Khiva
Fortresses, courtyards, and desert stillness in Khiva
Highlights
Spend a full day inside Khiva’s UNESCO old town, where turquoise tiles, mudbrick walls, and shaded courtyards create the city’s most atmospheric walking loop.
Visit the ancient Khorezm fortresses outside Khiva for dramatic ruins, big-sky views, and a deeper sense of the region’s Silk Road history.
Walk the old city walls near golden hour for some of the best photography in town, with warm light over minarets and brick towers.
Look beyond the headline sights to workshops, quiet lanes, and inner courtyards where Khiva feels most intimate and alive.
A day trip to the wider Khorezm landscape adds contrast, with fortress mounds and open desert that feel wild and elemental.
Where to Stay
3 picks
Qosha Darvoza Hotel
A strong base inside the old town with easy walking access to the main gates, minarets, and evening strolls.
Hotel Asia Khiva
Comfortable mid-range hotel with reliable service and quick access to the old city without being deep inside the busiest lanes.
Polvonnazir Guest House
A small, atmospheric guesthouse option close to the fortress core, with a more intimate feel and easy walkability.
Where to Eat
5 picks
Khorezm Art Restaurant
Order green tea, non-alcoholic drinks, eggs, bread, and halal Uzbek breakfast items if available; a calm start inside the old town.
Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant
Choose plov, shashlik made with halal meat, soups, salad, and tea; the terrace setting works well for a midday pause.
Cafe Zarafshon
Look for lagman, grilled halal meat dishes, vegetable sides, and tea; keep dinner simple after a full walking day.
Mirzaboshi Restaurant
Order shashlik, manti, soups, and tea; halal meat dishes are the safest and easiest choice here.
Khiva Moon Restaurant
Order halal kebabs, plov, or soup with tea after returning from the desert; keep dinner filling and uncomplicated.
What to Do
8 picks
Kunya-Ark Citadel
Explore the former inner fortress, courtyards, and viewpoints, then linger for photos of the surrounding rooftops.
Juma Mosque and Minaret Area
Visit the mosque’s forest of carved wooden pillars and then continue through nearby lanes for slow, atmospheric wandering.
Evening Rampart Stroll
Walk the outer edges of the old town at sunset and watch the walls turn amber in the soft light.
Islam Khodja Complex
See the tall minaret, madrasa, and surrounding lanes, then take your time with photos and the skyline view.
Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
Visit the richly tiled shrine and nearby courtyards, focusing on details, quiet corners, and the craftwork.
Khiva Handicraft Workshops
Browse wood carving, suzani, and ceramics in the old town lanes, and watch artisans at work where possible.
Canyon Road to Toprak Kala
Take a half-day desert drive out of Khiva toward the fortress landscape, with open views and steppe scenery along the way.
Mizdakhan Necropolis
Take the long day trip west for a haunting cemetery complex and a different spiritual-historical landscape.
Map
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