About This Blog: Tashkent is probably the first city you visit in Uzbekistan. The capital city has a lot to offer for the first-time visitors. What are the best things to do in Tashkent? Where will I stay? What are the major attractions? Read this Tashkent Travel Guide to get all your answers if you are planning to visit Tashkent in Uzbekistan.  

It was almost evening when we finally arrived at Tashkent International Airport from New Delhi. Interestingly, the flight from Kolkata (our home) to New Delhi took more time than the one from New Delhi to Tashkent, a different country altogether. Taking our backpacks we came out of the airport to get our first glimpse of Central Asia. Yes, Uzbekistan was the first country of our Central Asia trip.

Just as we came to the parking area, we were literally accosted by several taxi drivers, all of them wanting to take us to the city center. Well, the language barrier was quite a big problem as the taxi drivers were speaking either Uzbek or Russian and we did not know a word of either. But money happens to be a universal language and they typed the amount for taking us on their mobiles and showed it to us. Some of them even asked an insane amount of 150,000 Uzbek Som! Bargaining was done and a few of them came down to 80,000 Som.

However, we got a local SIM from the airport and downloaded the Yandex App on our mobile. Yandex is the equivalent to Uber in Uzbekistan. The Yandex app quoted only 35,000 Som to our hostel!

That was my first impression of Tashkent, Uzbekistan!

The Yandex cab arrived and we boarded it. This cab driver knew a few broken English phrases. But, he was a fan of Bollywood. Knowing we were from India, he smiled a lot and played Bollywood songs in his car.

And that was my second impression of Tashkent!

The international airport is not quite far from the city center. As we entered the city, the first thing that caught my eyes was lighted decorations. And the city was extremely clean with trees planted on sides of the pavements. And while listening to the old Hindi songs and looking at the lights and busy streets of Tashkent, I started falling for this Central Asia city.

Tashkent, the Largest city of Central Asia

Yes, it is the largest one in Central Asia and also the most populated one. Tashkent is probably the city that you will arrive at if you are visiting Uzbekistan for the first time. The city as seen today was designed by the Soviets. There are large squares, wide pavements, tree-lined streets and some beautiful parks in the capital city of Uzbekistan.  It’s a modern city with a multi ethnic population with some beautiful historical sites located across the city. There are a lot of things to do in Tashkent.

Tashkent is also a great place to stay at the end of your Uzbekistan travel. Because, believe me after days of marveling at the radiant architectural masterpieces, Tashkent breaks the monotony.

A Very Brief History of Tashkent

Though Tashkent looks quite chic and modern, its history dates back to the 4th Century BC. Genghis Khan ransacked the place in the 13th Century and later it was ruled by the Timurid Empire. After it was rebuilt, the city became an economic hub for the caravans along the Silk Road. It remained such until it fell under the Russian Empire in 1865.

In April 1966, a severe earthquake destroyed the city and left almost 300,000 people homeless. Most of the historical structures were destroyed in this natural disaster. The Soviets later rebuilt the city into most of what it is today.

Things to Know About Tashkent

Tashkent is the economic and business center of Uzbekistan. It has some swanky buildings, beautiful pavements, great eateries and an efficient metro line. It is actually very easy to go around Tashkent by metro and it is quite cheap as well. And to top it all, Tashkent has some of the most beautiful metro stations in the world.

Tashkent is a modern city and not as conservative as we thought it might be.

We stayed at Tashkent for a day before heading towards Nukus, the farthest destination on our Uzbekistan trip. And then again, we stayed for another day at the end of our trip. 2 days in Tashkent was good enough for exploring most of the attractions of Tashkent. However, we wished we had more time in this beautiful city of Uzbekistan.

So in this blog we are going to share some of the best things to do in Tashkent and our impressions of this largest city of Central Asia. Read on!

Best Things to Do in Tashkent

Tashkent has a charm of its own. It is a clean and green city and we simply loved to explore the city by metro and walk around the pavements and parks. While most of the attractions in Tashkent are spread out, you can cover them by Tashkent metro, which itself is one of the best things to do in Tashkent. So here are our recommendations.

1. Shop for Souvenirs at Chorsu Bazaar

Bazaars and markets are perhaps the best way to understand the social fabric of a place. And bazaars in Central Asian cities have a life of their own. Chorsu Bazaar located in the old part of Tashkent is no exception. Chorsu Bazaar is one of the most important markets in Central Asia and undoubtedly a fascinating place to visit. You will perhaps get a glimpse of how the Silk Road trade was by visiting the bazaar.

