Aug. 2025
Bukhara, in Uzbekistan, is another legendary Silk Road city with over 2,500 years of history. Known as an ancient center of trade, religion, and culture, it was once one of the most important cities in the Islamic world. The old town is full of mosques, madrasas, and caravanserais, many beautifully preserved, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status. Highlights include the Ark Fortress, the Kalon Minaret, and the lively Lyabi-Hauz square. Walking through Bukhara feels like stepping back into the medieval Silk Road era.
Highlights:
- Ark Fortress – ancient citadel of emirs.
- Kalon Minaret & Mosque – iconic symbols of the city.
- Mir-i-Arab Madrasa – still an active Islamic school.
- Lyabi-Hauz Square – the social heart of Bukhara, with cafes by the pond.
- Chor Minor – small mosque with four quirky towers.
- Samanid Mausoleum – one of Central Asia’s oldest Islamic monuments.
- Covered Bazaars – traditional Silk Road shopping spots.
The train ride from Samarkand to Bukhara was equally short and comfortable, we even had a table like those in European trains. We stayed at Istat Boutique Hotel. It was not as fancy as our hotel in Samarkand, but the room was still modestly decorated. The breakfast was served at a garden inside the buildings. All four walls were surrounded by the windows of the rooms, so we could actually looked down to breakfast place from our room. They also served a breakfast buffet, although not as rich as hotel in Samarkand, they served more sweets here, and we can make the dry fruits & herbal tea by ourselves. Again, we had a long breakfast there. Unfortunately, it was the only day we enjoyed breakfast there. Next morning, we already had to take an early train of over 6 hours to Khiva, so we booked taxi the day before, and asked them to pack the breakfast to go for us.
Here, we also tried to visit as many highlights as we could. There was a nice cafe restaurant which was also a carpet shop. There was a popular restaurant called “Old Bukhara” at the center that we ate dinner there 2 days in a row. Also, there was a pond with open cafe around it. We spent the hot afternoon drinking mint tea while watching the ducks swimming.
Other than Ark Fortress and various mosques, we also enjoyed shopping in the traditional bazaars and markets. Many of them actually run their business in some old buildings with unique interior designs, layers and layers of ceilings open up like lids of flowers. I had never seen design of buildings like that before.
The Ark Fortress also served as an exhibition area, showing various ancient costumes and artistic items. There were some kids selling their handmade souvenirs, which I regret I did not buy, because we never see that in other cities anymore.
Also, there was an archeological park inside the Ark Fortress. It was mostly ruins, but some ancient structures could still be seen under the sand, and they look special under the sunset.
On the way to Ark Fortress, we also visited some local bazaars. However, the clothing and daily necessities were not so special for tourists like us, we were mostly only amazed by the beautiful designs enclaved on their breads.
