Siab Bazaar

To visit Samarkand and not visit the bazaar means to miss one of the most interesting adventures. The Oriental market is a very special environment where you can best experience the vibrant atmosphere of the ancient city. Many years ago, markets served as the main strategic trading sites on the Great Silk Road. Siab Bazaar in Samarkand is one of the most interesting and ancient places in the city that every tourist should see.

Siab market has a very convenient location, just a few minutes walk from it is the grand mosque of Bibi Khanim. Not far from the bazaar there is another attraction - the Hazrat Khizr Mosque. The territorial area of the market is quite impressive – the shopping malls are spread over more than five hectares of land. The entrance to the bazaar is made in the form of an elevated three-leaf arch decorated with mosaics in blue and blue tones. The shopping malls are located under canopies that protect the market from the hot sun in summer and from the winds and precipitation in winter.

Crossing the threshold of the archway, you immediately find yourself in a completely different, even somewhat dreamlike atmosphere: an abundance of colors catches your eye, the hum of hundreds of shoppers and merchants is in your ears, and the abundance of fruits and vegetables is amazing. Siab Bazaar in Samarkand almost never sleeps. Trading here begins before the first rays of the sun and ends late in the evening.

Siab bazaar is considered a Dehkan bazaar, so it mainly sells vegetables, fruits, melons grown by hardworking farmers of Uzbekistan, as well as food products created by the hands of local residents. Shopping malls are conditionally divided by the type of goods. Local vendors say that Siab dried fruits, sweets and nuts are so delicious that even residents of the capital come here to get them. You can also find an incredible amount of spices on the oriental market, even the rarest ones. In addition to food items, you can buy products from local artisans and craftsmen here.

The bread row deserves special attention, because Samarkand tortillas are a special kind of local flour products. There are more than 17 types of bread in the Siab market.

What is an oriental market without tastings? Here, as in any other bazaar, good-natured merchants will not only allow you to taste the goods before buying, but will even insist on it. And, of course, the main subtlety of the oriental bazaar is the "rite" of bargaining. Every buyer here considers it his duty to bargain with the seller before buying. And the point here is not even to cut the price, but rather a habit that Asian residents form from an early age. And whoever shows more talent in this business will benefit more.

In addition to always fresh and varied goods, the Siab market in Samarkand has another special feature – it is a place where you can find out all the latest news and events taking place in the city. Uzbek people are very sociable, and people easily start conversations even with strangers.

By visiting this bazaar, you will plunge into the atmosphere of Samarkand idleness, mystery and will be able to understand well what the city lives and "breathes". Along with juicy fruits and fragrant bread, you will take away a piece of the oriental atmosphere from this market, which will forever remain in your memory with pleasant moments.