Comparison · Baku vs Samarkand · Azerbaijan / Uzbekistan
Baku vs Samarkand
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Choose Baku for Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and nightlife; choose Samarkand for Registan, Timurid architecture and lower day-to-day costs. Samarkand is generally less expensive, and the two are about 1,455 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,455 km
- Less expensive
- Samarkand
- Best time for Baku
- April–June and September–October
- Best time for Samarkand
- April–May and September–October
Side by side
| Baku | Samarkand | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Azerbaijan | Uzbekistan |
| Known for | Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers and Heydar Aliyev Center | Registan, Timurid architecture and Gur-e-Amir |
| Best time to visit | April–June and September–October | April–May and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $90–$180 | $70–$140 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 30°C (86°F) | July, 34°C (93°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 7°C (45°F) | January, 6°C (43°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 7 | 4 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 4 |
| Beaches | Bilgah | — |
| Airports | GYD | SKD |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Baku for…
Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and nightlife. Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, curves around a bay on the Caspian Sea's Absheron Peninsula. At its centre, the walled Old City (İçərişəhər) holds the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, both UNESCO-listed, inside lanes of caravanserais and carpet…
Choose Samarkand for…
Registan, Timurid architecture and lower day-to-day costs. Samarkand was Timur's capital in the late 14th century, and the turquoise domes he and his heirs built still define the city: the three tiled madrasas of the Registan, the ribbed dome of Gur-e-Amir, the vast Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the street of mausoleums at…
Top sights compared
| # | Baku | Samarkand |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old City (İçərişəhər) | Registan |
| 2 | Maiden Tower | Gur-e-Amir |
| 3 | Palace of the Shirvanshahs | Shah-i-Zinda |
| 4 | Flame Towers | Bibi-Khanym Mosque |
| 5 | Highland Park and the funicular | Siab Bazaar |
Food compared
| Baku | Samarkand |
|---|---|
| Plov | Samarkand plov |
| Dolma | Samarkand bread |
| Qutab | Tandir somsa |
| Dushbara | Shashlik |
Which is cheaper?
Samarkand is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $70–$140 per person there, against $90–$180 in Baku (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Samarkand on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,455 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 8 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Baku or Samarkand cheaper?
Samarkand is usually less expensive: about $70–$140 a day mid-range against $90–$180 (estimates).
+Is Baku or Samarkand better for a first trip?
Pick Baku for Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and nightlife, or Samarkand for Registan, Timurid architecture and lower day-to-day costs.
+How far is Baku from Samarkand?
About 1,455 km in a straight line.