Tashkent is the capital and the main gateway of Uzbekistan — a city that survived the great earthquake of 1966 and was rebuilt by an entire vast country. Most itineraries start here, yet Tashkent is no mere transit stop: it is an experience in its own right, a metropolis of over two million where the old town with its adobe mahallas sits alongside broad avenues, parks and the skyscrapers of the business district.
Start at Hast-Imam Square, home to the Quran of Caliph Uthman — one of the oldest in the world — then dive into the whirlpool of the Chorsu Bazaar beneath its giant turquoise dome. Be sure to go underground: metro stations like Kosmonavtlar and Alisher Navoi are true subterranean palaces. Tashkent is also the country’s culinary capital: at the Plov Centre, the enormous kazans are empty by lunchtime.
A local guide’s advice: set aside a day or two for Tashkent at the start or end of your route. Come for plov strictly before noon — later there is simply none left. The best time for the city is April–May, when the gardens bloom, and September–October, the season of melons and grapes; in summer, save your walks for morning and evening.
