Samarkand's monuments are larger and more spread out than Bukhara's or Khiva's, so the order in which you visit them matters. This plan fits the essentials into one full day without rushing.
Morning
- Gur-e-Amir (early): Timur's mausoleum is small inside and fills up quickly; arriving early gives you the gilded hall in near-silence.
- Registan: a ten-minute walk away. Take your time with the three madrasas — Ulugbek's on the left, Sher-Dor on the right with its famous tiger-like creatures, and Tilya-Kori in the middle with its golden interior.
Lunch
Samarkand plov is cooked in the morning and often runs out by early afternoon, so lunch is best taken around 12:30–13:00.
Afternoon
- Bibi-Khanym mosque: Timur's monumental mosque, built at the end of the 14th century.
- Siab bazaar: right next door — try Samarkand's dense round bread, dried apricots and nuts.
- Shah-i-Zinda: walk up the avenue of tiled mausoleums in the softer afternoon light. It is a place of pilgrimage, so dress modestly.
Evening
Return to Registan after dark if you have energy left — the illuminated façades are a different experience.
With a second day
Add Ulugbek's observatory, the Afrasiyab museum, the Konigil paper workshop or a day trip to Shakhrisabz.
Prefer to have it all organised? See our private Samarkand city tour.
