Visit Bukhara, Uzbekistan

One of the holiest places of Islam, the venerable and captivating city of Bukhara was also one of the key stops along the Silk Route.

In the Middle Ages, when the region was at its zenith, scholars travelled from all over the Islamic world to study here, including two giants of Persian culture, Ibn Sina and Firdausi.

Exploring Bukhara

The monuments on show are truly impressive, from the astonishing Kalon Minaret, spared by an awestruck Genghis Khan and bombed by the Red Army, to the diminutive but exquisite Ismail Samani Mausoleum, with its Zoroastrian motifs and intricate brickwork.

The main sights can be seen in a day but this is one place where little seems to have changed from the medieval era, and taking things a little slower lets you absorb the thrillingly authentic atmosphere.