Samarkand is the largest of the WHS cities of Uzbekistan (c half million population). Possibly as a result it lacks much of the “eastern atmosphere” which can be sensed in Bukhara or Khiva – instead its glories consist primarily of 4 architectural wonders, any one of which on its own would justify a WHS inscription

a. The Registan ensemble

b. The Bibi-Khanym Mosque

c. The Shahr-i-Zindah tombs

d. The Guri Amir Mausoleum

Even if you are not a great lover of Islamic architecture these are all well worth seeing/experiencing. Back in Oct 2004 when this visit was made, if you went with a guide you needed to overcome the “shared out ticket price” scam! In theory you were allowed to return to any of these buildings several times during the day – but you needed to show the actual ticket! However the ladies on the gate didn't issue one (many tourists will not ask or care) and shared the money with the guide!! We weren’t able to persuade them to do so as that would have meant them all giving up their money..... but we did make sure that they would let us in again later that day!

There are other buildings worth seeing too – I particularly liked the Ulughbek Observatory with its 30mtr astrolabe partially set deep into the ground – an impressive example of the intellectual and scientific credentials of this part of the world before the European Renaissance. This is in fact on Uzbekistan’s Tentative List

Samarkand is undoubtedly one of the great “destinations” of the world - we had previously visited under very different circumstances during  Soviet times in 1983 and it certainly justified a second visit. On the first occasion we were just about the only tourists "in town".... on the second there were not that many......no doubt that will change!