Tashkent in one day: Hazrati Imam, Chorsu & the Metro

The guide meets you at your hotel. Tashkent is a large and diverse city. Your guide will walk you through the programme and suggest spots to explore on your own in the evening.

• Comfortable shoes — we will get out and walk at every stop
• Water — especially important in summer

Hazrati Imam ("The First Imam") is Uzbekistan's main religious complex. It houses the Uthman Quran — the oldest Quran manuscript in the world, written around 644–656 AD.

• The Uthman Quran: 353 pages, written shortly after the caliph's death
• Barak Khan Madrasa (16th c.) — a tiled facade
• Tillya-Sheikh Mosque — the largest in Tashkent
• The mythical Humo bird and Eastern ornamental gateway of the complex

Chorsu ("Four Waters") is one of the largest covered markets in the East. A huge dome over the central market, hundreds of stalls, mountains of spices and the scent of fresh bread.

• Nishallo and samsa from the tandoor — better than in any restaurant
• Spices: cumin, turmeric, coriander — 3–5 times cheaper than at home
• Silk and suzani embroideries — in the rows near the northern exit
• Keep your wallet close — it gets crowded

Old Tashkent — the Yunusabad neighbourhood and surrounding quarters — has kept its medieval layout. Narrow lanes, madrasas and workshops of jewellers and gypsum-plaster craftsmen (ganch).

• Namozgoh Mosque (16th c.) — modest but full of atmosphere
• Ganch workshop: intricate ornament made entirely by hand
• Elderly masters at courtyard gates — hereditary craftsmen

The guide will recommend a teahouse in the Old City or a restaurant to suit your taste. Tashkent is the best place to try authentic Uzbek plov.

• Tashkent plov — the classic version, where rice and meat are fried together
• Shurpa — a rich lamb and vegetable soup
• Steamed manti — delicate dumplings filled with meat and onion

The Tashkent Metro is one of the most beautiful in the world. Each station is a standalone work of Soviet monumental art: mosaics, marble and bronze. Photography is freely allowed.

• "Kosmonavtlar" station — space theme, Gagarin mosaic
• "Alisher Navoi" station — 8 domes representing different regions of Uzbekistan
• "Pakhtakor" station — cotton motifs, white marble
• "Bunyodkor" station — the most modern, clean design

The centre of modern Tashkent. Mustakillik (Independence) Square, the Eternal Flame with the Grieving Mother monument, Alisher Navoi Park — a favourite spot for locals.

• Grieving Mother monument — dedicated to victims of World War II
• Globe of Uzbekistan in blue mosaic
• The fountains are especially beautiful in the evening — time permitting

Housed in a 19th-century mansion with a rich collection of Uzbek crafts: suzani embroidery, carved plaster (ganch), wood carving, Bukhara ceramics and jewellery.

• The building itself is a landmark: a 19th-century Russian diplomat's villa
• Suzani embroidery: every region has its own distinctive pattern
• Ganch (gypsum plaster) sculptures — exceptionally delicate craftsmanship

The guide will take you back to your hotel or any convenient point. On request, they can recommend where to go in the evening and the best places for dinner.