Khiva

Khiva, a remote desert oasis in the far west of Uzbekistan on the edge of the Kyzylkum desert, is one of the most remarkable and complete walled cities in the world. Its UNESCO inner town, Itchan Kala, enclosed within towering mud-brick walls, is an astonishing, perfectly preserved ensemble of turquoise-tiled minarets, madrasas, mosques, palaces and caravanserais, so intact it feels like an open-air museum, evoking the Silk Road and its darker history as a slave-trading khanate.

What you actually see

• Itchan Kala - the walled inner city, an open-air museum.
• The Kalta Minor - the fat, turquoise-tiled unfinished minaret.
• The Islam Khoja minaret - the tall minaret climbed for city views.
• The city walls - the towering mud-brick ramparts.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather, as the desert location makes summers extremely hot and winters cold; the walled city glows beautifully in the low light of morning and evening, and is magical when quiet at either end of the day.

Honest expectations

It is remote, in the far west, so reaching it takes a longer journey by train, road or a flight, often as part of a Silk Road loop. The perfectly preserved walled city can feel almost too museum-like and, in the day, touristy with souvenir stalls; early morning and evening reveal its quiet magic. Its intact, otherworldly old town, though, is unlike anywhere else.

Nearby

The desert fortresses of Khorezm and the road to Bukhara are within reach.