Bukhara was our third stop in Uzbekistan, after Khiva. This city was our favorite one in Uzbekistan! Bukhara was a prominent stop on the Silk Road trade route, and an important center for Islamic culture and religion. The architecture in Bukhara is stunning, with mosques, madrassas, trading domes, bazaars, and ancient monuments pretty much everywhere! So much culture and history in just one city!
We arrived in Bukhara a bit after 8pm having spent many hours in a van on our way from Khiva via the Khorezm fortresses. We all loved Bukhara from the moment we set foot in it! Bukhara felt lively and vibrant. It was a nice switch from Tashkent and sleepy Khiva! We loved our time throughout our 3 days there!
The first thing we did in Bukhara after leaving our bags at our guesthouse was go out to find a place to eat, and we found one right away! We grabbed a table at a touristy spot, but it was late and we were tired so it worked perfectly! After dinner we simply headed back to the guesthouse to go to bed. It had been an action-packed day!
The next morning we were up early and ready to explore Bukhara after a delicious breakfast at our guesthouse. We headed in the direction of the Bukhara’s spiritual center, Poi-Kalyan, and the first monument we saw was the Kalon Minaret.
The Kalon Minaret has such a fascinating history! The minaret was built in 1127 and spared by Genghis Kahn when he invaded and razed Bukhara to the ground because he thought it was too beautiful to be destroyed. He was not wrong! It then later survived Soviet bombing. The minaret was also known as the tower of death because people were executed by being thrown from the top. Today, it is one of the most prominent and impressive sights in Bukhara. It truly is a wonder with its intricate brickwork and the fact that it’s standing tall almost a thousand years later. We stood in front of it for a long while admiring its construction and detail.
Next to the Kalon Minaret, and facing one another, are the Kalan Mosque, and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa. I guarantee your jaw will drop when you see these two buildings!
Built around the 16th century, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa still is an active institution where future imams and religious figures receive their education. Tourists are only allowed to go as far in as the foyer, which is what we did.
The Kalan Mosque is open to tourists so we went in to see it. Dating back to the 15th century, this mosque is built on the site of an earlier mosque destroyed by Genghis Khan. The mosque and its beautifully tiled courtyard can hold up to 10,000 people. The Soviets used the mosque as a warehouse, and it was finally reopened as a place of worship in 1991. Such a beautiful place!
I am forever in love with Islamic arches and the way they frame everything so beautifully!
On the way back to our guesthouse we made a stop at Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah (Museum of Wood Carving Art). This stunning madrassa was built in 1652. Inside the madrassa is a large courtyard lined with people selling crafts. You can pay a small amount to see the wood carving museum if you want. The “museum” is more like a big room with examples of wood carvings from different time periods. It was interesting, but I’d skip it if you are short in time.
Opposite the Abdulaziz Khan madrassa is the Ulugbek Madrassa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ulugbek Madrassa was built in 1417 and it is the oldest preserved madrassa in Central Asia! Along with the Abdulaziz Khan madrassa it forms a single architectural ensemble known as the Kosh Madrassa.
On day 2 we walked to the Ark of Bukhara. The Ark is Bukhara’s oldest structure. It was occupied from the 5th century until 1920, when it was bombed by the Red Army. This place is like a city within a city. Even though most of the interior is in ruins, there are still several well-preserved structures within it and the exterior walls are awesome. You can also tell there are efforts underway to continue to restore it.
After going through the main doors, you go up the entrance ramp to the 17th century Juma Mosque with its beautifully carved columns. Next are the former living quarters of the emir which now house small archeological exhibits. To the left of these rooms is the Reception and Coronation Courts. This area used to have a roof, but it fell in during the 1920 bombardment. Our family really enjoyed seeing this part of the Ark, especially the throne overlooking the courtyard.
From the coronation room you can continue on to see the royal apartments, old stables, and finally walk over to the ramparts to check out the view of Bukhara from the top of the walls.
If your goal is to get good photos of Bukhara from the top of the Ark, then make sure you visit after 4pm for the best light. We were there in the middle of the day so the colors were a bit washed out. We went back in the afternoon and it was much better.
Across the street from the Ark we visited something our kids really liked: the “bug pit,” which was a dungeon where the Emir of Bukhara sent the truly unfortunate. The pit is a dark cylindrical hole that had rats, bugs, and scorpions (and, according to some accounts, snakes), and into which prisoners were lowered on a rope and left there. Though that sounds pretty gruesome, the kids loved learning about the pit and looking at it. It is quite a sight! The bug pit is in the Zindon prison, which is located on the eastern (town center) side of the Ark and across the street. It’s definitely worth a “pit” stop when visiting the Ark.