The market had been present for centuries. However, the current blue domed building was constructed by the Soviets. The main bustling and frenetic market is under that blue dome, but Chorsu Bazaar is spread across a large area and is like a world of its own. This is a place where you will get anything and everything. And yes, you will get literally everything.

We visited Chorsu Bazaar on our last day of stay at Tashkent. Taking the famous Tashkent metro, we arrived at Chorsu Metro Station and walked to the market. The first thing we saw were a series of shops selling clothes and shoes. There were shops selling carpets, handicrafts, jewelry, souvenirs, make-up and beauty products, groceries, Uzbek tea and so much more. We explored taking in the colors and odors of the place. There was a section for vegetables and fruits, plants and others. All our senses were wrapped up around this busy Central Asian market.

Finally we entered inside the blue domed building. That was the place where they sold meat and fish, dry fruits and spices. The dry-fruit vendors were calling out to us to buy their products. It was quite an experience to see the busy and frenetic market.

Outside the Chorsu bazaar building, near the tailors’ stalls, we found a Somsa corner. We had the one of the best Somsa from that shop. We also had the famous Samarkand melon from the fruit section of the bazaar.

Chorsu Bazaar is a great place to shop if you want to get something for yourself or souvenirs back home. Even if you do not buy anything, it is a great place to watch people.

2. Explore Hazrat Imam Complex

The Hazrat Imam Complex, also known as the Khast Imam ensemble, is a collection of mosques and madrasas. It is also said to be the home of the world’s oldest Quran. The text is kept inside Muyi Mubarak Library, along with several other oriental manuscripts. The entrance fee of this library is 30,000 UZS.

We arrived at Hazrat Imam Complex after our visit to Chorsu Bazaar. We had just opened the yandex map and walked along the wide pavements of Tashkent to arrive at this huge religious complex in Tashkent.

There are some beautiful architectural monuments inside the complex. Explore the Barak Khan Madrasah, Tilla Sheikh Mosque and the mausoleum of Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi.

3. Visit the Kukeldash Madrasa and Dzuma Mosque

Kukeldash Madrasah is the largest madrasah in Tashkent. While it might not be as impressive as the ones you see in Registan Square in Samarkand, it is definitely worth a visit.

Kukeldash Madrasah was originally an educational institution, but it was also used as caravanserai for the merchants and even a fortress in later years.

4. Marvel at Minor Mosque

Minor Mosque is the first place we visited in Tashkent. Our hostel was right near the mosque and we discovered this striking white mosque when we went out in the evening roaming the streets of Tashkent. Well, it was an impressive sight.

This huge mosque was built in 2014 on the orders of Islam Karimov, the leader of the country at that time.

The mosque is located by the Ankhon canal, which looks quite beautiful by itself. The locals call this mosque “Snow Mosque” as it is completely made of white marble. It looks really beautiful when the rays of the run hit the mosque.

5. Climb the Tashkent TV Tower

Tashkent TV Tower is located near the Bodomzor Metro Station and is the tallest building in Central Asia and the 11th tallest tower in the world.

There is an elevator that will take you to the 6th floor. There is an observation deck there from where you can get a panoramic view of Tashkent city.

There is a restaurant on the 7th floor as well where you can enjoy a glass of beer and a good meal.

6. Amir Timur Square

Taking a stroll along the Amir Timur Square was one of our favorite things to do in Uzbekistan. Amir Timur Square is literally a small park with a 7 meters high statue of Amir Timur on a horseback in the middle. This is a popular spot for tourists to take photos and selfies.

There are a few benches where you can sit and relax after exploring Tashkent. Behind the Amir Timur Square stands the Uzbekistan Hotel, a classic example of Soviet architecture.

Did you Know? Amir Timur, also known as Tamerlane is the national hero of Uzbekistan and one of the most famous conquerors of Central Asia. He was born in Shahrisabz near Samarkand and was the founder of Timurid Empire. At one time, his empire stretched from western China to all the way to Turkey.

A few historians are of the belief that he was able to conquer a large part of Chinese territory as China was undergoing a huge political upheaval with the fall of Yuan dynasty and rise of the Ming dynasty.

Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty in India was the great-great-great-grandson of Tamerlane.

Nearest metro: Amir Timur Metro

7. Broadway Boulevard or the Sailkogh Street

Broadway Boulevard is by far the most interesting place we found in Tashkent. After seeing a lot of beautiful central Asian architecture during our stay in Uzbekistan, we found the vibes of Broadway Boulevard quite fun and relaxing.

Sailkogh Street, also known as the Broadway Boulevard is a pedestrian street connecting the two most important squares in Tashkent – the Amir Timur Square and the Independence Square. This place is quite popular among the locals for spending time with family and friends.

In the morning, it is just a street with a few stalls, high end shops and banks across the street. In the evening, the entire place lights up. There are several stalls of food, games, ice creams and souvenirs. You will find several street artists displaying their artwork. They can even make a charcoal portrait of you in little time. And the street literally gets illuminated with different types of light.

We spent a lot of time here on our last evening in Tashkent. We sat at the benches there looking at people, clicked photographs in front of the big hearts, had ice-cream and donuts, and also played a few games. We returned back only when we were totally dead on our feet and extremely tired! It was an extremely fun way to end our trip in Tashkent.

Nearest Metro: Amir Temur Metro Station. It is a walking distance from there.

8. Visit Independence Square at Sunset

Independence Square is another very beautiful tourist attraction in Tashkent. Located right in the centre of the city, it is also known as the Memorial Square. The Square used to be known as Lenin Square during the Soviet times. After attaining their independence in 1992, it was renamed as Mustakillik Maydoni, which translates to Independence Square in English.

There are some very beautiful fountains at the square and the place looks quite gorgeous during the sunset.

What’s striking about the place is a set of 16 columns joined by a bridge. There are sculptures of storks on top of the bridge that symbolizes peace. You will find statues of storks at many buildings in Uzbekistan.

9. Reflect at Memorial to the Victims of Repression

Located just across the Tashkent TV Tower and the Central Asian Plov center, the Museum of Victims of Repression is dedicated to all the people who fought for the independence of Uzbekistan during the time of Soviet Union and were killed by the then government.

The memorial is a large gazebo-like structure with a blue dome. It is a beautiful and peaceful place with the surrounding park.

Nearest Metro: Bodomzor Metro

10. Get to know the History of Uzbekistan at Amir Timur Museum

Tashkent has a lot of museums and this one is the most popular. Amir Timur was considered the greatest hero of Uzbekistan and the museum is dedicated to him. The architecture of the building is quite eye-catching.

11. Get a Beer at Hotel Uzbekistan

Hotel Uzbekistan is one of the most iconic sights of Tashkent. If you are someone who loves architecture, then you must visit Hotel Uzbekistan. It is the classic example of Soviet brutalist architecture.

The size is massive and it is a landmark of Tashkent. You can go inside the hotel to the bar at 17 th floor and have a glass of beer.

Nearest Metro: Amir Timur Metro Station

12. Watch an Opera at the Navoi Theatre

The Navoi Theatre is the place if you want to see a ballet show in Tashkent. Most of the evenings, there is a show in the theater and you can get your tickets from the counter outside. But in all probability, the ticket sellers are unlikely to speak English.

Nearest Metro: Kosmonavtlar

13. Have Plov at Central Asian Plov Centre (Besh Qozon)

First of all, you cannot visit Central Asia and not have plov. And then, you cannot visit Tashkent and not have plov from Besh Qozon. Well, of course, I am speaking for all the food lovers here.

Plov is perhaps the most popular Central Asian dish. This traditional Uzbek dish consists of rice fried in lamb fat with carrots, raisins, several spices and served with lamb meat on top. You will get plov everywhere in Uzbekistan and Central Asia, but Besh Qozon claims to have the best Plov in the whole region.

To be honest, their plov is really good, but the best plov we had in Uzbekistan was at Kokand in Fergana Valley.

What is interesting about this place is that you can see how the plov is made in huge vessels. It is quite amazing. Eating plov in Besh Qozon is undoubtedly one of the top things to do in Tashkent.

Nearest metro: Bodomzor Metro

14. Get a Metro Ride at Tashkent

One of the interesting things to do in Tashkent is to ride its metro. Tashkent has some of the best looking metro stations. While you can use the metro to commute from one point to another during Tashkent sightseeing, you can also get into the metro to just look at the metro stations and experience the ride.

Built deep underground, every metro station of Tashkent is gorgeous and different from each other. Some of these stations are decorated by beautiful mosaics and some have beautiful and ornate candelabras. With just 2000 UZS per head for a ticket for a ride, a ride at Tashkent Metro is definitely one of the best things to do in Tashkent.

Day Trips from Tashkent

15. Day Trip to Chimgan Mountains and Charvak Lake

The Chimgan mountains and the Charvak Lake are popular places to visit as a day trip from Tashkent. Located about 2 hours from Tashkent, it is one of the best places to visit if you want to head towards nature from Tashkent. With lush green valleys and several hiking trails, Chimgan mountains provide a number of options for the outdoor enthusiasts. The mountains also offer skiing and snowboarding in the winter months.

While public transport can be cheaper to reach the place, you might have to change transport more than once to reach there.

You can opt for a day tour or hire a private taxi for the day trip.

16. Visit the Solar Furnace at Parkent

Parkent has a solar furnace that sits on a hill above the town. It is located about 45 km from Tashkent. The solar furnace uses thousands of mirrors to reflect light in order t o achieve temperature above 3000 degrees Celsius to create energy. You can get a tour of the solar furnace for a ticket of 100,000 UZS on weekdays.

As interesting as it sounds, we did not have the time to explore this place. You can book a cab to reach Parkent.

Tashkent Travel Guide

Is Tashkent safe for tourists?

Tashkent is a safe city to travel to. We usually fear what we do not know about. We arrived at Tashkent with slight trepidation, but found it to be such a beautiful city with helpful people. Recently, Uzbekistan has also introduced tourist police that you will find in all the major tourist attractions. So if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at any point, approach them. They will definitely help you out. And if there is a language barrier, use Google Translate.

The city is also quite safe for solo women travelers. The Uzbeks are very friendly and usually approach you to take photographs or practice their English.

There was only one little incident at Chorsu Bazaar, where a man had approached me wanting to take photographs. Well, he was drunk and I was not that comfortable. After taking a picture, I politely asked him to stop, and he went away without any problem.

There might be cases of petty pickpockets in crowded places, but the chances are low. Keep your valuables safely. There might be a few tourist traps as well, but that usually happens in all tourist places. Just be vigilant.

Where to Stay in Tashkent?

Tashkent offers a large choice for stay including hostels for budget travelers and high-end options for those looking for a bit of luxury. There are a few Airbnbs as well.

When you are looking for a stay in Tashkent, try to nook somewhere near the metro station. It will make your life a lot easier. We had stayed at two different places during our stay in Tashkent. Both of them were quite good. Jules Verne Hostel was a clean and cozy hostel located very near the Minor Mosque. However, the Minor metro station was almost 2 km away from the hostel.

For the second time, we stayed at the Great Trip Mini Hotel, located near Tashkent TV Tower. This was also a cozy hotel with more of a hostel feel and it was only 1 km from the Bodomzor Metro station.

There are a lot of stays in Tashkent. While choosing your accommodation, also decide on the area you want to stay. Here are a few recommendations –

Budget Stays in Tashkent

Topchan Hostel: This seems quite popular among budget travelers.

Art Hostel: This is perhaps the most popular hostel in Tashkent. The staff is friendly and offers good advice. The bathrooms are shared as happens in most hostels.

Jules Verne Hostel: This is a lovely hostel located near the Minor Mosque. You have dormitories and rooms and they offer great breakfast. Minor Metro station is 2 km away.

Great Trip Mini Hotel: It is named a hotel, but it is more of a hostel. It also has dormitories and rooms. Breakfast is okay with not much variety. Bodomzor Metro station is only 1 km from here. Also, Tashkent TV Tower, Memorial to the Victims of Repression and Besh Qozon are all within walkable distance from this place.

Anvar’s Guest House: This is another popular place to stay in Tashkent. The place is close to the metro station and several restaurants as well.

Mid-range Hotels

Hotel Uzbekistan: The best part of this hotel is its location. The hotel is old-fashioned and if you are fond of that, it is a good place to stay. However, the wifi seems to be slow and some furniture and fixtures are in need of renewal.

Luxury

Ichan Qala Hotel : This is a beautiful hotel with comfortable and luxurious rooms and lovely oriental design.

What to Eat in Tashkent?

