, by month

32°50°68°86°104°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecDaily highAverage

Rain

Typical inches per month

0.00.81.62.4JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

January

42°F
Typical daily high
Average34°F
Rain1.4 in
About4 rainy days
Sun strength2.0 kWh/m²

Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.

Climate normals: NASA POWER (public domain). For your own dates, a trip's Plan tab shows the forecast and the usual weather.

Main events

Mar

Navruz

21 March

Spring new year holiday with music and food.

Year

Sharq Taronalari Music Festival

Late summer, held every two years

A large international music festival at the Registan; check dates.

Year

Samarkand Silk Road events

Autumn

Cultural events and fairs; check dates.

Going on specific dates? A Hodolog trip shows the forecast and the usual weather for your exact days. Request access
Know before you go

At a glance

4/5
Safety

Uzbekistan is at US State Department Level 1 (exercise normal precautions); crime is low; carry your passport.

4/5
Walkability

Main monuments are linked by a pedestrian boulevard.

2/5
Public transport

Buses and taxis; Yandex Go is common.

Pick your base

Where to stay

The neighborhoods that suit most first visits.

Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Shapes where OpenStreetMap has a boundary; dashed circles mark areas it only has a point for.
123456

1. Near Registan

$$

Best for: first-timers

Steps from the main square.

2. University Boulevard

$$

Best for: couples

Leafy Russian era district.

3. Old City

$

Best for: budget

Guesthouses.

4. Near the Registan

$$

Best for: first timers, couples

Boutique guesthouses within walking distance.

5. City centre near Siab Bazaar

$

Best for: budget

Cheap options close to market and transport.

6. Station area

$

Best for: convenience

Handy for trains.

Getting there and around

Main airportSamarkand International Airport (SKD), 4 mi from the center
To the centerTaxi takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Around townWalk between monuments; Yandex Go taxis for the rest. Afrosiyob trains link Tashkent and Bukhara.
Ride appsYandex Go
Taste it

What to eat

Plov

Rice with lamb and carrots.

Samsa

Baked pastry.

Samarkand non

Round bread.

Lagman

Noodle soup.

Non bread

Round bread from a clay oven.

Shashlik

Grilled meat skewers.

Good to know

PlugsType C and F, 230 V
Tap waterUse bottled water
TippingRounding up or about 10 percent in restaurants is appreciated.
PaymentsCash is still common; cards work in hotels.
EtiquetteDress modestly in religious sites and greet people with a simple hello.
  • Book train tickets in advance.
  • Dress modestly at religious sites.
  • Many nationalities enter visa free or with an e visa; check.
  • Book Afrosiyob train tickets in advance.
  • Summer heat above 40 C is common.
  • Photography at some sites needs a small fee.
  • Carry small bills.

A short history

Samarkand is more than 2,500 years old and was the capital of ancient Sogdiana, conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC. It prospered as a crossroads of the Silk Road, then was destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1220. Timur made it his capital in the late 1300s and filled it with grand blue domed monuments, and his grandson Ulugh Beg built an observatory. The Russian Empire took the city in 1868, and it later became part of the Soviet Union. The city is a UNESCO site.

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Researched 2026-10-12. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.

Plan Samarkand