If you have planned a trip to Uzbekistan, make sure to spend at least a day in Tashkent. This 24 hours in Tashkent itinerary is a guide on how to best utilize your 24 hours in Tashkent. It includes all the essential travel tips you need to know along with a list of the best things to see in Tashkent. Plus: where to stay, where to eat and much more. Let’s begin !

Tashkent is Uzbekistan’s capital and Central Asia’s largest city. It is home to the Islam Karimov international airport which serves as the major international airport in the country. If you are visiting Uzbekistan, chances are high that you will be flying in and out of Tashkent. While many tourists give the capital a miss, I highly recommend spending at least a day here as it does have some good spots which are easily accessible by metro and taxi.

While Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva draw all the tourists thanks to their gorgeous Islamic historical sites, not many people know that Tashkent too was a trading hub on the old silk route. The city is a mix of the old and the new and designed as one of the classical Soviet cities with lots of parks and gardens. You can expect to see some good architecture, museums, old bazaars and lots of cafes and restaurants.

WHEN TO VISIT TASHKENT

The best time to visit Tashkent is during spring (April-May) and Autumn (October-November). Summers are too hot and winters are too cold. Avoid these seasons unless you want to see the city/country dotted with snow.

WHERE TO STAY IN TASHKENT

One of the best places to stay in Tashkent is the Amir Temur square which is centrally located with easy access to the metro, lots of restaurants and parks. Another good area is Navoi opera square with lots of parks and cafes with an easy relaxed vibe. If you want to stay near the airport or railway station, choose the Mirabad area which has lots of pubs and bars. To try a quieter area, go for Eski Shahar, the older part of the city with it’s mosques and monuments.

Some of the well reviewed hotels in Tashkent include:

Budget

• Safarov’s Hostel
• Telman’s hostel
• Art Eco hotel
• Anvar’s Guests

MID RANGE

• Royal Residence
• Registan Park
• Frankfort hotel and spa
• Art Residence hotel
• Oscar Boutique hotel
• City centre hotel
• Mirzo Boutique hotel

LUXURY

• Hyatt Regency
• Hampton by Hilton
• Ichan Qala
• Lotte Tashkent Palace
• The International
• Bentley Hotel
• Hotel Marwa Pool and Spa
• Holiday Inn

WHERE TO EAT IN TASHKENT

Unlike the other cities of Uzbekistan like Khiva and Bukhara, you can easily find a lot of international cuisine in Tashkent.

• Ogni Tashkent (Russian and European food)
• Besh Qozon (Central Asian Plov centre)
• Afsona (Central Asian)
• L’Opera (Italian)
• Forn Lebnen (Lebanese)
• Zohid Kebab
• Syrovarnya (cheese themed)
• Hori (Pan Asian)
• Bibigon café
• Shashlik restaurant
• Socials Shevchenko
• Queen’s club

GETTING AROUND IN TASHKENT

Tashkent is a fairly easy city to get around for sightseeing. Most of the tourist attractions are clustered around 2-3 areas making sightseeing easy with less time consumed in transportation.

1. METRO: The best way of getting around in Tashkent is through the metro. The city has an extensive metro network with multiple routes that covers almost the entire city. The biggest advantage of the metro is the easy accessibility of most tourist attractions which are located near metro stations. The metro is very safe to use and the ticket prices are super cheap (only 0.03 USD/ticket). Tashkent metro was built during the Soviet times and the beautiful stations itself deserve a look (see below in things to do).
2. TAXI: Install the ‘Yandex’ taxi app to check the taxi prices and book one on a standard fare without getting ripped off.
3. WALKING: You will be easily able to walk from one site to another as many attractions are clustered around particular spots. I found walking in Tashkent a pleasant experience as it has proper sidewalks as well as many parks and gardens.

24 HOURS IN TASHKENT ITINERARY: THE BEST THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ONE DAY

To make best use of the first day, catch an early morning flight to check in with enough time left during the day for sightseeing. Or else, you can even arrive the previous night, rest and then wake up energised for a full day.

