Samarkand is a place known for its famous historical sites, but perhaps you have seen those already, or are simply looking to avoid the crowds. Here are a few things to do in Samarkand that will take you off the well known path.
Afrosiyab Museum
About 3km east of the president’s tomb down Tashkent road, the Afrosiyab Museum is located on the site Samarkand occupied before being destroyed by the Mongols. Entry is 20,000 Uzbek Som. There is not much active archeology taking place on the site, most of it is occupied by a large unkempt field. The museum tells the history of the Afrosiyab, how it was the site of ancient Samarkand, and what happened when Genghis Khan arrived. The highlight is a series of 7th century wall paintings, excavated on the site, showing the reception of foreign ambassadors. There are also exhibits of old coins and pottery typical for the area.
Venturing out from the museum building, you can explore the large field on which the city was once located. There is not so much to see here, the highlight being the hole in the ground where the paintings inside the museum were excavated. It is impressive to stand on this site and see that there is nothing left of the large ancient city.
Wine Museum Named for Khovrenko
Located one block south of the intersection of Mirzo Ulugbeck and Makhmud Kashgary streets, this small one room museum is free. It is located in the house of a Russian businessman who moved to Uzbekistan to make wine. Almost all of the signs are in Russian, but the young guides speak very good English and are more than happy to guide you through the exhibit. They will tell you about the history of winemaking in Uzbekistan prior to Muslim times, and the story of the Russians bringing their winemaking to Uzbekistan in the 19th Century. For those who want to taste as well as look, the museum offers a tasting of 10 different wines and brandies for 100,000 Uzbek Som.
Labi G’or Restaurant
This one is featured in many guidebooks and has a foreigner level price tag (still cheap for Uzbekistan – Plov and a Cola was 40,000 Uzbek Som). It is still a very worthwhile place to take a breather and grab a nice cold beer. It is located across the main street from the Registan complex and offers nice views. The food is nice if simple, and the second floor is cool and breezy. It can be somewhat hard to find beer in Samarkand, and this is a good place for a scenic drink.
