Tashkent is the capital and largest city not only of Uzbekistan but of the whole of Central Asia, where more than 2.4 million people live. The mention of Tashkent is found in chronicles since the II century BC under various names: Shash-tepa, Chach-tepa, Shi, Zheshi, and Yuen. But already in the XI century, the name Tashkent appears, which means “Stone City” (from Uzbek “tosh” – stone). Now, there is no stone unturned from that stone city – the strongest earthquake of 1966 destroyed almost the entire center. The whole world helped to rebuild Tashkent: builders and engineers from almost all countries of the former USSR were sent to the aid of Uzbekistan. Many of them settled in the hospitable city, so European faces are not uncommon here.
Today, the streets of Tashkent are full of greenery, and the sleeping areas resemble shots from post-apocalyptic films, in which people leave the city, and the forest takes over everything around.
Until recently, Uzbekistan remained a rather closed country, but with the coming to power of the new president at the end of 2016, tourism and the urban environment began to actively develop. So if you want to see Tashkent before it goes mainstream, you better hurry up!
The white Friday Mosque
Local currency rate: 1 euro = 8 905 Uzbek some.
Transport In Tashkent
Tashkent-Yuzhny Airport is located within the city, not far from the center, so there are no special express trains here, but public transport is plentiful: as many as 10 buses and 7 minibuses!
Bus No. 11 goes to the Beltepa massif, No. 32 – to the Ibn-Sino massif, No. 40 – to the Sergeli massif, No. 45 – to the Kuylyuk-2 massif , No. 47 – to the Dostlik-2 massif, No. 61 – to the Yangiabad massif, No. 67 – to the Yunusabad-10 massif, No. 76 – to the Chilanzar-25 massif, No. 94 – to the Karavan Bazar, No. 106 – to the Tuzel massif.
Minibusses: No. 161 to the Alayskiy market, No. 162 – to the Kadyshevo massif, No. 16 – to the Kuilyuk massif or the Chor-Su metro station, No. 17 – to the Stroitel massif or the Chor-Su metro station, No. 62 – to the Yunusabad-10 massif, No. 89 – to the Sergei massif, No. 95 – to the Buyuk Ipak Yuli metro station. The nearest metro stations to the airport are “Khalklar Dustligi” and “Oybek”.
The bus fare is € 0.14, the minibus will cost a little more.
But taxi drivers can break even all € 10 – beware! It is better to install your MyTaxi or Yandex. Taxi application in advance and, depending on the part of the city where you are going to stay, the fare will be € 1-2.
By the way, in the city itself, there is a so-called “paid hitchhiking”: you just stop the car on the side of the road and tell the driver the landmark and the desired amount (as a rule, 5000 soms in the city – about € 0.5). If the driver is satisfied with your proposal, he will gladly give you a lift.
In addition to buses and minibusses, Tashkent has a metro (by the way, the first metro built in Central Asia!). It has 3 lines with 29 stations. There are no ground stations but in several places the metro surface above the Tashkent canals. The longest open section is laid between the stations Novza and Milliy God (Chilanzar line) – the view from the cars is amazing! A metro token costs the same as a bus ride, but you can only buy 2 at a time.
Hostels in Tashkent
European Backpacker & Sakura Hostel (Fragona Yuli st., 26/1) is the cheapest hostel in the center of Tashkent. The hostel has a large green area with a barbecue area and a dining table, and the staff is always ready to help in word and deed. For a night in the dorm, you will be charged only € 5 (and this is with breakfast!), For a night in a separate double room – € 16.
Topchan Hostel (8 Marta str., 104) is perhaps the most traveling and atmospheric hostel in Tashkent! There is everything here: clean rooms, national flavor, and European comfort. This is the same hostel where unexpected acquaintances are destined to happen, which grow into friends for life. A night in the dorm with breakfast will cost you € 7, for a double room you will pay € 16, and for a family room with a private bathroom € 36.
Art Hostel (Zanzhirbog St., 3) is a bright, youth hostel located near the main art site of the city – the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai. Here you will find bright, spacious rooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and even a swimming pool! A dorm room costs € 8.5, and a standard double room will cost you € 15.
Sunrise Caravan Stay (second passage, Mirabad, 45) – this guest house contains the frightening word “Boutique” in its name, but you should not be afraid. This is a nice little guest house with an authentic interior and a cozy outdoor terrace. A night in the dorm here starts from € 8.5, and a double room € 28.
