Samarkand, Uzbekistan at $937 RT

You guys are obviously familiar with Samarkand, so--

Wait, what? You're not?

Okay, clearly there aren't many 8th-century Sogdian merchants in this group, or you'd all be more excited about visiting the jewel of the ancient Silk Road. As one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, Samarkand was passed from great empire to great empire, each one leaving behind some pretty spectacular contributions.  And if you get tired of exploring its elaborate shrines and bustling bazaars (implausible, but sure), the views outside the city are equally stunning.

If you're somehow still not convinced, here are some reviews from names you might recognize:

• "Samarkand is a large and splendid city, where there are many gardens with fruits in abundance." - Marco Polo
• "Everything I have heard about the beauty of Samarkand is true – except that it is even more beautiful than I could have imagined." - Alexander the Great
• "One of the greatest and finest of cities, and most perfect of them in beauty." - Ibn Battuta

So yeah... it's a pretty big deal :-)