Samarkand Itinerary: How to Spend 2-3 Days in Uzbekistan’s Silk Road Showstopper
15 min readAll the best things to do in Samarkand, Uzbekistan over 2-3 days – from the shimmering Shah-i-Zinda and regal Registan Square to local bazaars, Soviet-era mosaics, and lesser-visited mausoleums.
Samarkand: The name alone is enough to set your heart racing.
This legendary Silk Road city – Tamerlane’s fabled capital and modern Uzbekistan’s glittering jewel box – has captured travellers’ imaginations for centuries. It’s the place where dreams of turquoise tiles and glowing domes come to life.
I’ll be honest: Samarkand and I had a rocky start, and I’m still a little torn. Compared to laid-back Bukhara and charming Khiva, Uzbekistan’s showpiece feels grander, busier, more curated. But there’s no questioning its place in your itinerary – it just wouldn’t be a trip to Uzbekistan without a stop here.
This guide brings together the highlights of Samarkand into a logical 2–3 day plan, covering both unmissable landmarks and quieter corners. You’ll also find a map and practical tips to help organise your visit.
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How many days in Samarkand?
Samarkand is bigger and more spread out than Bukhara, with its main landmarks scattered across different parts of the city. While the historic centre is walkable, you’ll need to use taxis for efficiency. The Yandex Go app works well and is the easiest way to get around.
Two full days are enough to cover the essentials – Shah-i-Zinda, the Registan (by day and night), the main mausoleums, and a walk along the Bul’var.
With a third day, you can add a side trip to Shahrisabz and visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory – not essential stops, but worthwhile if you have the time.
After arriving from Bukhara by train in the early morning, we had three and a half days in Samarkand in total. If, like me, you enjoy revisiting places at different times of day, this is ample time – you certainly won’t run out of things to do.
Where to stay in Samarkand
Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel was our favourite stay in Uzbekistan by a mile, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. The rooms are cosy, with dark wood finishes, elevated beds, and a daily platter of traditional sweets.
The buffet breakfast is exceptional, the staff genuinely attentive, and the location unbeatable – smack bang between the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda.
Map of things to do in Samarkand
Day 1: Mausoleums, markets & the Registan by night
Morning: Shah-i-Zinda & Siyob Bozori
Start your first day in Samarkand at Shah-i-Zinda, the city’s most extraordinary monument and for many – including me – the highlight of Uzbekistan’s Islamic architecture.
The necropolis is a 30-minute walk from the centre, but I do recommend going by foot if you can. Seeing the criss-cross of highways and traversing the overpass in front of the complex, you immediately get a feel for Samarkand’s scale.
Arrive at Shah-i-Zinda as the gates open to experience the complex at its quietest and most atmospheric. This is an active ziyarat (pilgrimage site), so you’ll often encounter locals as well as tourists here. At the time of our visit, we shared the morning with a group of sweet Kazakh ladies, all of whom were very eager to pose for photos!
A long, narrow avenue interspersed with stairs climbs the hillside in terraces lined with dozens of mausoleums and mosques, many built under the Timurids between the 14th and 15th centuries. The glazed tiles shimmer in the soft light, and the ’naked’ brick domes look almost gilded. The sight of pilgrims floating down the turquoise corridor is pure cinema.
Every facade here is quite different: mosaic faience, carved majolica and painted plaster combine to create vertical patchwork quilts, each with its own texture and geometry. Most of what you see today is the result of extensive restorations undertaken in 2005, but that doesn’t detract from the effect.
The necropolis culminates at the tomb of Qutham ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who is attributed with bringing Islam to the region. This is a great spot to grab a seat and people-watch for a while.
Give yourself at least 2 hours at Shah-i-Zinda to absorb all the details at a relaxed pace.
A short stroll back downhill from Shah-i-Zinda brings you to the President’s Tomb, the mausoleum of Samarkand-born Islam Karimov, who became the first President of an independent Uzbekistan in 1991. It feels much more formal and polished compared to the previous site, but it is beautiful nonetheless.
Nearby, the Hazrat Khizr Mosque is raised on a small hill overlooking the city, with a couple of marked viewing platforms on its western side. This is one of the oldest Islamic sites in Samarkand, having been inaugurated in the 8th century following the Arab conquest (Genghis Khan subsequently levelled the mosque, then it was rebuilt centuries later).
Its tall wooden pillars and carved ceilings are very elegant, and the red-brick facade that accommodates the slope of the pathway gives it an air of drama.
Cross the pedestrian bridge and continue on foot for around 10 minutes to reach the Siyob Bozori, the main agricultural market. This bazaar feels more curated and staged than those in Bukhara or Tashkent – it was not my favourite market by any means – but its convenient location makes it worth a look-in.
