Best Time to Visit Tashkent

Tashkent has a classic continental Silk Road climate sheltered on the north-east by the Western Tian Shan mountains: long, dry, sun-drenched summers, crisp winters with occasional dustings of snow, and two glorious shoulder seasons when the city's parks and fountains are at their best. For comfortable sightseeing on foot, aim for late March to May or September to early November.

Spring (Late March, April and May) wakes the city in a rush of green leaves, tulips and fruit blossoms. On 21 March, Uzbekistan celebrates Navruz (the Persian and Central Asian vernal equinox New Year): neighbourhoods gather around huge cauldrons for twenty-four hours telling stories and songs while stirring sumalak, a sweet, velvety pudding made from sprouted wheat grains. Throughout April and May, daytime highs climb from a mild 22°C to 28°C with fresh evenings, making it ideal for walking between Chorsu Bazaar and the Khast Imam Complex before boarding a train to Samarkand.

Autumn (September and October) rivals spring as the finest time to visit Tashkent, especially if you love food. After the summer heat breaks in early September, days settle into warm, crystal-clear sunshine (24°C to 29°C in September, around 21°C in October) with minimal rain. This is peak harvest season inside Chorsu Bazaar: stalls overflow with fragrant torpedo-shaped Mirzachul honeydew melons, pomegranates from Fergana, figs, persimmons, walnuts and dozens of varieties of sweet table grapes.

Peak Summer (June, July and August) is dry, cloudless and intensely hot. Afternoon temperatures in July and early August during the forty-day mid-summer period known locally as chilla regularly reach 36°C to 40°C. If you visit in summer, tour the Old Town right after sunrise, spend midday underground in the cool marble halls of the Tashkent Metro and air-conditioned museums, or escape up into the cool alpine breezes of the Chimgan Mountains.

Winter (December to February) is quiet and brisk, with daytime highs around 6°C to 9°C and frosty nights near freezing. Hotel prices drop, trains have plenty of seats, and a steaming plate of midday to'y oshi plov tastes better than ever. Check what to wear in Tashkent before packing.