OLD TASHKENT

Start your day with a visit to the older part of the city which will take you back in time and present a completely different face when compared to modern Tashkent. You can easily check out these places within a span of 2 hours or so.

1.HAZRAT IMAM COMPLEX

The main attraction in old Tashkent is the Hazrati Imam complex, a collection of old and renovated mosques, madrassas and mausoleums some of which originally date back to the 16^th century.

The complex includes:

• Hazrati Imam mosque and mausoleum
• Tilla Sheikh mosque
• Barak khan madrassa
• Muyi muborok madrassa
• Hazrati Imam library which contains one of the world’s oldest Quoran manuscripts and is listed as a UNESCO heritage site

TIPS: Nearest metro station: 10 mins walk from Gafur Golam metro station

Timings: 9am to 9pm

Entry: Free to the complex, 30k UZS/3$ for the library

2.CHORSU BAZAAR

Next you will proceed to Chorsu bazaar, the largest market in Uzbekistan which is a great place to check out the local life and flavours of the city. Located under a distinct blue dome, the bazaar has lots of stalls especially for dry fruits and local spices along with bread baking in the tandoor and plov being cooked in large vessels. Spend some time people watching and getting to see an authentic slice of the city.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Chorsu Bazaar station (10 mins walk from the Hazrati Imam complex)

Outside the market, you will find many stalls selling clothes, accessories along with money exchangers. It is advised to refrain from exchanging your USD here.

3. KUKELDASH MADRASSA AND DZUMA MOSQUE

Right outside Chorsu bazaar lies the Kukeldash madrassa an Dzuma mosque. Originally built in the 15^th century, it has been restored and renovated over the years.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Chorsu Bazaar station

4. CHECK OUT THE BEAUTIFUL METRO STATIONS TOO WHILE SIGHTSEEING

Do not be surprised that I am recommending this! The Tashkent metro was built by the erstwhile Soviet union and it is home to some of the most beautiful metro stations in the world. Each station has a different theme with beautiful design and artistic features. The metro also runs along many of the tourist attractions in the city making it a convenient transport option. You can check out the stations while following this 1 day Tashkent itinerary. Some of the beautiful ones that you should check out include:

• Beruniy station with it’s magnificient chandeliers
• Tinchlik station with it’s marble pillars and crystal chandeliers
• Gafur Gulom station with it’s stunning turquoise pillars and colourful work on the walls
• Alisher Navoi station with it’s blue domes on the ceiling similar to mosques and madrassas
• Kosmonavtalar station which is like a space themed station

TIPS: Timings: Open daily from 5am to midnight

There are 4 different coloured routes

Costs: 1 ticket costs 1400 UZS (less than a dollar) and is valid as long as you are inside the metro.

DELVE MORE INTO UZBEKISTAN’S HISTORY AND CULTURE

Know a bit more about Uzbekistan’s history by visiting one of the many museums and memorials in Tashkent. You can choose from the following:

5. STATE MUSEUM OF UZBEK HISTORY

Previously known as Lenin museum, the state museum was founded in 1865 and covers the archaeology, history and ethnology of Uzbekistan along with Buddhist and Gandharan art.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Mustalik Maydoni

Entry fees: 10,000 UZS /1$; English speaking guide: 8000 UZS

Timings: Open daily Except on Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you choose to visit this museum, you can easily walk 5 mins to visit the Independence Square which is a must visit place in Tashkent and is located nearby.

6. AMIR TIMUR MUSEUM

This museum is dedicated to Amir Temur, who laid the foundation of the Temurid empire and is widely considered as the father of Uzbekistan. The museum delves into his history and his contributions along with 5000 artefacts in the form of coins, manuscripts, weapons and jewellery from those times.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Amir Temur metro station

Entry Fees: 16,000 UZS

Timings: Open daily except Mondays from 9 am to 5 pm.

This museum is located just across the road from Amir Temur square, a central part of the city which is not to be missed.

7. MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS OF REPRESSION MUSEUM AND PARK

This memorial is dedicated to the victims of political repression who fought for the independence of Uzbekistan from the Soviet Union. The memorial is in the form of a small gazebo with a blue dome and is surrounded by a beautiful park. The museum is small and houses a collection of photographs, documents and belongings of these political victims.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Bodomzor station. The memorial park is located just across the road from the Tashkent TV tower.

