Shah-i-Zinda

Shah-i-Zinda means the living king, and the necropolis grew over centuries around a shrine associated with a cousin of the Prophet. What visitors meet is a narrow stepped lane climbing a hillside, walled on both sides by mausoleums whose facades carry the finest tilework in Central Asia - deep blues, turquoise, white and gold in glazed mosaic and majolica, each portal different, many built for Timurid princesses and court figures. Because the lane is tight, the effect is overwhelming rather than spread out: you walk through a corridor of ceramic. Locals still climb it as a pilgrimage, counting the steps on the way up and down.

What you actually see

• The tiled avenue - the stepped lane of facades, each one different.
• The Timurid mausoleums - tombs of princesses, generals and court astronomers.
• The pilgrimage steps - the counted stairway locals climb both ways.
• The hilltop view - Samarkand's domes from the top of the necropolis.

When to go

Spring and autumn bring comfortable temperatures and the best light on the tiles. Summer in Samarkand is fiercely hot; winter is cold but the site is quiet and the blues look extraordinary against snow. Early morning gives the lane without crowds and with softer light for photography.

Honest expectations

It is compact - an hour or two covers it - so pair it with the Registan and Gur-e-Amir rather than treating it as a standalone. Modest dress is expected and the site is an active pilgrimage destination, so keep cameras away from people at prayer. Restoration over the years has been heavy in places, and purists debate how much is original; the effect remains stunning regardless.

Nearby

The Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym mosque and the Afrosiyob museum.