Samarkand

Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia and the crown of almost every journey through Uzbekistan. At its centre stands the Registan — an ensemble of three madrasas whose tiled façades glow at sunrise and again at dusk.

A short walk away, the Shah-i-Zinda avenue of mausoleums layers centuries of blue majolica into one breathtaking corridor, while the Gur-e-Amir holds the tomb of Amir Timur himself. The colossal Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the remains of Ulugh Beg's medieval observatory complete the picture of a city built to astonish.

We time visits to catch the quiet hours, pair the great monuments with the colour and noise of Siyob Bazaar, and weave in the workshops where paper and silk carpets are still made by hand.