Just across the street from the Ark of Bukhara is the Bolo Hauz Mosque complex, built in the early 18th century. Unfortunately, the mosque was closed when we were there, so we didn’t get to see the inside. The mosque includes a small minaret text to the pond (hauz) that gave this place its name. Even if we didn’t get to visit the inside, it is best known for its incredibly beautiful exterior with intricately carved columns and a colorful facade.
On our last day in Bukhara we walked to the amazing Ismail Samani Mausoleum. The mausoleum is located inside Samonids Recreation Park, a large green space in Bukhara. The walk to the mausoleum was very enjoyable, especially once we reached the park. It was pretty crowded with tour groups when we arrived, but they all cleared out after about 10 minutes and we were able to enjoy it all by ourselves.
The mausoleum was completed in 905 (!!!) and is Bukhara’s oldest Muslim monument. The structure is made of baked terracotta bricks and the walls are almost 2 meters thick. The mausoleum is in excellent shape and it hasn’t needed to be restored for the 11 centuries it’s been around. That’s because for much of its existence it was entirely covered by sand. Ghengis Khan didn’t destroy it because it was already covered by sand by the time he arrived. Soviets rediscovered it during a 20th century archeological dig. We almost didn’t visit this place and I’m so glad we did. Being inside it all by ourselves for a few minutes, admiring such a beautiful and ancient construction was an amazing experience.
If you have extra time after visiting the mausoleum, walk over to the back of the park and check out the amusement park there. We took a ride on the Ferris wheel and got great views of Bukhara from the top. The best part? It only cost $1 per person to do it!
After the Ferris wheel, our kids tried something they’d never be able to try back at home: target shooting with real metal pellets! The guy in charge was super accommodating and even got a stool for Valentina so that she’d be able to have a better view of the target. It was a unique experience for sure! One of the many reasons why I love traveling!
Bukhara is super walkable! All the main sites are within walking distance from each other. There are also people driving golf carts who will give you a ride for a fee. We never took one of those because our kids spontaneously announced that they wanted to explore Bukhara solely by foot. Of course that was music to my ears since I think walking is the best way to see a new place!
Where to eat in Bukhara
Bukhara has a lot more restaurant choices than Khiva, and they are easier to find than they were in Tashkent. These are some of our favorite places:
Silk Road Teahouse. This place is an absolute gem! They offer a their own custom variety of herbal and spiced teas and coffee served with eastern sweets. We read that the family running the tea house has been in the spice trade since the 1600s. They teas and sweet treats were delicious! We enjoyed this place so much, we went there twice. The ambiance was great, and it provided a cool place to rest while enjoying delicious tea. We loved the ginger tea (even bought some to bring home!), and the saffron tea as well. This is a must when visiting Bukhara.
Old Bukhara Restaurant. This restaurant was the kids’ favorite! Located in the city center, this restaurant offers a beautiful outdoor setting for enjoying a nice meal. The food was delicious and incredibly affordable. Plus, the servers were friendly and accommodating. They had a big menu with lots of traditional Uzbekistan foods, as well as international dishes. We loved their salads, plov, and shish kebabs!
Kofexona coffee shop. This cute little coffee stand is located by the Ark of Bukhara. We walked past it several times before finally stopping there for a quick coffee break. I am so glad we did because the coffee was the best we had in Bukhara! The kids got a pastry each and they gave them rave reviews. This would be a great pit stop before exploring the Ark of Bukhara.
Chalet Bukhara. This is a nicer restaurant, but still super affordable. The setting is beautiful, with indoor/outdoor seating and good Uzbek and international options.
These are just some ideas to get your started on where to eat in Bukhara, but there are a lot more options available if you just take your time to look for them. Another place we went to that was delicious was Jam. We tried getting a table at Joy Chaikhana & Lounge, but they were full. This restaurant looked so cool in terms of ambiance, and the menu looked delicious as well.
If you are planning on getting souvenirs while in Uzbekistan, I’d recommend you get them in Bukhara. The souvenir shops are everywhere, and the variety we found there was the best. If you are thinking about getting a silk robe, do it in Bukhara! I waited to get it in Samarkand but didn’t end up finding the same quality and options that I saw in Bukhara.
Even though I missed out on the silk robes, we did end up buying a silk carpet at one of the historic trading domes. The family we bought from was great in helping us decide which carpet to buy. They patiently showed us colors and sizes until we found the perfect one for us! I also loved that they made our kids part of the process!
After our time in Bukhara we took a high-speed train to Samarkand. The ride was about 2 hours, and it was very smooth and comfortable. Uzbekistan is light years ahead compared to the USA when it comes to train travel!
Overall, Bukhara was so fun! We were all sad to leave. In fact, our son has already asked to go back because he liked it so much! If you had to choose one city to visit in Uzbekistan or are trying to decide where to spend an extra day, I’d strongly recommend Bukhara.
To read more about our travels in Uzbekistan, click here.
