Salyam Alaykum and Welcome to Tashkent!

Tashkent, in Central Asia, is an unconventional sort of place; an interesting mix of the vigorous present and the ancient past. In one part of the city, Russian-speaking cabbies drive recklessly down sprawling Soviet-built avenues. Across town, old men wearing the traditional chapan - a long, open-fronted quilted coat - cart nuts through a web of mud-walled houses towards a bustling bazaar. In a different part of the city, crowds gather at steaming cauldrons for their daily feast of plov, a traditional Uzbek delicacy made of rice, cooked with mild spices like cumin, carrots and meat. Book your Tashkent hotels close to the city centre to feel the exciting pulse of the city.

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and also capital of the Tashkent Province is a vibrant city. The roots of the rich Uzbek culture can be seen in Tashkent's architecture and museums. A huge earthquake destroyed most of Tashkent in the Seventies. The Soviets saw in this disaster an opportunity in the making, and rallied the Russian citizens to help rebuild Tashkent. Thousands of volunteers went to the city to help and stayed back afterwards, morphing this ancient city into a modern, communist metropolis with a predominantly Russian feel to it.

Today, Tashkent is a lively, bustling city with around 3 million people, a mixture of a number of ethnic groups living in harmony - Central Asian, Uzbek, Tajik, Russian and Korean. This is reflected in the food that you'll find in Tashkent bazaars and Tashkent restaurants and in the city's cultural expression. Take one of our Tashkent tours to experience all that the city has to offer!

Tashkent may not have the special attractions that Samarkand and Bukhara have, but its numerous parks offer relaxation on the weekends, cultural programmes are held in the numerous theatres and operas, shopping opportunities are plentiful and a lot of museums have programmes about Uzbekistan's heritage and art. The city itself is pleasant and definitely worth a visit. Though there may not be many tourist attractions in Tashkent, except for a few really good museums, there are a number of things to do and the Stalinist architecture is quite impressive. It is also an important transit point if you want to get to Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan.

In the past, Tashkent was called Chach, Shash or Binkent at various times. Each of these names is an inseparable part of the city's past. Tashkent has always been an important intersection for international transport, linking the West to the East. Regrettably, only a small part of its architectural past is preserved now, due to the destruction of a number of buildings after the revolution of 1917 and the massive earthquake that occurred in 1966. Some of the ancient buildings are still standing in the old town to the west of the city centre. A maze of narrow winding streets and lanes, it stands in sharp distinction to the more contemporary Tashkent. Check out our booking portal, offering a large range of Tashkent Hotels throughout the city!

Most prominent among the older buildings are the 16th century Kukeldash Madrassah, which is being restored as a museum, and the Kaffali-Shash Mausoleum. Many of the Islamic sites in Tashkent, like the Khast-Imam structure, are not open to non-Muslims, and visitors should always seek permission before entering them (permission is always granted gladly though). In the middle of the city is the Mustaqillik Maydoni (Independence Square), where the Senate and President are housed. This is the new centre of the capital.

Tashkent has many museums exhibiting the Uzbek and pre-Uzbek way of life. These include the State Art Museum, which houses a collection of ceramics, paintings and the Bukharian royal robes. The Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts has on display embroidered wall hangings and reproduction antique jewellery. As important historical figures such as Amir Timur, also known as Tamerlane in the West, gain greater importance, the exhibits and perspective of the museums have also altered.

Like most places that travellers use as a transit point in their journey, it's not love at first sight with Tashkent. But peel away the layers patiently and you begin to appreciate its hidden depths. Many expatriates truly love living in Tashkent, and travellers find themselves wishing they could stay on for a few more days. Ensure you book your accommodation in Tashkent from our range of Tashkent hotels!

It's not just Tashkent's Muslim-and-Soviet incongruity that gets people's attention - there's a cosmopolitan population that's experiencing an ancient culture, a rapidly improving restaurant scene and the best nightlife in the Muslim world east of Beirut (or at least Baku). There's also plenty of green cover, a number of interesting museums and great hiking, rafting and skiing at the astonishingly accessible Ugam-Chatkal National Park, a mere 1½-hour drive away. Take a look at our Tashkent tours page for some exciting tours by local providers.

The Uzbeks are a very friendly people and the best way to sample the indigenous culture would be to visit the local markets. These are friendly, cheerful places that are frequented by the Uzbeks. Nightlife in Tashkent is developing at a fast pace, with mushrooming nightclubs, teahouses and cafes. Uzbek cuisine is unique and very flavourful. Some of the signature dishes that you cannot miss are 'plov', 'samsa' and 'shaslik'- all of them easily available in restaurants and bazaars. Be sure to pack your meds, though, because Uzbek food can pack quite a punch!