How to enter In Uzbekistan.

European citizens who want to visit Uzbekistan do not need a visa.

Language.
The official language is Uzbek. The most spoken tourist language is Russian, but you may find guides who also speak Italian given the long cultural collaboration between the Central Asian state and Italy. 

Currency and exchange.
The official currency is the Uzbek Sum. Credit cards work at ATMs and shops in the most popular tourist locations, but we recommend making a small change in local currency to facilitate payments, especially if you plan to visit less traveled areas such as Karakalpakstan. Before leaving, always ask your bank about the withdrawal conditions and daily limits of your cards abroad.

Getting to Uzbekistan.

We arrived in Tashkent by taking a flight from Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, which schedules multiple flights to the Uzbek capital every day, and generally serves the Asian country well. Bear in mind that a direct flight from Istanbul to Tashkent takes 4 hours.

Internal travel. 
To visit Karakalpakstan we took a direct flight from Tashkent, while for the rest of the holiday we used cars with private drivers. We recommend this solution because it is very difficult to drive a rental vehicle in the city. The roads along the Silk Road are quite easy and smooth, while on the dirt roads you will have to skip to visit the Aral Sea.

Safety.
The Uzbek state is very safe, we did not encounter any problems during our stay.

Eat.
Uzbek cuisine uses ingredients from Middle Eastern cuisine such as meat, rice, vegetables and yogurt, often very spicy.

The national dish is Plov, made with rice and meat. Its flavor is unmistakable, and depending on the region in which it is found, it is enriched with spices, vegetables, and sometimes quail eggs.

Another typical element of the cuisine is bread, called Nan. The dough is rolled out into a round shape, after which it is literally hung and cooked inside a hemispherical oven called Tandoori. The center of this loaf is then marked with a stencil, a symbol of good luck.

Samsas are also cooked inside the Tandoori, puff pastry bundles filled with meat and vegetables, ideal for a snack.

In Uzbekistan you will also find the inevitable Manti, which are tortellini filled with meat, seasoned with yogurt and spices.

The most used meat is lamb, the main ingredient in Shurpa, a soup based on potatoes, aromatic herbs and oriental spices.

Like Turkey, the typical drinks are ayran, made with yogurt, water and salt, and çay (tea).

Despite being a Muslim country, vodka is widespread, a custom imported from Russia.

Accomodation.
Noi We stayed in the various hotels affiliated with the Uzbek tourist agency. All the ones chosen were very quiet and comfortable.

Climate.
The climate in August is very hot, with temperatures in Khiva and Bukhara reaching 40 degrees: for this reason, it is better to suspend the visit of these cities during the hottest hours, and then resume it in the evening. Nukus and the Aral Sea have a desert climate (so it is even hotter), while Samarkand is more liveable, even during the central hours of the day.

What to pack.

Summer clothes, sunglasses, sunscreen and hats to protect yourself from the sun. It is also a good idea to bring some scarves to protect yourself from the sand that could be kicked up by the wind.

Power outlets.

The electrical current is 230V, while the electrical frequency is 50 HZ AC. The electrical sockets are type C and type F, the same as the Italian one.
Useful power sockets.

Telephone / internet coverage.

Given the very high tariff cost of our telephone operator, we did not use roaming, deciding to rely on the wi-fi connections of the hotels chosen for our stay. Near the Aral Sea there is no telephone coverage, so you will be completely isolated from the rest of the world.

That's all! If you like this text or have any question, leave a comment below.