Backed by the majestic Zailiysky Alatau mountains, Almaty is a modern metropolis with high-end shopping centres, fine-dining restaurants and glitzy nightclubs interspersed with Tsarist and Soviet architecture. It’s also a gateway to winter ski resorts, hiking trails and family-friendly activities.

Things to do

To appreciate Almaty’s history, stroll through the Central State Museum. You’ll find exhibitions ranging from Bronze Age artefacts to a Hall of Gold featuring ancient gold relics from Scythian burials. The Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments near Panfilov Park showcases traditional Kazakh instruments, including two-stringed domabras and a viola-style kobyz.

Travelling with little ones? Ride a cable car up the 1,100-metre Kok-Tobe hill, crowned by a landmark tower and thrilling roller coaster. Explore a miniature zoo and let the kids run wild on the playground. Keep an eye out for the bronze Fab Four Beatles monument featuring a guitar-strumming John Lennon on an open bench.

Western-style coffee shops and craft breweries abound in Almaty, including Line Brew, a trendy microbrewery that dishes out stone-cooked cuisine and shashlyk kebabs. For lighter fare, pop into My Café for cold okroshka summer soup. Gosti restaurant serves traditional Russian pelmeni dumplings and stroganoffs that can be washed down with kvass.

Almaty has its share of pulsing dance-diva nightclubs, but there’s also the laid-back social scene at Chukotka resto-bar. Indulge in European, Asian or Russian cuisine on the first floor, then ascend to a second-floor dacha summer-house scene for espresso or cocktails. You can also listen to live music on weekends and wander through the surrounding Panfilovtsev Park.

Getting around

Rental cars are available at various locations throughout the city or at Almaty International Airport, about 13 kilometres away. Buses, trolleys, trams, taxis and rideshares provide reliable transportation, while metro trains are a good choice for travelling further afield.