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Samarkand

Uzbekistan travel guide

What to see in Samarkand

The Registan, Tamerlane’s mausoleum and the avenue of tombs at Shah-i-Zinda: the jewel of the Silk Road.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 8 must-see places
  • Best time: from April to January
  • Stay in Siab
  • Typical food: Samarkand bread
Photo: Ekrem Canli · CC BY-SA 3.0

Samarkand highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Gur-e-Amir

    Tamerlane’s mausoleum, with its ribbed dome.

  2. Shah-i-Zinda

    A necropolis of mausoleums covered in blue tiles.

  3. Bibi Khanum Mosque

    Tamerlane’s great monumental mosque.

  4. Ulugh Beg Observatory

    A 15th-century astronomical sextant.

  5. Afrasiab

    Murals and ruins of ancient Samarkand.

  6. Siyob Bazaar

    A market for dried fruit, nuts and bread.

  7. Hazrat Khizr Mosque

    A terrace with views over Afrasiab.

  8. Registan

    A monumental square framed by three Timurid madrasas.

Where to stay in Samarkand

The handiest areas for getting around and going out.

  • Recommended areas

    Siab · Bogishamol · Universitet Xiyoboni

Day trips from Samarkand

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Samarkand

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Samarkand are from April to January.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • February, March

    Ramadan (approximate dates)

    During the day many restaurants close or open less and museum and shop hours change. The evenings, with iftar, are very special.

    What to do: Out of respect, don’t eat or drink in the street during the day; book dinner for after sunset.

Typical food of Samarkand

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Samarkand from your kitchen).

Samarkand bread
Photo: Rudolph.A.Furtado · CC0

Samarkand bread

Samarkand’s round, glossy bread, with a thin centre stamped with a seal (chekich) and a thick rim. It’s baked stuck to the walls of a clay oven (tandir).

  • Serves 4
  • 2 h 30 min

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 7 g dried yeast
  • 300 ml lukewarm milk
  • 30 g butter
  • 1 teaspoon each of salt and sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Sesame and nigella seeds

How to make it at home

  1. Knead the flour with the yeast, milk, butter, salt and sugar to a firm dough. Leave it to rise for 1 hour.
  2. Divide into 4 balls and flatten them into 15 cm discs.
  3. Press the centre with your fingers (or a fork) to make it very thin and patterned, leaving the rim thick.
  4. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with the seeds.
  5. Bake at 250 °C on a preheated tray for about 12 minutes, until deep golden.

The trick: Bread is never put upside down or cut with a knife: it’s torn by hand.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a chaikhana (teahouse). The dishes you can’t miss are in the Uzbekistan guide.

Frequently asked questions about Samarkand

What to see in Samarkand?

Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi Khanum Mosque, Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiab and Siyob Bazaar.

What to see in Samarkand in 3 days?

Don’t miss Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi Khanum Mosque, Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiab and Siyob Bazaar. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

Where to stay in Samarkand?

The handiest areas to stay are Siab, Bogishamol and Universitet Xiyoboni.

What’s the best time to travel to Samarkand?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Samarkand are from April to January.

What day trips can you take from Samarkand?

Samarkand with a guide and Shahrisabz.

What is the typical food of Samarkand?

Samarkand bread. Samarkand’s round, glossy bread, with a thin centre stamped with a seal (chekich) and a thick rim. It’s baked stuck to the walls of a clay oven (tandir).

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.