Entry fees: Free

Museum Timings: 9am to 5pm, closed on Mondays

The park is open daily till late night.

8. ALISHER NAVOI THEATRE

It is the national opera theatre in Uzbekistan and a leading place to catch some fantastic (and cheap) performances of opera and ballet. It is located near the State museum of Uzbek history and if you have time you can check out both.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Mustalik Maydoni

9. INDEPENDENCE SQUARE MEMORIAL

Known as Mustakilik maydoni in the local language, the independence square memorial is an impressive collection of monuments and fountains located right in the heart of the city. The square houses a number of fountains and gardens leading up to the Independence arch and the Independence monument, which is a pedestal with a golden globe on top. You can also see the monument symbolising ‘Motherland’: a statue of a mother seated with a baby in her arms. Walk in the opposite direction to find another statue of a mother sitting sadly in front of the eternal flame, which is dedicated to all the unidentified fallen soldiers. The ‘Memory lane’ nearby inscribes the names of all the Uzbek soldiers who died during the world war.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Mustalik maydoni; it is a 5 mins walk from the State museum of Uzbek history

Entry: Free but closed on Mondays

10. ROMANOV PALACE

This beautiful one storey palace was built in 1891 for the Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich who was exiled to these outskirts of the Russian empire. The European design and the gardens surrounding it are worth a look. While the place used to function as a museum, it has been temporarily closed since some time. It is located near the Independence square so you can easily catch a glimpse while walking from the square towards Amir Timur square.

MODERN TASHKENT DURING LATE AFTERNOON/SUNSET

11. MINOR MOSQUE

One of the best things to see here is the Minor mosque, a new mosque built in 2014 which is also called the Snow mosque thanks to it’s white marble. It is located along the banks of the Ankor canal and makes for a pleasant late afternoon walk on the embankment.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Bodomzor station

12. AMIR TEMUR AVENUE

The square is located in central Tashkent and houses a small park with a 7ft high statue of Amir Temur, the Mongol warlord on his horse. While Temur is vilified in many countries including India due to his ruthless invasions, he is considered as the Father of Uzbekistan and you will find many monuments dedicated to him throughout the country especially in Samarkand which used to be his capital. This small square is a great spot to rest in between all that sightseeing and for some people watching. There are many restaurants nearby as well which you can try out for lunch.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Amir Timur station.

If you are up for it, you can also walk from Independence square to Amir Timur avenue, a distance of around 4 kms.

13. HOTEL UZBEKISTAN

Another iconic building from the Soviet times is ‘Hotel Uzbekistan’ which is located right behind Amir Temur avenue. It’s distinct look in the form of an open book became one of the most popular symbols of Soviet architecture. While the hotel is available for stay, the interiors are not that well maintained. You can however go up to the restaurant on the 17^th floor and take a look at Amir Temur avenue from above while having a drink.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Amir Timur avenue

14. SAILGOKH STREET (BROADWAY BOULEVARD)

This pedestrian street unites Independence square and Amir Timur square and is a lively place perfect for an evening stroll when it is all lit up. There are many stalls for food, games and souvenirs. A fun way to wind down your long day in Tashkent.

15. TASHKENT TV TOWER

This futuristic looking tower is one of the iconic symbols of modern day Tashkent. It is the 12^th tallest building in the world at 375 metres height and one of the coolest sights to see in Tashkent. There is an observatory deck on the 6^th floor from where you can see the city. Honestly, I feel it is better to look at the cool design of the tower from across the road/the memorial park especially post sunset when it is all lit up.

TIPS: Nearest metro station: Bodomzor station

Entry fees: 40,000 UZS for the observatory deck

Timings: 10 am to 8pm

The memorial to the victims of repression is located just across the road and makes for a great spot to watch (and take some photos) of the Tashkent TV tower.

I hope you found this 24 hours in Tashkent itinerary helpful and got useful information and inspiration to plan your own trip independently.  Happy travels!

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