Eternal City and Silk Road Samarkand: Is the New Quarter Worth a Visit?

Until recently, tourist Samarkand fitted almost entirely into the Registan - Gur-e-Amir - Shah-i-Zinda triangle. Now the city has a second centre of gravity: the Silk Road Samarkand complex on the outskirts, and inside it the Eternal City, known locally as Boqiy Shahar. It is a completely different experience from medieval madrasas, and travellers' opinions of it vary. Here is what is actually there and who should spend an evening on it.

What Silk Road Samarkand is

The complex opened in 2022, in time for a major international summit held in Samarkand. It is an entire new district built from scratch to a single design. It includes:

• several hotels of different levels, from business-class to resort-style;
• a congress centre that hosts forums and concerts;
• a landscaped embankment along a rowing canal with walking paths;
• the Eternal City, a themed quarter styled as an old oriental town.

You can walk around the grounds freely: paths, fountains, lawns and facades lit up in the evening. Many people come simply to stroll by the water when the historic centre gets too crowded.

The Eternal City: what is inside

Boqiy Shahar is a stylised old town with narrow lanes, walls that look like mud brick, domes, iwans and inner courtyards. It is important to understand that this is neither a restoration nor a museum, but a newly built themed space. Inside you will usually find:

• craft workshops - ceramics, embroidery, metal chasing, wood carving, papermaking and carpet weaving. Craftspeople work in front of visitors, and you can buy their pieces;
• cafes and teahouses serving national dishes - plov, shashlik, samsa and tandoor bread;
• small exhibitions on crafts and the history of the Silk Road;
• a canal, where boat rides are sometimes offered;
• evening performances - music and theatre programmes, illuminations and sometimes light shows. The schedule changes, so check in advance.

Entry to the Eternal City is usually paid, while the surrounding complex is free to walk around. Ticket prices and formats change, so check up-to-date information before you go.

Who will enjoy it

Families with children. It is clean, safe and spacious, with plenty of places to sit and snack. Children love watching potters and metalworkers at work.

Travellers with only a day or two. If you have no time to visit craft centres such as Urgut or Gijduvan, the Eternal City lets you see many crafts in a single evening.

Fans of evening walks. The complex is beautifully lit at night, and the canal side is cooler than the sun-baked squares of the centre.

Guests staying in the complex's hotels. For them it is a natural extension of their stay.

Who may not enjoy it

Lovers of authenticity. If you came to Samarkand for ancient stones, a new build may feel like a stage set. In that case, spend your time at Shah-i-Zinda, Afrasiab or quiet mausoleums such as Ak-Saray.

Budget travellers. Prices in the cafes and souvenir shops inside the complex are usually higher than in the old town or at Siab Bazaar.

Those looking for a living city. There is little ordinary urban life here: no neighbours, mahallas or market. It is a space made for visitors.

Getting there

The complex is on the outskirts of Samarkand, roughly 15-25 minutes by taxi from the Registan depending on traffic. Walking from the historic centre is long and not very pleasant. In the evening it is best to order a taxi through an app, and to arrange your ride back in advance, as cars can be scarce after a show.

If you are staying in the old town, a good plan is to see the monuments during the day and head to Silk Road around five or six in the evening: walk around in daylight, have dinner and stay for the night-time illuminations.

Visiting tips

1. Allow two to three hours for the Eternal City, and a whole evening for the complex with dinner.
2. Gentle bargaining is fine in the workshops, but remember that this is handmade and often genuinely laborious work.
3. If you want to see a show, check the schedule on the day: programmes depend on the season and events.
4. In summer come after the heat; in spring and autumn, around sunset. In winter some activities may not run.
5. Comfortable shoes are a must: the grounds are large.

The verdict: go or skip

If you have more than two days in Samarkand, the Eternal City is a pleasant evening addition to the classic monuments, especially with children or in the hot season. If time is short, start with authentic Samarkand and save Silk Road for your next visit.

The road from Tashkent

Many people come to Samarkand from the capital for a weekend. The cities are about 300 km apart, roughly four to four and a half hours by car. Besides the train, you can book a seat in a shared ride through Yo'ldosh: it is cheaper than a private taxi, drivers are verified, and you can choose a departure that gets you strolling by the canal by evening. Find trips on the Tashkent - Samarkand page, and other directions in the routes section.

Cover photo: LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.