Samarkand Silk Road Area & Rowing Channel Loop

In the eastern section of Samarkand, there’s a newly built commercial & cultural area called Samarkand Silk Road (Набережная Silk Road) that is actually one of the best places to run in the city. This wide open area features large plazas, hotels, a convention center, and the ‘Eternal City‘  — a small area of streets and paths passing artisan shops & turquoise-domed buildings. Note: open & exposed, be aware on a hot day. Bonus: well-lit at night!

There are lots of options for running here. Most straightforward is along the paths lining the rowing channel, making for a 5.7 km loop. There are water views the whole way. Another option is to run along the main road forming a perimeter of the area — it’s a 6.3 km loop, using the wide sidewalks alongside the road. You can also run on the various wide paths on either side of the rowing channel — with the Eternal City & numerous hotels on the south side, and the Congress Center & more hotels on the north side.