Samarkand

Registan Square

A three-minute walk from our Hotel Diplomat Premium, we could see the most iconic landmark of Samarkand. Registan Square is the most popular tourist destination of Samarkand. It consists of three Madrasah and a mosque inlaid with gold. You need to keep aside half a day to explore the place. It is best to visit in the morning as there will be less crowd. Do not miss the light and sound show which takes place in the evening at around 9 pm. The best part is you can watch the show from the viewing platform outside of the gated area. It is a great place to hang out and soak in the vibes.

Here in the photo from left to right it is the Ulugh Beg Madrassah, Tilla Kori Madrassah and Sher Dor Madrassah.

Gur-I-Amir Mausoleum

A short walk from the Registan Square is the Gur-i-Amir Mausoleum. It contains the remains of Amir Timur, as well as his sons and grandson Ulugbek, The tilework and fluted azure dome are beautiful.

Statue of Islam Karimov

Right opposite to the Registan Square is the Lush green park with the statue of Islam Karimov. He was the first president of independent Uzbekistan. It is a wonderful place to relax or you can take a golf cart from there to other sightseeing spots like Bibi Khanum mosque and Siyob Bazar.

Tashkent Road

This is a pedestrian walking zone connecting Registan Square with Bibi Khanum mosque & Siyob bazar .There are also golf carts available but would advice you to walk down this pretty lane lined with colourful souvenir shops, hotels and eateries .

Bibi Khanum Mosque

At the end of Tashkent road is the Bibikhanum Mosque. It was built by Timur’s favourite wife Bibi-Khanum in honour of his victorious return from India. However, the mosque could not withstand the 1897 earthquake and partially collapsed and was restored in 1970. It is said to be one of the finest and largest mosques.

Hazrat-E-Khizr Mosque

A short walk from Siyob Bazaar and you end up at the Hazrat-E-Khizir mosque. You may also take the golf cart from Registan square to drop at the mosque. Also, you will find the mausoleum of the first president of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. This is a monument is associated with the name of the legendary immortal prophet Hazrat Khizr.

From the Hazrat complex you will get to see beautiful view of the other sights of Samarkand: Registan Square, Shahi Zinda Mausoleum and Bibi Khanum Mosque. To the north of the mosque is an ancient Samarkand settlement – the Afrasiab.

Shahi Zinda

One of the must see places to visit in Samarkand is the Shahi Zinda. It is a photographer’s delight with its blue-tiled maze. It is a burial place for many Royals and nobles including Timur’s relatives. This is slightly far from the Registan Square so we had to take share taxi to reach here. It cost us 200,000 UZS per head.

Siyob Bazaar

A vibrant, colourful and traditional marketplace of Samarkand located just beside the Bibi khanum mosque, They sell spices, dry fruits, clothes and  traditional crafts. Recommend to buy souvenirs from here as there is more variety. Try bargaining as much as possible.

Food To Try out in Samarkand

Plov or Pilaf – The most traditional and popular dish of Uzbek. It is an equivalent of our biriyani but with lots of carrots, resins & meat. At the end of the day, you would want to fill your stomach with the delicious and hearty meal of Plov.

Manti – It is like our dumplings. They have the one with Pumpkin (for veg) as well as meat. Try the Manti at Bibikhanum tea house it was excellent.

Samsa – It is the Uzbek version of Samosa but with plenty of meat filling. They also have Pumpkin and butternut squash filling for vegetarians.

Shashlik – There are lots of roadside eateries grilling various types of meat on the stick. After a long & tiring walk you can refill your stomach with these small bites along with Uzbek tea.

Cafe and Restaurants

Bibikhanum Tea House

Samarkand is a heaven for meat lovers. If you want food with a view would recommend to visit Bibikhanum Teahouse. It is a lovely restaurant with outside seating place, food was excellent and if you are lucky like us you will get to enjoy a wonderful music and dance by the staff and the guests. It also has hotel with an awesome view of Bibi Khanum Mosque. Try out the Samsa, Plov & Manti here.

Labi Gor

This also another nice place to try out of traditional Uzbek food. It is  located near the Registan square and has a wonderful ambience with music. We enjoyed the Pilaf here.