This is the Uzbekistan chapter from Lonely Planet's Central Asia guidebook.

The region's cradle of culture for more than two millennia, Uzbekistan is the proud home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and artefacts, all deeply infused with the raw, fascinating history of the country.

• be blown away by exquisitely preserved holy Bukhara’s stunning 15th-century medressas, awesome B&Bs and fascinating history
• take advantage of quirky cultural gems such as Carmen for a dollar at Tashkent's Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre and Central Asia's greatest art collection in Nukus' Savitsky Museum
• visit Khiva, the last independent khanate, frozen in time amid the desert
• seek out the crafty Uzbekistan, from Margilon silks and Rishton ceramics to everything under the sun in Bukhara

Coverage includes: Itineraries, Climate, History, Current Events, People, Religion, Arts, Environment, Food & Drink, Directory, Transport, Tashkent & around, Fergana Valley, Kokand, Fergana & around, Andijon, Samarkand & around, Shakhrisabz, Termiz, Nurata, Bukhara & around, Khorezm, Urgench & around, Khiva, Karakalpakstan, Nukus & around and Moynaq.