Bukhara in one day: a walking route through the old town

The route at a glance

1. Samanid Mausoleum and Chashma-Ayub in the park west of the centre (morning)
2. The Ark fortress and the Bolo-Hauz Mosque opposite it
3. Poi Kalon: the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasa
4. The trading domes and the Ulugbek and Abdulaziz Khan madrasahs
5. Magoki-Attori Mosque
6. Lyabi-Hauz for sunset and dinner; Chor Minor if you still have energy

Most sights charge a small fee, roughly $2–6 each in 2026 (the Ark is about $4–6). Carry som in cash.

Morning: Samanid Mausoleum and Chashma-Ayub

Begin with the oldest: the Samanid Mausoleum, built in the 10th century for the Samanid dynasty. It is a small cube of baked brick, and the bricks themselves are laid in patterns that change with the light, so come early or late in the day. Nearby, Chashma-Ayub (Job's Spring) is a 14th-century building with an unusual conical dome over a holy spring.

The Ark and Bolo-Hauz

The Ark, about 1 km away, was the walled residence of Bukhara's emirs until 1920. The ticket covers its museum rooms; allow 1.5–2 hours. Across the square, the Bolo-Hauz Mosque (1712) is known for its tall carved wooden columns reflected in the pond in front of it.

Poi Kalon

A few minutes' walk brings you to the heart of Bukhara. The Kalyan Minaret, built in 1127 and about 46 m tall, is said to have so impressed Genghis Khan that he spared it. It stands between the great Kalyan Mosque and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, which still trains students; you can admire it from the entrance.

Afternoon: trading domes and madrasahs

Walk south-east through the covered trading domes (Toki Zargaron, Toki Telpak Furushon and Toki Sarrafon), once the jewellers', hat-makers' and money-changers' bazaars and now full of crafts, carpets and suzani. Between them stand the Ulugbek Madrasa (1417), the oldest surviving madrasah built by Ulugbek, and the ornate Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa facing it. Close by, the sunken Magoki-Attori Mosque has one of the oldest facades in Central Asia.

Evening: Lyabi-Hauz

End at Lyabi-Hauz, a 17th-century pond shaded by old mulberry trees, where locals gather in the evening. Look at the portal of the Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasa, decorated with mythical birds carrying deer, then have dinner at one of the terraces around the water. Fifteen minutes' walk away, Chor Minor (1807), with its four turquoise-topped towers, is lovely in the late light.

Practical tips

• Bukhara station is in Kagan, about 12 km from the old town; take a taxi. The Afrosiyob train takes about 1.5 hours from Samarkand and 3 h 40 min from Tashkent.
• The old town is best explored on foot; distances between the sights above are 5–15 minutes.
• If you have a second day, take a taxi to the summer palace of the last emir, Sitorai Mohi Hosa, a few kilometres north of the city.
• Prices in the trading domes are negotiable; compare a few shops before buying a carpet or suzani.