Herat was the cultural capital of the Timurid empire. Its tiled Friday Mosque, the citadel and the minarets of the Musalla complex make it one of the most rewarding cities in Central Asia.
Best time to visit: March–May and September–November. Summer can be very hot and windy.
Getting there: Domestic flights from Kabul, or overland from Iran via Islam Qala.
Highlights
Friday Mosque (Masjid-i Jami)
Spectacular blue-tiled mosque with a working tile workshop on site.
Citadel of Herat (Qala Ikhtiyaruddin)
Fortress dating back to Alexander the Great, restored with a museum.
Musalla Minarets
Leaning Timurid minarets and the mausoleum of Queen Gawhar Shad.
Gazargah
Shrine of the Sufi poet Khwaja Abdullah Ansari.
Herat glass & silk
Hand-blown blue glass and silk weaving workshops.