Later in this Samarkand itinerary we will visit an offbeat local market with a very different ambiance.
Rows of produce and spice stalls stand under covered domes, while outside stalls overflow with pickles and preserves. If you need a bite to eat, there are several chaihanas on the market periphery.
Afternoon: Bibi-Khanym Mosque & artisan shops
The Bibi-Khanym Mosque stands right next door to the market and is another highlight of Samarkand for me.
Commissioned by Tamerlane in the late 14th century in honour of his favourite wife (or did she organise it as a surprise for him?), the gargantuan construction rose from the riches Timur amassed during his victorious Indian campaign. Masters from Persia and Azerbaijan were enlisted to realise the ambitious plans for Central Asia’s largest mosque, but the hurried work led to parts of the complex caving in.
Its colossal scale and twin fluted blue domes are absolutely stunning, while the cracks in the brickwork and imperfect interiors add to its charm in my opinion. The expansive courtyard and symmetrical iwans are surrounded by gardens where you can pause and take it all in.
For lunch, Zargaron Restaurant overlooks the mosque as is a popular choice in this neighbourhood. We popped in for a sneaky photo, but left when we discovered they didn’t have a coffee machine.
Old Havuz is located a few blocks further south (on your afternoon route) and serves excellent shashlik and dumplings. We were overcharged here unfortunately, so please do remember to check your bill.
Sticking to this side of the city, treat yourself to a spot of afternoon shopping – first at Choychana Mubarak (AKA Haydar’s Antique Shop & Flea Market). Housed in a private courtyard and home, the chaotic thrift-style shop is a treasure trove of Soviet memorabilia, medals, enamelware and antique textiles. We even spotted some old bottles of Georgian wine amongst the jumble.
One room is stacked floor-to-ceiling with suzani hangings and embroidered robes. We left with a couple of antique suzanis that we plan to hang in our basement. The owner is genuinely helpful and sweet. Bring cash.
Just opposite the shop gate, the neighbourhood mosque, Mubarak Mahallah, has an understated beauty you rarely see in Samarkand, with its turquoise ceiling, miniature minaret, and courtyard fountain. It was locked up and empty at the time of our visit.
A little further south, Happy Bird Art Gallery is a very different shopping experience. This boutique atelier is brimming with tailored jackets and garments for men and women that piece together vintage ikat and suzani fabrics with salvaged offcuts and pretty trims.
The quality is exceptional, and the prices reflect it – the jacket I bought here is the most expensive piece of clothing I have owned in my life. But no regrets!
Just outside the art centre complex, a neatly gridded park boasts a statue of Islam Karimov at its centre, and is a nice place to feel some normalcy before tackling the crowded Registan.
Children zoom around in toy trucks and wedding parties pose for photos amongst the trees – a lively, spontaneous contrast to the cordoned off square just across the street.
Evening: Golden hour at the Registan
Aim to arrive at Registan Square just before sunset for your first look at Samarkand’s most iconic landmark. Three soaring madrasas – Ulugh Beg, Sherdor and Tilya-Kori – frame the 1.2-hectare open plaza with perfect symmetry.
The square is fenced off, with tickets sold at a booth in the south-west corner. There’s also an observatory-like viewing platform on the southern side of the square where you can take photos without paying to enter.
At night, it’s enough to find a spot here (or closer to the retractable metal fence) as it’s preferable to have a view of the whole area for the light display. Tomorrow morning, we will return to explore the ensemble in detail.
Opening hours vary by season (roughly 7am until midnight in summer, or 8am until 8pm in winter). The evening light show kicks off at between 7-8pm. The coloured lights are rather garish in my opinion, but the soft white illumination of Tilya-Kori is far more tasteful (see an example of a nighttime photo below, under Day 3).
Unlike Bukhara’s Po-i-Kalan, the Registan at night is rather formal – beautiful no doubt, but not especially authentic.
Wrap up your first day in Samarkand with dinner at Emirhan Restaurant, tucked behind Tilya-Kori. Our favourite place to eat in Samarkand (we were frequent customers here) has a polished interior and a huge terrace overlooking the square. The crispy eggplant salad is a standout.
Day 2: The Registan by day, mosaics & modern Samarkand
Morning: Return to the Registan
Wake up early to return to the Registan at first light. The sun reveals the finer details that were invisible at night – fine calligraphy, carved majolica, and splendid tiles.
In the past, this expansive square served as an open marketplace for the traders whose Silk Road routes converged on Samarkand. It was Timur’s grandson, Ulugh Beg, who had the vision to transform the area into an architectural complex, building the first madrasa school (which he named after himself) in 1420.