Amir Khan Hostel (16 Dashnobod st.) Is the closest hostel to the airport. The dorms are decorated without frills, but a modern kitchen equipped with the latest technology is always at your disposal. Double rooms are not provided here, and a night in the dorm will cost you a democratic € 7.
Star Hotel (Sultonali Mashhadiy str., 100) is a relatively new hotel in the center of Tashkent, combining comfortable rooms for those who like to live in grand style and spacious, bright dorms for backpackers. Get ready to pay € 9.5 for a dorm night and a hearty breakfast or € 56 for a loft-style double room. Hotel Uzbekistan (45 Musakhanov st.) – fans of Soviet architecture should not pass by the unique opportunity to live in this monumental building! In addition to the interiors that have survived since the late USSR, this hotel is attractive with a view that opens from any window – after all, it is located in the very heart of Tashkent, right opposite the Amir Temur Square. A night in this monument of the Soviet era will cost you only € 49 (standard single room). And in the 90-meter “Grand Suite” you can stay for € 188.
Navruz Hotel (Shivli St., 1) – brand new, brand new, a small hotel hidden from view behind the bulk of the Raddison Blu Hotel. This is probably the most modern hotel in Tashkent: sockets are thoughtfully located in the rooms, and in the bathroom, there are different lighting modes (normal and neon). The room rate includes not only breakfast but also a mini-bar (however, there are no alcoholic drinks in it) and fresh seasonal fruits. The price for a budget single room is € 51, and for a double suite, you will have to pay € 154.
Bek Hotel (Yusuf Khos Khojib str., 64A) is ideal for those who like to travel with comfort. This small, cozy hotel is located on one of the most luxurious “restaurant” streets in Tashkent. The patio with the pool is cool and comfortable at any time of the day. Single occupancy in a standard room will cost you € 90 (including breakfast), and a suite will cost you € 137.
Wyndham Tashkent (Amir Temur St., Ts4, # 7/8) – for those who are accustomed to sophistication and luxury. Two swimming pools, a gym, a spa – everything is here! For a night in a magnificent interior in the very center of the city, you will be asked for € 146 (for a standard single room) to € 983 for a presidential suite.
Places to Visit in Tashkent
Although Tashkent is the capital, every Tashkent citizen will consider it his duty to find out if you have been to Samarkand or at least to Bukhara? Despite the fact that these ancient cities are located quite far from Tashkent, it is not difficult to get to them. Three times a day, the high-speed train ” Afrosiyob “ departs from the Northern Railway Station, which will take you to Samarkand in just 2 hours and € 8.5, and to Bukhara in 3.5 hours and € 14. Believe me, this trip will leave a lasting impression on you. What is one Registan Square in Samarkand worth? And the ancient fortress Ark in Bukhara? Here you can feel the real spirit of the East, walk the same roads that the merchants of the Great Silk Road and the brave Marco Polo himself walked for thousands of years!
Museum of Applied Arts (Rakatboshi st., 15) – if you don’t have time to visit the ancient capitals, just drop by here. Here you can touch the very heart of Uzbekistan – its ancient handicraft practices: weaving, gold embroidery, ceramics, and even folk instruments. Masterclasses in all these types of applied arts are often held right there. Museum entrance – € 0.5.
In Tashkent itself, however, there is also plenty of entertainment. For example, in the Central Park named after Mirzo Ulugbek (21 Maverannahr str.) You can ride the attractions, lie with a book in a hammock and attend a master class, listen to a lecture and even watch a movie in the open air. The entrance to the park is free, the prices for attractions vary from € 0.5 to 1.5.
Eco-Park (Khamid Olimzhan St.) is located right across the street from Central Park. There are no attractions here, but there is a bike path, tennis courts, a volleyball court, and other areas for outdoor activities and sports. Even if you didn’t have any sports equipment with you, it doesn’t matter, you can rent everything here.
Museum of Steam Locomotives (Turkiston St., 6 ) – if you adore locomotives, then you should definitely visit here! After all, the Tashkent Museum of Steam Locomotives is a member of the world association of technical museums and, by the selection of its exhibits, is one of the most interesting such museums in the world. 13 steam locomotives of historical series, 18 diesel locomotives, 3 electric locomotives are exhibited here, there is a museum car made in 1934 and an excursion train runs.
