Good afternoon. We’re planning to spend 8 days in Uzbekistan. Please share what’s worth buying and where it’s best to go so we don’t waste time on something unnecessary?
I’ve just returned from a trip — loaded with purchases and impressions (Tashkent–Samarkand–Bukhara–Tashkent). Uzbekistan is 💜💜💜
Hope to come back soon.
What did you buy?
The most interesting thing — a painting from a gallery in Samarkand.
And a whole bunch of designer, unique items (I didn’t bring back skullcaps and magnets 😂).
Could you give more details? What’s interesting in each city?
Which cities? I really dug up interesting finds in every single one.
Tashkent:
– I recommend the brand Kanishka (they work beautifully with leather — bags, notebooks, jackets). I liked their store on Rustaveli the most. Bought both souvenirs and things for myself there. Especially cool decorative pillowcases made from hides and leather.
Right next to it there are several designer shops (Lady Eva).
– Go taste wines at Wine Time (you can also buy there, or note the brands and look for them in a nearby liquor store).
– You can also walk around Chorsu Bazaar (check out wool carpets, vegetables, dried fruits, etc.).
People also praise the Rakhimov ceramics workshop, but I didn’t manage to get there.
Samarkand:
– The clothes at the market didn’t impress us (I’m not ready to dig through piles of vague-looking robes), but the dried fruits there are sooo delicious (chocolate-covered dried apricots, etc.).
– Art gallery and workshop (across the road from Registan) — excellent exhibition (especially if you befriend the owners and they show you the closed collection), and you can bargain well.
– On Tashkentskaya Street (the pedestrian street from Registan to the bazaar): I recommend Fatima’s boutique-atelier (reasonable prices, bargaining possible — they find interesting fabrics and frame them beautifully). It’s cheaper here than in Bukhara to buy a designer robe/jacket, etc. I regretted coming late in the day and not having enough time.
Almost directly opposite (!!) — a large ceramic gallery, where truly the best pieces are gathered (at least the owner explains the features and selection principles). I didn’t buy anything there, but after his explanations I couldn’t bring myself to buy ceramics at the bazaar anymore — I saw all the flaws)))
– And in the workshops there are unbelievably beautiful handmade Christmas ornaments (we saw many, but theirs were the most delicate and intricate).
– We also went to the SAG factory store for bed linen (good premium quality at a reasonable price).
Bukhara:
– Handmade wool carpets from Jalol (located near the first dome, he brings them from the Afghan border and restores old ones himself — I can give you his number, very decent and friendly. We bought a carpet there))).
– Feruza Ikat boutique (prices higher than in Samarkand, I repeat, but very stylish and interesting). In general, around the trading domes you can wander through workshops and shops — pillowcases, napkins, robes, etc., just don’t buy immediately, walk around and compare prices. You can find good camel wool shawls (I mean really good ones — because right next to them lies almost the same thing, but not quite…). In short, you need to search.
– Flea market near Chor Minor.
In short, my suitcase was packed to the brim (thanks to Uzbekistan Airways for 32 kg allowance and decent carry-on))))