Uzbekistan (8 days)

Transfer to airport and scheduled flight to Urgench. Arrival in Urgench and coach transfer to Khiva (km 30); guided tour of this 2500-year-old city, an open-air museum in perfect condition, dominated by the blue, turquoise and floral motifs of its ceramic tiles. Tour includes: Juma Mosque, Allakuli Khan Madrassa, Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassa, Islam Khodja minaret, Pahlavòn Mahmud Mausoleum with its beautiful decorated tiles, Tash Hauli Palace and Mohamed Khan Madrassa, the bazaar, the caravanserai. Overnight stay in hotel (in Khiva or Urgench). 

Coach transfer to Bukhara across the Kyzil Kum (Red Desert). The trip takes about 7 hours, along a section of the old Silk Road. Arrival in Bukhara late in the afternoon, hotel check-in and overnight stay.

Full-day guided tour of the city, which is more than 2500 years old and has a glorious past as the capital of the Samanid Empire and a great centre of learning in ancient times. The historic city centre is almost perfectly intact. The tour includes: the Ark Royal Palace (7th-9th century), Bolo-Hauz Mosque, Magoki-Atori Mosque, the Poi-Kalyan architectural complex, Kalon minaret, the Kalom Jummi Mosque, Miri Arab Madrassa, the three covered bazaars (Taqi Zargaron, Taqi Telpak-Furushon. Taqi Sarrafon), Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Kukeldash Madrassa, and Ismoil Samani Mausoleum. Dinner with traditional entertainment. Overnight stay in hotel.

Departure for Samarkand, with a stop on the way at Shakhrisabz, one of Central Asia’s most beautiful cities, hometown of Tamerlane, with a tour of the ruins of the White Palace, Jehangir Mausoleum and Kok Gumbaz Mosque. Onward travel along the ancient Silk Road caravan road to the legendary Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand, hotel check-in and overnight stay.

Full day touring the city known as the Pearl of the East, the centre of the universe and the jewel of Islam. Its origins date back to the 5th century before Christ; since then the city has seen times of great splendour under Tamerlane and decay following devastating invasions such as that of Genghis Khan. Tour includes: the tombs in Shakhi Zinda necropolis, the Afrosiab Museum, Gur Emir Mausoleum with Tamerlane’s crypt, the medieval astronomical observatory of Ulughbek (a nephew of Tamerlane), the bazaar with its colourful and crowded stalls, the monumental complex of Registan Square with its beautiful Madrassas covered with ceramic tiles and lapis lazuli (Ulugbek Madrassa, Sher Dor Madrassa, Tilla Kari Madrassa), and Khanym Mosque.  Overnight stay in hotel.

Transfer to Tashkent, arriving for lunch. In the afternoon, tour of the old city:   Khazrat- Imam complex, Tillya Sheyks Mosque and Kafal-Shoshi Mausoleum (15th century), Kukeldash Madrassa (15th century), and Chorsu Bazaar. Tour continues with the modern part of Tashkent: Amir Temur Square, the Cathedral Mosque, Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Applied Arts Museum, and finally, a visit to a number of metro stations. Final dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight stay in hotel.

Early morning transfer to the airport for departure on Alitalia flight to Rome.

Di buon mattino trasferimento in pullman in aeroporto e partenza con volo di linea per Roma (via Istanbul).