Antica

This boutique B&B is the only place in Samarkand where you can really capture the vibe of living in a traditional home. The rooms vary in design but all are generously furnished with antique carpets, suzani and trinkets; those in the 19th-century annexe have hand-carved walnut-wood doors and mosque-like ribbed, brightly painted ceilings. The main house, with two towering, vaulted windows, is set around a lush garden courtyard shaded by pomegranate, persimmon and fig trees.

Dinners are hearty and at least one family member can wax philosophical in English, German, French or Spanish.