Penjikent is a small town that earns its place on the map through two archaeological sites: the ruined Sogdian city on the hill above the modern centre, and Sarazm — a 5,500-year-old proto-urban settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site — fifteen kilometres west. Both reward a slow visit. The Rudaki museum in town does a decent job of putting the finds in context, with everything else to be admired in Dushanbe and Saint Petersburg.
Beyond the archaeology, the Fan Mountains start a few kilometres south of town — the most accessible serious trekking in Tajikistan, with the seven turquoise lakes of Marguzor a popular three-day circuit. The market and tea houses of the town centre are pleasant places to spend a slow afternoon between hikes.