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Samarkand
Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda: the city of blue domes, close to Tashkent.
- Route
- Tashkent → Samarkand
- Best time to go
- April–May and September–October: cooler and easy to explore on foot.
- VisaDomestic
- For citizens of Uzbekistan this is a domestic trip, so no visa is needed.
What to see
- Registan
- The Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrasahs share one square. Best in the morning or at sunset.
- Gur-e-Amir
- The mausoleum of Amir Temur and the Timurids, known for its gilded inner hall.
- Shah-i-Zinda
- A street of blue-tiled mausoleums, reached by a staircase and a narrow passage.
What to try
- Samarkand bread
- Buy it hot at Siyob Bazaar. It is known for its density and flavour.
- Samarkand plov
- Rice, meat and carrots are served in layers here rather than mixed.
What to do
- Konigil paper workshop
- Watch paper being made by hand from mulberry bark.
- Afrosiyob train
- The high-speed train from Tashkent takes about 2–2.5 hours. Book ahead.
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