Uzbekistan Travel along the Silk Road

🇺🇿Uzbekistan, an inland country located in the middle of Central Asia, is one of the ancient countries on the Silk Road. Historically, it has had a long relationship with China through trade. It was also ranked second on the Lonely Planet 2018 Asia's Best Travel Destinations list. It is indeed a niche but excellent destination. In addition, visa-free entry for Chinese tourists began last year, and direct flights from Beijing have also been opened, making it the perfect choice to take a short vacation and travel. ☪️From the Persian Empire to its conquest by Alexander the Great, to the Arabs bringing new beliefs, to Timur the Great ushering in the Renaissance...beneath the mysterious veil of this ancient Central Asian country, there are countless wonders and historical relics everywhere. During your journey, you can start from Tashkent and revisit the three treasure cities on the Silk Road: Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. 1️⃣Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and one of the important hubs of the Silk Road. Nearly a thousand years of Uzbekistan's history is recorded here. Many museums and art galleries show you the gifts that time has bestowed on civilization. The authentic food and products will also let you experience the urban flavor of Tashkent. Aymtemur Square is the center of Tashkent; the Qomsomolskaya Dome Bazaar may be the most worldly place in Tashkent; the modern side of Tashkent is hidden in the exquisitely carved subway stations. 2️⃣ There are 7,400 cultural heritage sites in Uzbekistan, of which the entire city of Samarkand has been listed as a World Cultural Heritage. Although Samarkand is now an Islamic city as a whole, the Sogdians' memories of the Silk Road are still preserved in the Afrosiab Museum. Many Chinese people go to the Afrosiab Museum specifically to see the murals, because the murals show Wu Zetian riding a dragon boat and Emperor Gaozong of Tang riding a horse to hunt; the Tomb of the Prophet Daniel is a unique place where Muslims, Christians and Jews from all over the world can appear and pray at the same time; the main blue color of the Tomb of Shah Jinda makes this place as beautiful as a bright night sky. 3️⃣ Bukhara is the birthplace of Alibaba’s battle against the forty thieves and the starting point of Afanti’s battle of wits with Master Bayi. It is a place full of romantic mythological stories and also a city that has experienced several ups and downs. The Bukhara Emir's Summer Palace is one of the few remaining Bukhara palaces in the world; the Chiron Minaret greets the first rays of sunlight in Bukhara every day. 4️⃣The ancient city of Khiva was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1990. Within the 10-meter-high, complete and solid adobe brick walls, there are 8 mosques, 31 madrassas, 14 minarets, 12 mausoleums and 6 royal palaces. On the ancient Silk Road, it was the last stop for desert caravans heading to Persia. "I would give a bag of gold just to see Khiva", this old Central Asian proverb fully describes the beauty and prosperity of the ancient city of Khiva.