Where to stay · Samarkand · Uzbekistan
Where to stay in Samarkand
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Victoria, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Registan and Old Town. Guesthouses in lanes around the three madrasas and the Chorsu dome. Best alternatives — families: Russian New Town; budget: Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym.
Key facts
- First visit
- Registan and Old Town
- Families
- Russian New Town
- Budget
- Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Registan and Old Town | Guesthouses in lanes around the three madrasas and the Chorsu dome |
| Families | Russian New Town | Plane-tree boulevards, larger hotels and cafés west of the old city |
| Couples | Registan and Old Town | Guesthouses in lanes around the three madrasas and the Chorsu dome |
| Budget | Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym | Market stalls, bread sellers and the giant mosque at the north end of Tashkent Street |
| Luxury | Silk Road Samarkand | Resort hotels, a rowing canal and the Eternal City complex on the eastern edge |
| Food lovers | Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym | Market stalls, bread sellers and the giant mosque at the north end of Tashkent Street |
| Solo travellers | Registan and Old Town | Guesthouses in lanes around the three madrasas and the Chorsu dome |
| Quiet stays | Gur-e-Amir quarter | Quiet residential streets around Timur's mausoleum |
Samarkand neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and solo travellers
Registan and Old Town
The streets immediately around the Registan put you within a few minutes' walk of the madrasas at sunrise and after dark, when the square is lit. Family-run guesthouses with courtyard breakfasts are tucked into the mahalla lanes behind the square, and Tashkent Street leads straight to Bibi-Khanym and the Siab Bazaar.
- Good
- Walk to the main monuments; Lit Registan in the evening; Courtyard guesthouses with character
- Watch out
- Rooms in older houses can be small; Few restaurants open late inside the lanes
- Nearby
- Registan, Chorsu, Tashkent Street, Gur-e-Amir
$ · Best for food lovers, budget and culture
Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym
The area around the Siab Bazaar and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque is the commercial end of the old town, with bread, dried fruit and spice stalls and quick lunch spots. It sits roughly halfway between the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda, so both are a 10–15 minute walk away, and Hazrat Khizr Mosque stands on the hill across the road.
- Good
- Market breakfasts and lunches on the doorstep; Between the two biggest sights; Good-value guesthouses
- Watch out
- Busy traffic on the main road; Very quiet after the market closes
- Nearby
- Siab Bazaar, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Hazrat Khizr Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and first-timers
Gur-e-Amir quarter
The streets south-west of the Registan surround Gur-e-Amir and the smaller Rukhobod and Ak-Saray mausoleums. Several mid-range hotels and guesthouses are here, a 10-minute walk from the Registan and a few minutes from University Boulevard and its restaurants.
- Good
- Calm at night; Close to both the old town and the Russian quarter; Gur-e-Amir lit after dark
- Watch out
- Limited shops; Some streets are poorly lit
- Nearby
- Gur-e-Amir, Rukhobod Mausoleum, Amir Timur statue, Registan
$$ · Best for families, first-timers and food lovers
Russian New Town
Laid out after the Russian conquest of 1868, the new town around University Boulevard and Mustaqillik Square has wide shaded avenues, 19th-century brick buildings and most of the city's larger hotels, cafés and European-style restaurants. It is a 15–20 minute walk to the Registan and convenient for taxis to the railway station.
- Good
- Widest choice of restaurants; Shaded walking streets; Larger hotel rooms
- Watch out
- Less historic atmosphere; A walk or taxi to Shah-i-Zinda
- Nearby
- University Boulevard, Amir Timur statue, Gur-e-Amir
$ · Best for budget, culture and solo travellers
Old Jewish Mahalla
The historic Bukharan Jewish quarter lies in the maze of lanes east of the Registan, home to the 19th-century Gumbaz Synagogue. A few guesthouses here offer a residential, low-key base close to the square, with children playing in the alleys and bread ovens in courtyards.
- Good
- Local residential feel; Short walk to the Registan; Low prices
- Watch out
- Lanes are confusing at night; Taxis cannot always reach the door
- Nearby
- Gumbaz Synagogue, Registan, Siab Bazaar
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Silk Road Samarkand
Opened in 2022, the Silk Road Samarkand complex on the city's eastern outskirts groups large international and Uzbek-brand hotels with pools, a congress centre, landscaped canal-side promenades and the Eternal City, a recreated old-town quarter with craft workshops. It suits families and travellers who want resort facilities, but the historic monuments are a taxi ride away.
- Good
- Pools and modern resort facilities; Close to the Konigil paper mill; Calm, landscaped grounds
- Watch out
- Taxi needed for the old town; Feels separate from everyday Samarkand
- Nearby
- Eternal City, Konigil paper mill
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Registan and Old Town | $$ | Registan, Chorsu, Tashkent Street, Gur-e-Amir |
| Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym | $ | Siab Bazaar, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Hazrat Khizr Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda |
| Gur-e-Amir quarter | $$ | Gur-e-Amir, Rukhobod Mausoleum, Amir Timur statue, Registan |
| Russian New Town | $$ | University Boulevard, Amir Timur statue, Gur-e-Amir |
| Old Jewish Mahalla | $ | Gumbaz Synagogue, Registan, Siab Bazaar |
| Silk Road Samarkand | $$$ | Eternal City, Konigil paper mill |
Getting to your hotel
Samarkand International Airport is on the northern edge of the city, about 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Registan. A ride-hailing app or a hotel pick-up is the simplest way into town.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Samarkand for first-time visitors?
Registan and Old Town. The streets immediately around the Registan put you within a few minutes' walk of the madrasas at sunrise and after dark, when the square is lit.
+Where should families stay in Samarkand?
Russian New Town: Widest choice of restaurants.
+Which area of Samarkand is best for a budget stay?
Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym ($): Market stalls, bread sellers and the giant mosque at the north end of Tashkent Street.