Ikiro Hiroyama’s caravanserai ( 37A Yusuf Khos Khojiba) is attractive for its Japanese architecture and free admission. In addition to the permanent exhibition of works by Hiroyama himself, exhibitions of contemporary Japanese and Uzbek artists are regularly held here.
TV tower (Amir-Temur str., 109) – if you like observation platforms, this is the place for you. After all, on the territory of the CIS, the Tashkent TV tower is the third highest – as much as 375 meters! Better come here an hour before closing, Tashkent is especially good in the rays of the setting sun. Entrance – € 4.5. All equipment (including the telephone) at the entrance will have to be handed over – a strategic facility.
Theater of Movement “LIK” (based on the Theater of Young Spectators, Kodiriy St., 13) – do not miss the cool performances of this inclusive plastic theater. After all, the drama, themes, and titles of the performances were not invented, but taken from real life: “I dream that I walk …”, “Rainbow Festival”, “Improvisations on the themes of life”? The choreography of performances is not composed but is born in the process of dance improvisation when the inner unity and interaction of actors and people with disabilities are embodied infilled and speaking gestures and movements. At the performances of “Lika”, you will find yourself in a completely different world. Will you take the risk?
The Gallery of Fine Arts of Uzbekistan (Buyuk Turon St., 2) is a huge building that strongly resembles the Minsk Palace of the Republic, hiding in its depths a wonderful collection of paintings by Uzbek artists. The canvases of Hakim Mirzaakhmedov and Anvar Mirsagatov are here side by side with the rich paintings of Rimma Gagloeva and Inna Vasilyeva. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are personal exhibitions from time to time. The entrance to the gallery is paid – € 0.05 (500 soms). You have to pay another 20 cents if you want to take pictures. The services of a guide will cost the same amount.
Theater-studio “Ilkhom” (Pakhtakorskaya st., 5)– one of the first in the history of the former Soviet Union, a professional non-state theater, which was founded in 1976. The repertoire of the theater, it would seem, consists largely of the classical heritage, but its reading is so nontrivial that the reaction to the performances of Ilkhom is always ambiguous – from complete shock and rejection to delight. Ilkhom has always identified itself as the theater of the city, where everything has been mixed for a long time, and various dialects are heard on the streets, therefore only Russian or only Uzbek speech has never sounded on the stage. In many performances, in parallel with the Russian language, Uzbek speech is also heard, and in the long-term hit of the repertoire “Happy Beggars,” the heroes speak at least four languages: Russian, Uzbek, Italian, and Yiddish. Isn’t that cool?
Minor Mosque ( Minor St.) – look here at sunset: the white bulk of the mosque with two minarets looks very cinematic at sunset. Admission is free, but if you go inside, don’t mix it up: prayer halls for men and women are located in different places.
If you are raving about the poetry of the Silver Age, the club-museum of Anna Akhmatova’s “Mangalochiy Yard” (V. Vakhidov St., 53) should not be left without your attention. Here, thanks to the efforts of the poet’s admirers, the atmosphere of Akhmatova’s room, in which she lived during the evacuation from 1941 to 1944, was recreated. Among the exhibits are the personal belongings of the poetess, her gifts to Tashkent friends, autographs, photographs. Representatives of the bohemian crowd of Tashkent can often be found in the “Courtyard” at creative evenings, readings, and concerts of contemporary Uzbek performers. The entrance to the museum is free.
Bonum Factum Gallery / Art and Fact Gallery (Sadyk Azimov str., 3rd blind alley, 20) is a real underground venue in Tashkent. Firstly, it is not so easy to find it: the gallery is located on the ground and basement floors of the hotel. There is no sign of the hotel itself or the gallery. However, if you are not afraid to walk on the softest carpet on the steps and open the massive oak door, then you will immediately find yourself among the permanent exhibition of the gallery. There are paintings by contemporary Uzbek artists. The entrance to this part of the gallery is free. The hall of temporary exhibitions is located on the floor below. It also hosts lectures, creative meetings, movie screenings – you can check more details on the gallery’s Facebook page.
The Aladdin puppet theater (73 Buyuk Turon str., Kino-Olami, entrance from the courtyard) is the same story as with the Minsk puppet theater, which proved that puppets are not only for children. The most talented actors take part in the performances of “Aladdin”: from the prim of the Academic Russian Drama Theater of Uzbekistan to the guys from the Ilkhom theater. There are no performances for children – only 18+ hardcore plays.
