Atyrau
One of the most important Golden Horde settlements, the medieval town of Saraychik lay along the caravan route to the Golden Horde capital of Sarai, on…
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Atyrau
The gateway to Kazakhstan's largest oil field, Atyrau (Атырау), formerly Guryev, 18.6 miles (30km) up the Ural River from the Caspian Sea, straddles the Europe/Asia boundary. Oil money is evident in the proliferation of expensive hotels and upmarket restaurants; nowhere in the country is the disparity between the haves and have-nots greater, and crime levels are above average. For most travelers, Atyrau is just a travel hub, though a couple of good museums are worth a day's stopover, and history buffs can make a half-day trip to the remains of the medieval settlement of Saraychik.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Atyrau
This regional museum is better than many, with well-laid-out displays on local fauna and prehistory, a particularly interesting section on Sarmat…
Atyrau
From petroglyphs and standing stones representing prehistoric regional art to contemporary works by up-and-coming artists, this excellent museum is well…
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