Almaty
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Overview
The leafy city of Almaty (Alma-Ata; Алматы), with a backdrop of the snowcapped Zailiysky Alatau, has always been among the more appealing Russian creations in Central Asia. Today Almaty's new rich have expensive suburban apartments, large SUVs, glitzy shopping malls, Western-style coffee lounges, expensive restaurants, dance-till-dawn nightclubs and new ski resorts to help them enjoy life to the full. Meanwhile, others from the city's outer districts and the countryside squeeze into packed buses and rickety marshrutkas around the Green Market (Zelyony Bazar) or Sayakhat bus station.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Almaty
Almaty’s best museum takes you through Kazakhstan’s history from Bronze Age burials and nomadic culture to WWII sacrifices, telecommunications and the…
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Almaty
This is the best art collection in the country, with Kazakh, Russian and some Western European art and a room of top-class modern Kazakh handicrafts, with…
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Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments
Almaty
In a striking 1908 wooden building (designed by cathedral architect Zenkov) at the east end of Panfilov Park, the city’s most original museum is a must…
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Almaty
This large and attractive rectangle of greenery is one of central Almaty's most popular strolling and hangout places for all ages. At its heart stands the…
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Almaty
Candy-coloured Zenkov Cathedral is Kazakhstan's nearest (albeit distant) relative to St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow and one of Almaty’s few surviving…
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Almaty
This broad, Soviet-created ceremonial square provides a panoramic view of the snowcapped mountains on a clear morning and is surrounded by several…
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Almaty
This large, two-level market has a true flavour of Central Asia, and is worth putting on your itinerary even if you're not really food shopping. It's been…
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Planning Tools
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Best Things to Do
A perfect start to your Central Asian adventure, Almaty, Kazakhstan has something for every traveler! Here's our round-up of things to do in this vibrant city.
Read articleDay Trips
Explore beyond Almaty with these top day trips into the wilderness of the Tian Shan mountains.
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