Visit Samarkand

Visit Bukhara, one of Central Asia's oldest cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Uzbekistan. Explore the historic Ark Fortress (ancient royal town-citadel dating back to the 5th century), see the Kalyan Minaret (12th-century tower known as the 'Tower of Death' for its height and historical use), and wander through the Lyab-i Hauz complex (a 17th-century plaza centered around a pool with mulberry trees and traditional tea houses). Discover the city's rich Silk Road heritage at sites like the Samanid Mausoleum (10th-century brick masterpiece) and the bustling trading domes such as Toki Sarrofon.

The Savitsky museum, a hidden collection of banned Soviet avant-garde art in the Karakalpak desert.

Visit Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Explore the Khast Imam Complex (home to the 7th-century Uthman Quran, one of the world's oldest manuscripts), see the Chorsu Bazaar (a historic domed market with spices, crafts, and local food), and ride the Tashkent Metro (known for its ornate stations with chandeliers and mosaics).

Trace tiled Silk Road cities, desert fortresses, and plov-rich bazaars of Uzbekistan

Three grand madrasas on one square.

Living Silk Road museum-city.

A walled Silk Road city preserved whole — minarets, madrasas and mud walls glowing at dusk.

An avenue of turquoise-tiled mausoleums in Samarkand, the finest tilework in Central Asia.