Boasting some of the best sights in central Asia, Uzbekistan may be off the typical beaten track, but it's well worth a visit and should not be overlooked! It's a deeply fascinating country with a long history, strewn with fabulous mosques and mausoleums, along the famous Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean. It boasts ancient cities rich in history and stunning architecture, remote fortresses, adventures in the Nuratau Mountains, and you'll be warmly welcomed by friendly people for whom hospitality is an integral part of their culture.
Khiva
The first site in Uzbekistan to be declared an UNESCO World Heritage site, archaeological evidence suggests that Khiva was established during the very early days of Christianity. It's exceptionally well-preserved, and as you stroll through its twisting alleys, you'll feel like you've stepped back in time
Samarkand
If there is one city which evokes images of the Silk Road, it is Samarkand. Resplendent with glorious, larger-than-life monuments of Timur, a bustling and vibrant bazaar, Samarkand's history instils a sense of magic in the place, surrounded by modern Samarkand
Tashkent
The sprawling capital of Uzbekistan, it's well worth spending the time to explore the jumbled contradictions of this city, where amongst Soviet buildings you'll still find traditionally-adorned farmers carting their wares through maze-like streets of mud-walled houses. Here's the country's best museums, nightlife and restaurants, and great hiking, skiing and rafting adventures only an hour or so away in Ugam-Chatkal National Park!
Bukhara
This ancient city was once a prominent stop along the Silk Road trade route between East and West, a leading medieval centre for Islamic theology and culture, and today you can still admire its plethora of well-preserved mosques, madrassas, bazaars and caravanserais, many of which date back to between the 9th and 17th centuries - the perfect place to get lost in history
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