After purchasing your tickets (100,000 som per person – valid for one entry only (not for the whole day) – at the time of our trip) and moving through the turnstiles, work your way around the square in a clockwise direction, beginning with the original building, the Ulugh Beg Madrasa. In keeping with its astronomer-king patron, this school taught mathematics, cosmology and theology.
The madrasa’s facade features a high pishtaq (rectangular gateway) decorated with star patterns to reflect Ulugh Beg’s celestial pursuits. Inside, the two-storey courtyard is lined with 50 student rooms. As is the way in Uzbekistan, most have been turned into artist workshops and souvenir stores.
Stairs in each corner of the courtyard lead to the upper galleries – I was lucky to find one gate open, but these days access is often restricted.
Next is the Tilya-Kori Madrasa, completed later in 1660. The name means ‘Gilded’ – a reference to its richly decorated mosque, which occupies the western wing. The interior is covered in gold leaf using the kundal relief painting technique, resulting in an overwhelming opulence that feels almost three-dimensional.
This is absolutely one of the most memorable interiors in Uzbekistan and worth the ticket cost of the Registan alone.
The Museum of the History of the Registan Complex (entrance covered by your ticket) is located in another wing of the Tilya-Kori and is also worth a walk through. Archival photographs show the complex in the 1930s before a spate of major restorations started, and you can see fragments of the original painted flagstones displayed in glass cabinets.
Finish with the Sherdor Madrasa, constructed between 1619 and 1636 during the rule of Yalangtush Bakhodur. Built to mirror the Ulugh Beg Madrasa opposite, it completes the trio. Its fluted dome and distinctive tiger mosaics make it instantly recognisable.
Inside, a small exhibition recreates the school’s modest student quarters, while upstairs rooms display black-and-white photographs from the 1960s and 70s.
Afternoon: Mosaic hunt & Gur-i Amir & Aksaray Mausoleums
If Soviet-era monumental art interests you, spend the first half of the afternoon hunting down mosaics of a different kind. If not, you can break for lunch at this point then skip ahead to the Gur-i Amir Mausoleum. (You could alternatively push this mosaic quest to Day 3 if you want to stick to the Old City on Day 2).
The first mosaic, called the Industrial Progress Mosaic, is a 25-minute taxi ride west of the Registan. This massive panno covers the facade of a former factory and depicts stylised workers, gears and wheat motifs in bright blue, red and gold tesserae. Old equipment scattered in the grass nearby adds to the atmosphere.
Inside on the old factory floor, there is a small agricultural market where vendors sell dairy products and household items (the fruit and veg stalls are outside).
Seeing my camera, everyone wanted to pose for a photo – a complete contrast to our experience at the Siyob Bazaar yesterday. I will always remember this small markets as one of the friendliest, most welcoming places we encountered anywhere in Uzbekistan. We taste-tested just about every type of cheese and curds this lovely lady had on offer!
Next, a 10-minute Yandex ride back towards the Registan brings you to the intersection of Yuri Gagarin and Mirzo Ulugbek Streets (what a pair!) where another mosaic – this time a faded horizontal panno – decorates the UZTELEKOM building.
Across the intersection, an impressive relief sculpture of a man with arms outstretched decorates the front of (what is now) an electronics store.
Return by taxi to the centre and go directly to the Gur-i Amir Mausoleum, the burial place of Timur, his sons and grandsons. Completed in 1404 and originally intended for his grandson, the leader was interred here in 1405 following his death in China.
This structure is smaller and more intimate than the Registan, with a ribbed azure dome rising over the tomb chamber.
The mausoleum sits just below street level, allowing great photographic angles of the portal. Inside, the walls shimmer with onyx, jade and lapis inlay, and the cenotaph of Timur rests under a slab of dark green nephrite jade said to have been taken from Mongolia.
Just behind Gur-i Amir, the Aksaray Mausoleum is a lesser-visited gem. Completed in the 1470s, the bare baked-brick dome was previously encased in blue tiles that glowed pale in the sun, leading to its moniker of ’White Palace’.
The interior, by contrast, is a vivid arrangement of wall paintings in deep blues, greens and golds. It rivals the Tilya-Kori Madrasa – and surely inspired its colour choices. Don’t be concerned if the friendly mausoleum caretaker asks for your phone – he will mount it on a rotating plate and take a 360-degree photo of the ceiling for you – what a souvenir!
Before you leave, don’t miss the small underground burial chamber out back.