ZERO LINE gallery (Khamid Olimzhan Square, Poytakht Business Center, West Side) is not really an art gallery, but rather a space where everything is dedicated to art. So if you are obsessed with Bosch, you know the stages of formation of pop art and only watch films-biographies of great artists – welcome! Meetings with artists, film screenings and discussions, and lectures on art are regularly held here. The creators of the gallery are young guys who see it as their goal to educate their compatriots in the field of beauty. You can also buy originals of paintings by modern Uzbek artists and cute handmade postcards in the gallery. Entrance to events is usually paid – about € 2.
If suddenly you are lucky to be in Tashkent in winter, go to Chimgan… This mountain range is part of the Tien Shan Mountains and is located just 80 km from Tashkent. The gurney here is excellent, with several slopes – suitable for both beginners and intermediate snowboarders and skiers. You can get to Chimgan by taxi: look for a car on the street. Nikitin (if you go with your board – there are cars with special luggage racks). The round trip will cost you about € 17. There are no ski passes here, but one lift on the cable car costs only € 1.4, and the cable car rides on the longest track for 25 minutes. By the way, the lifts have been preserved here since the times of the USSR, so get ready for hardcore. There is equipment for rent, but there are mostly skis (from the same era as the lift). So if you are not one of those who travel with your own samovar, take care of the rental inventory in Tashkent itself.
In summer, Chimgan also has something to do, for example, walk along one of 7 trekking routes. But please do not do it yourself, contact a travel agency or find yourself an experienced guide: 6 out of 7 tracks require good physical fitness (you will have to climb a rope here and there). But even on the simplest track, people regularly get lost and go missing.
If you get unbearably hot in summer, you have two ways: to the Tashkent Sea (or Tuyabuguz reservoir) 50 km south of Tashkent and to the Charvak reservoir (70 km to the northeast). No, they are not at all like the Minsk Sea – they are huge clean reservoirs with cool blue water and well-developed infrastructure along the shores. Here you can ride a yacht, speedboat, jet ski, and even try your hand at windsurfing. On weekends, however, there is nowhere for an apple to fall, so try to get here on a weekday. The easiest way to get to both Tashmor and Charvak is by a rented car (from € 9 per day) or by taxi.
Snacks & Fastfood in Tashkent
If you see the signboard ” Soames” – this is your salvation from hunger! A hot pie with lamb meat and onions is what a tired traveler needs. One of the traditional places with the best somsa in the city is Asl somsa Milli Uigur taomlar (or Minor Somsa). This establishment does not have an address, but it is quite easy to find it – it is located in the park opposite the Minor Mosque (you just need to cross the small ring road). There are only somsa and tea on the menu. The interior is ascetic, there are no waiters. But somsa – you will lick your fingers. One somsa – 30 Eurocents, 20 Eurocents – a kettle of tea.
Another type of meat pie is gumma (almost the same as somsa, but stuffed with offal). This is an even more budgetary option since one gum costs 18 Eurocents. Do the same: you see the inscription “Gumma” – go and buy!
In Cheburechnaya # 1 (19 Shota Rustaveli St.) you will find not only classic pasties with veal (40 euro cents) but also a vegetarian version – with cheese (30 euro cents).
But the shawarma we are used to in Tashkent appeared not so long ago. If you miss the shava from Monetochka, go to Shawarma No. 1 just around the corner from Cheburechnaya (21 Shota Rustaveli St.). Here you will find classic shawarma, and Azerbaijani kutabs, and even pizza. There are several vegetarian options on the menu. For standard shawarma, they ask for 90 euro cents, for a vegetarian one – 80 cents.
There is not a single representative of the global fast-food chain in Tashkent, but there are plenty of analogs. For example, in Master Food (9a Shota Rustaveli St.) you can find shawarma, burgers, pizza, and even hot dogs. The menu is extensive, prices – from 30 euro cents for a hot dog to € 3 for a family pizza.
Evos is a local chain with burgers, kebabs, and hot dogs.
If you like more oriental food, there is WOK for you – 4 points with noodles and rice for every taste. They also have delivery! Prices for a “box” here range from € 2.5 to 4 per box.
Chopar pizza – this pizza chain throughout Uzbekistan will delight you with excellent pizza according to original recipes. Any average pizza will cost you € 4.5 here.
