Is Tashkent worth visiting? What to see in one or two days

If you come to Uzbekistan for the Silk Road, Tashkent will not be the highlight of your trip. Much of the old city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1966 and rebuilt in Soviet style, and today Tashkent is a large, modern capital of wide avenues, parks, new towers and busy traffic.

But dismissing it would be a mistake. Tashkent is where you see contemporary Uzbekistan: its energy, its food, its art and its people. It also has some genuinely remarkable sights. Most travellers arrive here anyway, so one or two days are well spent.

• Khast Imam complex: the religious heart of the city, with a mosque, madrasahs and a library holding the Uthman Quran, one of the oldest surviving Quran manuscripts. See Khast Imam.
• Chorsu bazaar: a huge market under a great green dome, with spices, dried fruit, bread, meat and everyday life in full swing.
• The metro: opened in 1977, with stations decorated with marble, chandeliers and mosaics; each has its own theme. Ride a few lines for a few cents.
• Amir Timur Square and the Amir Timur Museum, telling the story of the conqueror.
• State Museum of Applied Arts: a beautiful 19th-century house with collections of ceramics, embroidery and jewellery.
• Navoi Theatre: an opera and ballet house built after the Second World War, with performances at low prices. See the Navoi Theatre.
• Independence Square, the Minor mosque and the new Tashkent City park.

See things to do in Tashkent.

On 26 April 1966, a powerful earthquake struck the centre of Tashkent, destroying much of the old city and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. The Soviet Union rebuilt the city quickly, with workers from across the country. The memorial Courage monument commemorates the disaster and the rebuilding.

The rebuilt city is a showcase of Soviet modernist architecture: the circus, the Hotel Uzbekistan, the Museum of Applied Arts’ neighbours and many mosaic-decorated buildings. Architecture lovers will find Tashkent fascinating.

Tashkent has the most varied food scene in Uzbekistan. Do not miss plov at the Central Asian Plov Centre, where it is cooked in giant cauldrons at lunchtime; norin, a Tashkent noodle speciality; and shashlik in a busy teahouse. There are also excellent modern restaurants, Korean, Russian and international cuisine, cafés and bakeries. See Tashkent food and Uzbek plov.

Tashkent is the only city in Uzbekistan with a real nightlife: bars, live music, jazz clubs, concerts and theatres. The opera and ballet at the Navoi Theatre are excellent value. Contemporary art galleries are growing. See Tashkent nightlife.

The mountains of the western Tian Shan are only 1.5 hours away. In one day you can ride the gondola at Amirsoy, walk in Chimgan and admire the turquoise Charvak reservoir. In winter, there is skiing. See Tashkent to Chimgan.

• Half a day: Chorsu bazaar, Khast Imam and a metro ride. Possible on arrival day.
• One day: add Amir Timur Square, a museum and plov at the Plov Centre.
• Two days: add the mountains or more museums, and an evening at the opera.

Many travellers spend a day at the start and another at the end of their trip. See our Tashkent itinerary.

• Tashkent is spread out; use the metro and ride-hailing apps. See taxis in Uzbekistan.
• Buy a SIM card at the airport. See Tashkent airport.
• Summers are very hot; sightsee early and late. See Tashkent weather.
• Stay near the centre or a metro station. See where to stay in Tashkent.

Tashkent is not the reason to visit Uzbekistan, but it is a good introduction and a pleasant place to begin or end your trip. Give it a day, eat well, ride the metro, wander the bazaar and see the Quran of Uthman. If you have more time, head to the mountains. Then take the morning train to Samarkand, where the Silk Road begins in earnest.

Morning: start at the Chorsu bazaar, then walk to the Khast Imam complex to see the Uthman Quran. Lunch: plov at the Central Asian Plov Centre, before it sells out. Afternoon: ride the metro to see several decorated stations, visit Amir Timur Square and the museum, and stroll along Broadway (Sayilgoh street) with its artists and souvenir stalls. Evening: dinner in a modern Uzbek restaurant, a performance at the Navoi Theatre, or a walk in the new Tashkent City park, lit up at night.

Tashkent has the widest choice of hotels in Uzbekistan, from international chains to boutique hotels and hostels. The most convenient areas are around Amir Timur Square and Tashkent City, near metro stations, with easy access to the main sights and the railway stations. If you are leaving by train early in the morning for Samarkand, stay near the centre or the station. See where to stay in Tashkent.

Both work. At the start, Tashkent is a gentle introduction: you can recover from your flight, buy a SIM card, change money and get used to the food before heading to the Silk Road cities. At the end, it is a good place to buy last souvenirs, enjoy the restaurants and relax before your flight. Many travellers do half a day at each end. If you fly into Samarkand or Urgench, you might skip Tashkent entirely, but it is worth at least one day if you have time.

The metro is the fastest way to cross the city and an attraction in itself; buy a transport card or pay at the gates. Ride-hailing apps are cheap and reliable for other journeys. Many sights are spread out, so combine metro rides with short taxi trips. See taxis in Uzbekistan.

Tashkent is a safe, well-policed city. Use normal precautions in crowded bazaars and the metro, and use ride-hailing apps at night.