Evening: Stroll along the Bul’var & craft beer
Walk a block west to link up with the Bul’var, the leafy park that runs right down the middle of modern Samarkand, south-west of the Registan. Two more pieces of public art – a dainty Sgraffito mural and the Memorial of Samarkand’s Tigers – sit at the top, close to the Rukhobod Mausoleum.
University Boulevard is lined with tall trees that reveal a splendid golden glow in autumn. Soviet-era sculptures and small monuments dot the one-kilometre walking route, with a large Amir Temur Monument at the northern end.
Boulevard Restaurant & Bakery is right on the main drag and perfect for an early dinner. This was another of our favourite spots in Samarkand – I can attest to the specialty coffee and the healthy breakfasts as well as the dinner and dessert menu!
Before the light fades completely, retrace your steps back to Poets Park – a quiet green space just beyond the Bul’var – to see the Mosaic Wall ‘Girlyanda Vekov’ (‘Garland of the Ages‘), a sweeping, multi-panel composition depicting Uzbek poets, scientists and folk motifs.
End the night at Sam Craft Pub, a laid-back bar that faces the park. There are half a dozen locally brewed beers on tap, with prices starting from 30,000 som per glass.
If you only have two days in Samarkand, cap off the evening by crossing the park to revisit the Registan one last time.
Day 3: Shahrisabz side trip & Ulugbek’s Observatory
Morning: The Zerafshan Range & Ak-Saray Palace
Dedicate your final day in Samarkand to a side trip to Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Amir Timur and one of Uzbekistan’s oldest cities. Located just under 100 kilometres south (roughly a 1.5-2 hour drive each way), it makes for an easy excursion by private car.
We booked this 7-hour tour through Get Your Guide and were more than satisfied with both our Shahrisabz-based guide and our driver. The amount of time was very generous – after an 8am pickup, we were finished with the tour and back in the city by the early afternoon.
The drive down through rolling hills is a refreshing change of scenery after the flat cityscape of Samarkand. Along the way, you will likely make a short stop at Teshik-Tosh, AKA the ‘hole stone’ – a rock formation with a heart pierced through its centre.
The landscape gradually becomes more undulating as you approach the foothills of the Zerafshan Range and eventually cross the Takhtakaracha Pass. Another stop – a viewpoint and a local market – awaits.
In Shahrisabz, a typical tour begins with the ruins of Ak-Saray Palace, Timur’s grand summer residence. Work on this colossal structure began in 1380 and took more than two decades to complete, with contributions from craftsmen from across his entire empire.
A pair of jagged gateway towers – the only part of the complex to have survived centuries of slow decay – soar 30 metres high. Most of their bricks and decorative tiles were stripped for reuse in other projects, but some fragments remain in place.
The scale of the pylons is staggering, but it’s virtually impossible to fully visualise how this complex – one of Central Asia’s most magnificent residences – looked in its heyday. As part of our tour, we stopped at a gift shop where a local artist had produced a scaled replica of the palace. But even then, it was difficult to imagine the structure actually standing!
Other spots on the Shahrisabz route include the Dorut Tilovat Ensemble, a group of religious monuments built for Timur’s family and teachers, and the Jahongir Mausoleum, built for Timur’s eldest son, who died in battle.
My favourite stop was definitely the Kok Gumbaz Mosque, which was commissioned by Ulugh Beg in the 1430s. Shahrisabz’s traditional Friday Mosque is very restrained in its decor. As our guide explained, the retro wallpapers and floral motifs were installed during Soviet-period restorations and will soon be stripped away.
Nearby, an unassuming crypt called Dorus-Siadat – the Tomb of Timur – was found to be empty during Soviet excavations in the 1940s and 50s, dispelling the long-standing belief that this was his intended burial place.
Late Afternoon & evening: Ulugbek Observatory
Returning to Samarkand in the afternoon, ask your driver to drop you off at the hilltop Ulugbek Observatory, located north-east of the city. Built in the 1420s, this was one of the most advanced observatories in the medieval world. Ulugh Beg and his scholars made significant discoveries here, calculating the length of the solar year to within 25 seconds of modern measurements – centuries before the invention of the telescope.
The remaining segment of the sextant, made of brick and marble, descends into a deep curved trench, illustrating how the instrument once measured star positions through the slit in its ceiling.
The small museum is a bit underwhelming, but you can take a quick walk through to view the astronomical charts, reproductions of Ulugh Beg’s Zij-i Sultani (Catalogue of Stars), and models of the observatory’s original structure.
If time allows, you can also visit the nearby Afrasiyab Museum, built on the site of ancient Samarkand’s earliest settlement. The highlight here is a 7th-century Sogdian mural depicting diplomatic envoys and royal processions.
Spend your final night back at the Registan Square.