If you appreciate burgers – feel free to stomp in the Burger Chef (C-1, 21 Uzbekiston Ovozi St. and 13A Shota Rustaveli St.)! The most delicious burgers in Tashkent are waiting for you here. Prepare to pay € 2 for the vegetarian option, from € 2.5 the meat options will cost. A glass of craft beer will cost 90 euro cents.
Cafes in Tashkent
Bookcafe ( Istikbol str., 8) – in this cozy coffee shop filled with bookshelves you can not only drink aromatic coffee, but also eat a full breakfast or lunch, read your favorite book, and even work because the tables are separated from each other by bookshelves. so, sitting here, you will feel like in an office from the 80s.
Black Bear Kofi – in this chain of coffee houses you will find not only freshly roasted coffee and alternative methods of brewing it, rare for Tashkent, but also delicious pastries, incomparable Italian ice cream, and a voluminous menu with dishes of European cuisine.
Reggae Bean Brew bar (40 Oybek St.) will take you straight to Jamaica! This place among your own people is called a brew bar because here you can brew your own coffee. The brew menu contains exclusive coffee varieties: Kaapi Royale, Wild Kopi Luwak, Blue Mountain. And if you do not like coffee, there is a tea card at your service, which contains such uncommon teas as rosella, mangosteen, lemongrass, blue tea, masala.
Bon! – a chain of coffee shops with excellent coffee, a large selection of boring teas, and French pastries for every taste will definitely not leave you indifferent! Yes, you can dine here too, but Wi-Fi was not brought here.
Cari Cake Café (Temur Malika str., 146) is not easy to find, as it is located in the business center on the same floor as the GroundZero coworking space. So if you want to combine your morning coffee with work, this place is perfect for you. On the menu, apart from coffee and pastries, you will find profitable breakfasts and business lunches.
Breadly (25, Akkuragan St.) – if you love lofts, you will definitely like it here: high ceilings, yellow lamps, lots of wood, and on the walls there are paintings by Uzbek artist Zulfiya Abdulina, which will bring you aesthetic pleasure and compliment your coffee.
Chaikoff (61 Kori Nieziy St.) is another loft with alternative coffee brewing methods. The menu has original desserts – uncover your Instagram!
Restaurants in Tashkent
Milly Taomlar is a chain of cafes with traditional Uzbek cuisine. There are many of them both in Tashkent and beyond. Better, of course, go to the biggest one – on Khadra Square. There is usually no menu here, and food is sold by weight directly from the huge vats in which it is cooked. The staff speaks very bad Russian or English, so just point your finger at the dish you like and mimic the serving size. They will bring you a fragrant hot bun in any case, even if you order Lagman, so don’t be alarmed. From drinks – tea or compote. Payment at the checkout. The average bill per person is € 3.
Plov-Samsa. uz ( Istikbol st., 8) is another place in the very center of the city where you can taste the whole range of Uzbek cuisine: from pilaf and Kazan-kabob to baklava. Keep in mind that pilaf starts to be served from 12 noon and ends quickly enough, so if you want to taste real Uzbek pilaf – plan this event in advance! The average bill is € 4.
By the way, about pilaf. The types of pilaf in Uzbekistan are like stars in the sky, and many establishments specialize in one particular. For example, in Zig’ir-osh (Kushbegi st., 12) you can taste pilaf cooked in linseed oil, and in SamDi (Irgasheva st., 75a) you will be offered Samarkand- style pilaf.
Al-Aziz (Abdulla Qadiri St.) is another budget cafe with Uzbek and European cuisine in the center of Tashkent. The average bill is € 3.
Florya Café (Bukhoro str., 24) is a cozy cafe with hookahs in the city center. Oriental interior, terrace, and pleasant service. Turkish cuisine. The average bill is € 5 per person.
Il Perfetto (Taras Shevchenko str., 30 ) if you get tired of oriental food and want something familiar – you are here! This is a minimalist European-style cafe with Italian cuisine. Here you will find awesome pasta, great pizza, and awesome soups. The average bill is € 6.
Asiana (Amir Temur St., 25) – a cafe with Japanese and Korean dishes on the menu. Attention – there are huge portions! The average bill is € 6.
Giotto (1, Amir Temur Avenue) – if you love Viennese waffles and don’t drink your soul in ice cream, this is probably your paradise: after all, here you will find more than 20 types of delicious Italian ice cream! Coffee + waffle here will cost you € 4.5.
