Almaty, Kazakhstan's former capital, celebrated its birthday with music, markets, and apple fairs, but the city's everyday appeal goes far beyond the festivities. The first thing most visitors notice is the skyline: the snow-capped Trans-Ili Alatau mountains rise directly behind the rooftops, close enough to influence how locals give directions. In a city laid out on a grid, people often say “up” to mean towards the peaks, or “down” to mean away from them.
For a true taste of Almaty, start with coffee in the centre and head towards the foothills for a walk or a late breakfast. The mountains are not a distant weekend escape; they are part of the ordinary morning routine. Take the cable car from the Medeu base station up to Shymbulak Mountain Resort, where winter brings skiers and snowboarders, but the views and mountain restaurants are worth the trip year-round. Hiking trails are accessible in every season, making the range a constant companion to urban life.
Art on the walls, and a city shaped by history
Almaty served as Kazakhstan's capital until 1997, and its cultural depth is evident in the architecture. Look closely at older buildings and you'll find brightly coloured mosaics embedded in facades, many dating from the 1960s to the 1980s, when monumental artists from across the Soviet Union worked here. Some have been damaged or lost over the years, so the surviving works are worth seeking out. The wooden Ascension Cathedral, completed in 1907, is another architectural gem; it survived a major earthquake just four years after its completion.
For a contemporary contrast, visit the Almaty Museum of Arts, which opened last year. Designed by the British firm Chapman Taylor, its two interlocking forms represent the mountains and the city—one clad in limestone, the other in aluminium. Inside, the collection spans modern and contemporary art from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and beyond, offering a dialogue between the region's past and present.
Come hungry
The Green Bazaar is the perfect place to explore Almaty's culinary side. Apples share space with dried fruit, nuts, and local produce, while the surrounding food scene blends Kazakh staples with dishes familiar across Central Asia. Try beshbarmak, a hearty dish of meat over flat pasta, or kazy, a traditional horsemeat sausage. Dairy lovers should sample kurt (salty dried curd balls) and kumys (fermented mare's milk with a tangy kick).
Make room for plov, a rice pilaf, lagman noodles, or steamed manty dumplings. The variety of flavours reflects the many communities that have shaped the city over the centuries. Almaty's appeal shifts with the seasons: winter brings skiing, warmer months invite mountain walks, and the museums, markets, and food scene keep things interesting all year.
Almaty also serves as a gateway to wider Central Asian travel, with flight connections to Europe and East Asia, and proximity to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan. But before moving on, leave a few days for the city itself—its mountain mornings, street art, and market flavours are reasons to linger.
For those interested in the region's economic shifts, Kazakhstan's recent moves in gold reserves have been notable, as Kazakhstan sold gold while Poland and China bought. Meanwhile, the country is pushing ahead with a €18 billion clean energy push backed by the EBRD, signalling a broader transformation beyond the tourist trail.