Tashkent is a big city and you will get plenty of places to eat there. There is a wide variety of restaurants that suit both your taste and budget.

For some great Uzbek food like plov, somsa and shashlik, you can always check out the stands around Chorsu Bazaar. Most of these small eateries offer good food without burning a hole in your pocket. However, you will not find these small eateries in the city center.

If you want some recommendations on restaurants in Tashkent, here are a few –

Besh Qozon: This is literally an institution in Tashkent. This is apparently the best place to have plov and eating at Besh Qozon is undoubtedly one of the top things to do in Tashkent.

The restaurant is located a little away from the city center, but near the Bodomzor metro station. You can visit here during lunch and you will see hundreds of kilograms of plov being cooked. We visited there in the evening for a lovely dinner of plov. It was definitely one of the best in Uzbekistan.

National food: This is another great restaurant in Tashkent having a traditional Uzbek décor and serving some great food. The restaurant is located within a walking distance from the Gafur Gulom Metro Station.

Jumanji: This is another excellent restaurant offering local, European and Asian cuisine. It functions as a bar and restaurant and plays some good lively music.

Afsona: This restaurant is located near Ming O’rik Metro Station. It offers great Uzbek dishes like plov, somsa, manty and other vegetarian options.

How to Get to Tashkent?

Most of you will perhaps enter Tashkent through Tashkent International Airport.

How to get from Tashkent International Airport to the city center or your stay?

The best and convenient way to get from the airport to the city center is by taxi. Once you come out of the airport, you will be approached by several taxi drivers quoting different amounts, most of which will be at least double the actual amount. Just get out of the airport to the parking lot and get a cab from there. And bargain before finalizing the rates.

Alternatively, get a local SIM card from the airport, download the Yandex app and book a cab for yourself. You may read our experience with Tashkent taxi drivers at the beginning of this blog.

Tashkent is very well connected with the other Uzbek cities like Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva by train. Tashkent can also be reached easily from its neighboring Stan countries like Almaty in Kazakhstan and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.

High speed trains (called Afrosiyob trains) are available from Samarkand and Bukhara. Trains are also available between Tashkent and Khiva. You will also get trains from Tashkent to Nukus (in Karakalpakstan), Kokand and Andijan in Fergana Valley.

You can book train tickets from the Uzbekistan Railway website or their mobile app.

How to Get around Tashkent?

By Metro

Metro is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to travel around Tashkent. Most of the attractions in Tashkent are within a walking distance from a metro station. I have mentioned the nearest metro station in the ‘best things to do in Tashkent’ section.

However, some of the distances can be pretty far and it might be a good idea to take a cab.

By Taxi

You will get taxis at every road in Tashkent. The taxi driver might quote you a higher amount. So you might have to negotiate the prices a bit. You can also download the Yandex app on your mobile and book your cab from there. Yandex is like the Uber in Uzbekistan. Just a reminder, for using the Yandex app, you will need a local Uzbek Sim card.

By Marshrutka

Marshrutka is a local van that takes passengers from one point to another. They run regularly to everywhere in the city and is a cheap mode of transport. But unless you really know where you are going or the local language, a Marshrutka  ride might be a bit of hassle.  I would prefer the metro of Yandex cab.

When to Visit Tashkent?

Spring (April and May) and Autumn (September and October) are the best times to visit Tashkent. You can also visit during the summer months (June to August) provided you are fine with the sweltering heat of Uzbekistan.

Money matters in Tashkent? Where Can I exchange my Money?

Even a few years back, you would get the best rate for exchange only in the black market. But now, that is a thing of the past. You can exchange Dollars and Euros at any bank in Tashkent.

In fact, there is a currency exchange counter right at the arrival in the International airport where you can exchange your currency. The bank exchange rates are now pretty good.

Are there ATMs in Tashkent?

Yes, there are a number of ATMs spread across the city. We came across a lot of them and all in good working conditions. Just check the extra charges before withdrawing money, as different banks have different rates. And you get the money in local currency.

In Conclusion

Tashkent is a lovely place to visit. We really enjoyed our time in Tashkent and exploring the city on foot. There are a number of things to do in Tashkent that can be quite interesting. Spend at least a day here and explore its specialties.

If you are planning to visit Uzbekistan and Tashkent, we hope this travel guide was helpful in planning your trip. If you have any questions or updates about the place, please feel free to share them in the comments below.

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