A little more tasty food – in Gelato Mio (Sh. Rashidov St., 40) . You will find 40 types of ice cream, sandwiches, and coffee for every taste. And there’s also beer ice cream!
Karavan is the first Uzbek restaurant chain to appear in Uzbekistan. It serves traditional and modern Uzbek cuisine. Plus an authentic interior. Average bill € 15.
Qanotchi (intersection of Kushbegi and Mukimi streets, 1 dead end) is a restaurant of modern Uzbek cuisine. Here you can choose the meat from which the chef will prepare you a traditional ilik gusht or a juicy steak. It is better to take a couple of friends with you: the most delicious dishes cooked in the tandoor go to the company. There is no alcohol on the menu, but you can bring your own. The structure and design of the restaurant building remind us that we live in the era of high technologies: here the roof opens and the walls break apart. Average bill € 15.
Blue Domes (77 Sharafa Rashidov St.) is a modern lounge-type restaurant with a forty-year history, located in a park right in the middle of the city. The institution is good because you can come to it with a skinny wallet or with full cash pockets because there are 2 menus (with local and author’s cuisines), the prices of which differ by almost 2 times. Come here in the evening, when all the tables and individual yurt booths are beautifully illuminated with neon lights. The average bill is € 5-20 (depending on which menu you order).
Jumanji (62/2 Yusuf Khos Khojib St.) – if you get tired of pilaf and lagman, come here. There is pan-Asian food: your favorite steamed dumplings, rolls, and other ugliness of Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisines. There is alcohol on the menu. Average bill € 15.
Caffee’Issimo (95A Amir Temur avenue) is an Italian corner in the heart of Central Asia: excellent pizza, a wide selection of pasta, and of course real Italian ice cream! Everything here is dedicated to Italy: apart from the Italian cuisine itself, you will be delighted by the menu in Italian (with translation, of course) and the fact that instead of music in the restrooms, you will hear an audio tutorial in Italian. Original, isn’t it? What is not typical for Italian restaurants is that there is no wine on the menu, as well as other alcoholic beverages. Average bill € 20.
Bars & Clubs in Tashkent
Steam bar (Niezbek Yuli st., 1) – if you like meat and steampunk, this bar with a gloomy atmosphere, craft beer, and Darth Vader at the entrance will definitely come to you. Every day from 9 pm you will hear world rock hits performed by a local cover band, and the local chef will delight you with intricate burgers and signature salads. Average bill € 20.
” Alarm clock ” (Niezbek yuli st., 1). Right across the street from the Steam bar, you will see a creepy sun with rotating eyes. This is an institution of the same network as Steam, but with a completely different theme. Alarm Clock bills itself as a 24-hour breakfast spot, but it is more of a bar or club than a brunch spot. You have to go here not for food, but for the atmosphere – the interior here is made in the style of “Alice in Wonderland”, and even in the toilet, there are crooked mirrors instead of ordinary ones. Average bill € 15.
Hammersmith craft beer bar (Navoi st., 1) is a classic beer place with an abundance of meat on the menu. Just do not expect a variety of beer from this establishment, to which you are used to in similar establishments in other countries. It is good here if there are 3 craft items to choose from (dark, light, and light unfiltered), but in non-alcoholic Tashkent, this is already something. Average bill € 25.
Chester British Pub (2, Amir Temur Ave.) is a classic British pub with steaks, wine, and beer. Average bill € 20.
Like Bar (Yunusabad str., 11) – if you believe the locales, it is here that the best cocktails in the city are prepared, and the coolest DJs of Uzbekistan and not only swing at night! Average bill € 20.
ONEMORE (Amir Temur str., 60) – this bar has drive, life, and atmosphere. Themed parties are held here almost every day, live music and DJ sets are played. Take a look here if you suddenly feel lonely. Average bill € 25.
CMI gastrobar (68 Kary-Niyazov st.) Is the very bar for people where you can easily meet both representatives of the bohemian crowd and the “golden youth” of Tashkent. Everyone comes here – actors, directors, artists, and businessmen. And there is also the longest bar counter in Uzbekistan – as much as 37 meters! Average bill € 35.
