Uzbek bazaars: a guide to Chorsu, Siab, Kumtepa and the best markets

For more than two thousand years, the cities of Uzbekistan have lived around their bazaars. On the Silk Road, they were places where merchants from China, India, Persia and Russia traded silk, spices, horses and news. Today they remain places where people buy their food, meet friends, gossip, bargain and drink tea. A bazaar visit is one of the best ways to understand Uzbek life, and one of the most enjoyable.

The largest and most famous bazaar in Tashkent, Chorsu ("four streams" or "crossroads") stands in the old city under a huge green dome. Inside, on several levels, are halls of meat, dairy, spices, dried fruit and nuts; outside, stalls sell bread, vegetables, fruit, household goods, clothes and crafts. Next door are the Kukeldash madrasah and the Khast Imam district. Go early, climb to the upper gallery of the dome for a view, and try samsa from the tandir ovens nearby. See things to do in Tashkent.

Beside the Bibi-Khanym mosque, the Siab bazaar is the main market of Samarkand. It is famous for Samarkand bread, sold in a dedicated section, and for dried fruit, nuts, halva, spices and seasonal fruit. Many travellers come for the colours and the photographs. Bargain for dried apricots and almonds, and try fresh bread warm from the oven. See Uzbek bread.

On the outskirts of Margilan in the Fergana Valley, Kumtepa is one of the most authentic markets in the country, busiest on Thursday and Sunday mornings. Villagers come to buy and sell ikat silk, skullcaps, clothes, livestock, bread and household goods. Few tourists come, and the atmosphere is genuine. See Uzbek ikat silk.

In the foothills about 40 km from Samarkand, the Urgut market is especially lively on Sundays. It is known for suzani, old and new, and textiles, as well as everyday goods. Combine it with the plane-tree grove and shrine of Urgut. See suzani embroidery.

In Bukhara, the medieval trading domes in the old town still house shops of crafts, carpets, knives and suzani, and the central bazaar (Kolkhoz bazaar) sells food and everyday goods. In Khiva, a lively market stands just outside the eastern gate of Ichan-Kala, with bread, fruit, spices and household goods. See shopping in Bukhara and shopping in Khiva.

• Bread: round loaves of non from the tandir.
• Dried fruit: apricots, raisins of many colours, figs, dried melon.
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and salted apricot kernels.
• Spices: cumin, barberries, red pepper and ready-made plov spice mixes.
• Sweets: halva, navat crystallised sugar, parvarda, chak-chak.
• Seasonal fruit: cherries and apricots in early summer, melons and grapes in late summer, pomegranates and persimmons in autumn.
• Dairy: qurt (dried yoghurt balls), suzma (strained yoghurt).
• Crafts: skullcaps, textiles, ceramics and knives.

Vendors often offer tastes; accept a little and buy what you like. See Uzbek dishes and the best souvenirs.

Bargaining is expected in bazaars, especially for crafts, dried fruit and nuts:

• Ask the price, offer a lower amount, and meet somewhere in between.
• Stay friendly; bargaining is a social exchange, not a fight.
• Buying several items from one stall gets a better price.
• For bread and fresh produce, prices are usually fixed and low.
• Have small banknotes in som; cards are rarely accepted.

Learn the numbers in Uzbek or Russian, or use a calculator. See Uzbek phrases.

• Ask before photographing vendors; most are happy, but some, especially women, may refuse.
• Accept tea if offered; it is a sign of hospitality.
• Do not touch food unnecessarily; point instead.
• Watch your belongings in crowded areas.
• Dress modestly, especially in the Fergana Valley.

Mornings are the best time, when the produce is fresh and the bazaar is busiest. Many stalls close in the late afternoon. Some bazaars have special market days, such as Kumtepa and Urgut. In summer, go early to avoid the heat. Some bazaars close one day a week, often Monday; check locally.

Arrive early, when the bread is still warm and the fruit has just arrived from the villages. Start with a walk through the bread section, buy a loaf, and continue to the dried fruit and nut stalls, where vendors will offer you tastes of apricots, raisins and almonds. Visit the spice section for the smell of cumin and barberries, then the meat and dairy halls for a glimpse of everyday cooking. Stop for tea or samsa at a stall, and finish in the crafts area for skullcaps, knives and textiles. Allow at least one to two hours; there is no hurry.

Bazaar food is generally safe and delicious, but a few precautions help: eat food cooked in front of you, such as samsa and shashlik; peel or wash fruit before eating; and drink bottled water. Dried fruit is usually washed before drying but can be rinsed at your hotel. If you have a sensitive stomach, take it slowly in the first days. Carry hand sanitiser.

Walking through a bazaar, it is easy to imagine the caravan cities of the past, when merchants from China, India and Persia met under these domes. The goods have changed, but the spirit is the same: noise, colour, bargaining and hospitality. In Bukhara, the medieval trading domes still stand; in Tashkent, Chorsu occupies the site of an old market at the crossroads of caravan routes. See the Silk Road in Uzbekistan.

A few words help: Assalomu alaykum (hello), Qancha? (how much?), Qimmat (expensive), Arzonroq (cheaper, please), Rahmat (thank you) and Yaxshi (good).

Small-town bazaars, such as those in Nurata, Shakhrisabz, Denau or Urgench, are less touristy and very lively on market days. If you pass through on a road trip, ask your driver to stop for half an hour.