Bukhara's Bazaars: Where to Buy Fruit, Spices and Sweets

Bukhara is a city with a centuries-long trading history. Caravans once converged at this crossroads of the Silk Road, and trade took place under covered domes that still stand. Today Bukhara's bazaars fall into two parts: the tourist domes in the very centre and ordinary city markets where people shop for groceries. Here is how to find what you need without overspending.

The trading domes of the old town

In the centre of Bukhara, historic domed markets survive: trading domes where fabrics, jewellery and headwear were once sold and money was exchanged. Today they hold souvenir shops, workshops and small stores. The architecture is impressive in itself: it is cool under the vaults even in the heat, and light falls in soft shafts.

What is sold here:

• ceramics, fabrics, scarves and shawls;
• miniatures and paper goods;
• jewellery, knives and caps;
• carpets and suzani.

The main rule: souvenirs in tourist spots often cost more than at ordinary markets. Do not buy at the first shop; walk several rows and compare. More on bargaining below.

Where Bukhara residents shop

Townspeople do not shop for groceries in the centre but at city markets further from the historic streets. There are no souvenir shops there, but there are fresh products at ordinary prices.

Such markets are handy for:

• buying seasonal fruit and vegetables;
• trying meat, dairy and fresh flatbread;
• finding spices and seasonings local cooks use;
• picking up dried fruit and nuts without a tourist markup.

Ask your guesthouse host where their family buys groceries. That information is often the most accurate.

What to buy

Fruit and dried fruit

Bukhara is famed for sweet melons, grapes, pomegranates and figs. In summer and autumn the stalls overflow with seasonal fruit. Dried fruit and nuts keep for a long time, so they make good gifts.

How to choose:

1. Ask to taste. An honest seller always offers.
2. Look at the colour: overly bright tones may indicate treatment.
3. Compare prices in two or three rows.

Spices

Cumin, barberry, pepper, saffron and plov blends. Ask to see, smell and learn how to use them. If you plan to cook at home, ask the seller about proportions for plov: they usually explain.

Sweets

Halva, navat, parvarda and chak-chak. Sweets in Bukhara are sold in many rows. Buy small portions and taste right away.

Bread and pastry

Bukhara flatbreads, including flaky ones and ones with fried onion, are a pleasure of their own. They are baked in the morning, and by lunchtime less fresh bread remains.

How not to overpay

• Ask the price in advance. If an item has no price tag, check with the seller and remember the sum.
• Bargain politely. For souvenirs and fabrics it is appropriate to ask for 10 to 25 percent off; for food, a minimal discount or none at all.
• Compare. The same items in the centre may cost noticeably more than at outlying markets.
• Do not accept "special price only for you". It is an ordinary sales phrase.
• Do not buy antiques without documents. Exporting antiques is restricted.
• Check your change and recount your money.

Best time and practice

• Morning is the most convenient time for a market: cooler, fresh products, fewer people.
• In summer it is hot at midday; better to wait it out in a teahouse or in the shade of the old domes.
• Carry cash in local currency, small notes and a bottle of water.
• Photograph people only with permission.
• Watch your bag in crowds.

Getting to Bukhara

Bukhara lies in the western part of Uzbekistan, about 270 to 280 km from Samarkand. The drive takes around 3.5 to 4 hours. Many travellers combine the two cities in one route. For trips from Samarkand, shared rides are convenient: on the Bukhara — Samarkand page drivers post trips in both directions. Trips west towards Navoi are also popular: on the Bukhara — Navoi route you can choose a convenient time. You book a seat in the Yo'ldosh app, and drivers are verified. Other directions are collected on the all routes page.

A mini-route through Bukhara's markets

1. In the morning, stroll through the trading domes before the heat and tour buses arrive.
2. Have tea at a teahouse and plan what to buy.
3. In the afternoon, head to a city market for groceries or spices.
4. Return to the centre and compare souvenir prices.
5. In the evening, dinner with a view of the illuminated monuments.

The takeaway

Bukhara's bazaars are two different worlds. In the centre you see history and beauty, but watch the prices. At ordinary markets you find real produce and feel the rhythm of daily life. Combine both: domes in the morning, an ordinary market in the afternoon, and you will have a complete picture of trade in this city.

Cover photo: r chelseth, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.