Barxan (st. Sh. Rashidov, 40) is a werewolf in the restaurant business in Tashkent. On weekdays, this is an ordinary restaurant, and on Friday evening, a magical transformation takes place – and now, at the site of boring business lunches, you see sparkling cocktails and smiling faces. Here you can feel like a hero of an oriental fairy tale: lie back on the trestle bed and, puffing on a hookah, look at the iridescent streams of the fountain.
Kilimanjaro (Bunyodkor str, 4a.) – another restaurant-shifter. Here, as in “Barkhan”, wild dances take place on weekends, and on weekdays there are concerts and even themed parties. The interior of the establishment may be a little lurid, but, consecrated with a stroboscope, it will definitely leave an indelible impression on you!
Monroe (Shota Rustaveli, 111.) – well, what country do without karaoke? That’s right – none! So Uzbekistan is not lagging behind – all the conditions have been created in the Monroe club to relax and bawl at your favorite songs from the heart: here there is a chamber atmosphere and professional sound, and on weekends – themed parties.
Rai Club Night (Fargona Yuli Street, 794.) – if you are looking for a classic nightclub, you’re here. Crazy dancing, straightforward cocktails, and local DJs – that’s what awaits you.
Club-the X (A.Rahmat Str. 12) – very Laksheri, so sneakers are not allowed. If you have long dreamed of touching the luxurious life – put on your richest outfit, pick up the iPhone X and go into the thick of the glamorous life of Tashkent!
Shopping in Tashkent
Trade is what people have been doing in Uzbekistan since ancient times. After all, it was through it that the Great Silk Road ran. So they know how to trade (and bargain).
For seasonal vegetables and fruits, as well as for delicious dairy products, nuts, and dried fruits, go to the Alai Bazaar (Amir Temur Ave., 40)… This bazaar is considered the oldest in Tashkent and dates back to the end of the 12th century when a spontaneous place of trade was formed on the trade route from East Turkestan through the Fergana Valley. Basically, various types of meat and livestock were sold here. In the 19th century, this trading post took shape into a full-fledged bazaar, which became one of the most visited among local residents, since it was located on the border of the Old Town and the districts built during the Russian colonial period. Not so long ago, it was rebuilt, so once you come here, you will kill two birds with one stone: buy some tasty treats and admire the intricate oriental architecture.
For souvenirs, scarves from adras, and just for any clothes, go to Chorsu (intersection of Beruni Avenue and Lailitogon Street)… This bazaar also traces its history for a long time – back in the days of the Silk Road, a brisk trade was conducted on it. Chorsu is located in the heart of the historical and architectural complex dating back to the 16th – 18th centuries, consisting of the Kukeldash and Khoja Akhrar madrasahs and the Jami mosque. From the records of travelers of past centuries, one can learn that in those days Chorsu was a whole trading city: there were countless rows of goods, small shops, baths, caravanserais, teahouses, and other institutions. Today there are 3 bazaars in Chorsu: grocery, clothing, and handicraft rows. If the grocery part will remind you of your native Komarovka with its dome, abundance, and coolness, then the clothing market is an ordinary market from your city with a flea market.
There are not so many shops, showrooms, and other boutiques familiar to Europeans in Tashkent, and there are even fewer large shopping centers, but if it breaks you, then here is: Samarkand Darvoza (Karatash street, 5A) – the largest shopping center in Tashkent. There are shops and a food court here. Enjoy!
Life Hacks & Info About Tashkent
- They don’t really trust modern technologies here, therefore, even if you correctly set the destination of the route in your taxi application, the driver will still ask you where to go. The name of the street and your hotel or hostel will most likely not tell him anything. Therefore, take a look in advance what is near your hotel: a large store, a bazaar, a cinema, a restaurant – some of this will tell the taxi driver exactly where to take you. As a last resort, demand to use the navigator. The driver, of course, will worry all the way, but he will take you to the place.
- Remember! Without official registration in Uzbekistan, you will not be sold a local SIM card (and, possibly, will not be released from the country). Usually, check-in is done at the hotel reception on the day of departure (but you can also ask for it on the day of arrival).
- MyTaxi and Yandex.Taxi are your faithful horses for moving around Tashkent and its environs.
- Maps.me – be sure to download the offline map on your phone, in Tashkent, it works well and is updated frequently.
- Find out about exhibitions, concerts, parties and in general everything that happens in Tashkent from the Afisha.uz application . If you do not install it on your phone, you will be left with a nose – the era of the Internet in Uzbekistan is just beginning, and it is almost impossible to find information about anything on the network.
