Tashkent Activities

There are various Tashkent attractions to visit that are somewhat spread out. Rather than having to Yandex Go it around the city, you might find it easiest to go on a guided tour of the city and have a driver.

Hazrati Imam Complex

Located in the old part of Tashkent, the Hazrati Imam Complex is a nice spot to wander around to look at the buildings such as the Tillya Sheikh Mosque, yet the people watching is just as fascinating. The complex houses various buildings that range in origin from the 6th or 7th century to those just recently built. It can be good to visit the complex with a guide to get a good appreciation for the background on the different buildings.

The Uthman Quran (also known as the Samarkand or Tashkent Codex) is housed in the nearby Qur'an Hall at the Center for Islamic Civilization, which is a museum and Islamic cultural hub.

Other Wanderings

Visit Amir Timur Square to see the iconic monument and Soviet-era architecture including the monolithic Hotel Uzbekistan.

Join the throngs and dine at the Besh Qozon Pilaf Center where you can watch massive cauldrons of meat and rice cooking. If it all sounds too touristy, then you can just find a local restaurant serving Uzbek fare instead.

If you haven’t seen enough mosques already on your travels around Central Asia, you could visit the Minor Mosque along the Ankhor River. This is a modern masterpiece clad in white marble with a large blue dome, reflecting traditional oriental and Uzbek architectural styles. The two storey prayer hall is rather grand.

Tashkent Metro Stations

It may sound strange that train stations could be considered a tourist attraction, yet the Tashkent Metro Stations are fascinating. Riding the subway trains is fun and a great way to chat to some locals wanting to practise their English, but the stations are impressive. Some look like they are part of a palace with their intricate designs and use of high end materials such as marble, granite, exquisite ceramics, and chandeliers.

The subway system was from the Soviet era post the major earthquake and was a bit of a show-off project as a statement of modern progress and power. The stations were also designed as military assets, in part as nuclear fallout shelters. Prior to 2018, the beautiful train stations were banned from being photographed due to the strict military classification. Now the bans have been lifted so you can train around and take pics like we did (see above and on our Tashkent overview page). The locals might think you’re a little weird though!

Shopping

Chorsu Bazaar is the central hub of the city and it’s easy to spot with its large massive dome over the meat section of the market. You can go for the shopping or just for the people watching. See the Tashkent shopping page for more information.

Magic City Park

Magic City in Tashkent is the largest amusement park in Central Asia. That being said, it’s pretty naff, and has very little in the way of amusements except arcade games and ten pin bowling, although the little zipline from atop the fairytale castle was fun. If you’ve never seen an aquarium before then you’ll possibly also enjoy that. The park is mostly a series of Americanised (note that I spelled that with an “s’ and not a “z”!) burger joints and shops selling paraphernalia. Do yourself a favour and go to a proper amusement park with proper rides instead.

Day Trip from Tashkent to Samarkand

If your appetite for seeing pretty buildings with blue domes hasn’t been satiated or you feel like you haven’t quite seen the “real” Central Asia yet, you could head to Samarkand, which is the crossroads of the Old Silk Road. You can see Samarkand as a day trip from Tashkent considering there is a high speed trail line that connects the two cities. In Samarkand you’ll see plenty of historic buildings including madrasahs, mausoleums, the odd mosque, and plenty of Muslim culture. By the end of the day you’ll be completely appeased for all shades of blue from azure to turquoise. You can look at options for guided day trips to Samarkand here.