Tashkent

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia, is a spacious, green and modern metropolis, largely rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1966 with wide leafy boulevards, parks and grand Soviet architecture. It blends this modernity with the older world of the Chorsu Bazaar under its great blue dome, historic mosques and madrasas, and museums of the region's rich history, while its metro, with its lavishly decorated, palatial stations, is an attraction in itself.

What you actually see

• The metro stations - the lavishly decorated, palatial stations.
• Chorsu Bazaar - the great domed traditional market.
• The old town - the historic mosques and the Hazrati Imam complex.
• The boulevards and parks - the spacious green modern city.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; the city is the main gateway and transport hub for Uzbekistan, with the fast train to Samarkand and Bukhara. It is a pleasant, easygoing capital best explored over a day.

Honest expectations

It is a modern, spread-out city rather than a Silk Road showpiece, since much of the old city was lost to the 1966 earthquake and Soviet rebuilding, so its historic sights are fewer than in Samarkand or Bukhara. Its appeal is the leafy, relaxed modern city, the ornate metro and the bazaar. It is mainly a gateway and a comfortable introduction to the country before the Silk Road cities.

Nearby

The Chimgan mountains, Lake Charvak and the fast train to Samarkand are within reach.