Tag: silk

Bukhara, the Merchant Soul of the Silk Road

By wanderlustale July 18, 2026

If there is one city that perfectly embodies the imagination of the Silk Road, it is undoubtedly Bukhara. With its turquoise domes, caravanserais, centuries-old madrasas, and covered markets, it seems frozen in time. Yet despite its immense historical wealth, it was probably the city I enjoyed the least during my trip to Uzbekistan.

This is certainly not because it lacks interest (quite the opposite). We spent three full days there and had enough time to visit absolutely everything we wanted to see. Looking back, however, it felt a little too long. Once we had explored the main sights, I felt the pace slow down, and two days would probably have been enough.

Nevertheless, Bukhara remains an essential stop for understanding the history of Central Asia. Even more than Samarkand or Khiva, it is, in my eyes, the city of merchants, the place that best represents the spirit of the Silk Road.

Around the world Asia Uzbekistan

72 Hours in Khiva: The Pearl of Uzbekistan

By wanderlustale July 15, 2026

Of all the cities we discovered during our trip to Uzbekistan, Khiva was our true favorite. In our minds, Samarkand and Bukhara stood out as the must-see stops on any trip to Uzbekistan, while Khiva remained far less talked about. Yet the moment we passed through the walls of Itchan Kala, the fortified old city, we realized that this place was something special, different from anywhere else we had visited.

We spent three days wandering through its ochre-colored streets, admiring its turquoise-tiled minarets, and enjoying its unique atmosphere. More than a museum city, Khiva truly feels like traveling several centuries back in time. For us, it is simply the most authentic (and least touristy) of Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities.