7 great reasons to travel to Uzbekistan

Why would anyone want to visit a landlocked country in the middle of the Central Asian desert? Uzbekistan answers this question many times over; against a backdrop of piercing blue skies its stunning architecture will amaze, fabulous shopping and cultural opportunities will excite and your hosts will be some of the most welcoming people you have met in all your travels.

Sample the Silk Road

Many people may not have heard of Uzbekistan, but will recognise the evocative names of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva which were key cities on the trading route from China to Western Europe famously known as the Silk Road. These small independent (and competing) Central Asian Khanates and Emirates were joined together and became Uzbekistan in 1924 as part of the Soviet Empire.

Fabulous shopping

Uzbekistan is a wonderful place to buy completely original gifts and works of art for yourself or for the home. There are artisan master-crafts men and women…