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Largest city in Kazakhstan
Photo: Kalpak Travel, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Almaty is the largest city and the financial and cultural capital of Kazakhstan. Though short on grand sights, Almaty is relentlessly pleasant, with upmarket shops, bars, and cafes tucked among lush, tree-lined streets and esplanades, while the snow-capped Trans-Ili Alatau mountains to the south give the city a beautifully dramatic backdrop.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Zenkov Cathedral
Completed in 1907 and renovated in the 2020s - new saints were painted in, though presumably they were known to the hagiographers. The iconostasis is spectacular. At 56 m this among the tallest wooden buildings in the world, which you wouldn't guess from the smoothly-painted exterior hues of custard, icing sugar and coloured marzipan - it's more like a trap for Hansel & Gretel.
Russian Orthodox church built in 1909. It was used as stables for Soviet cavalry horses but reopened as a church in 1980. Main entrance is west side from Baytursnov, but there's also a little gate from the park just south.
Grand mosque with marble walls and spacious decorated interior.
Built 1893-95 after its predecessor was destroyed by an earthquake, the church became the centrepiece of a monastery, but the complex was crushed by the communists. Only in 2007 were both restored. The tranquil monastery compound has a few other chapels you can look in on.
Svyato-Kazanskiy Sobor
Small, brightly painted Russian Orthodox Church with a gorgeously ornate interior.
Akhmet Baytursynov (1873-1937) was a Kazakh intellectual active in politics, poetry, linguistics and education, so inevitably he was shot during Stalin's "Great Purge".
Small museum of the history of the city, mountaineering and the Republic, housed in a former orphanage. Audioguide available on your own mobile device.
A small museum housing mammoths, dinosaurs and similar.
Huge collection spanning Oriental, Russian and Kazakh arts, the Stakhanovite scenes from Stalin's era are fascinating. Abilkhan Kasteev (1904-1973) was a prolific and highly decorated artist.
Displays of Kazakh history, from prehistoric times through the Mongol periods to the present. Guided tours in English and other languages are available if you call ahead, and the Hall of Anthropology (1000 tenge extra) can only be seen this way.
Small museum with fine traditional wooden facade, exhibits have signage in Kazakh, Russian and English.
Military history museum with an emphasis on Panfilov's division and Kazakhstan's involvement in the Great Patriotic War (WWII) and the Soviet War in Afghanistan. Signage is in Russian, but guided tours in English, French, Kazakh and Russian may be available. The entrance is unstaffed, turn right from lobby.
Small museum about the railways in Kazakhstan.
Dinmukhamed Kunaev (1912-1993) was First Secretary of the Kazakh Communist Party 1964-1983, then fell from grace after the death of Brezhnev. This is his apartment.
Nurgisa Tlendiev (1925-1998) was a composer who lived here in his later years.
Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961) was a distinguished Soviet-Kazakh playwright and novelist; he lived here for his last ten years. Atmospheric, but you'll need decent Russian to glean much. He's also commemorated further down the boulevard by the Auezov Theatre.
Honors the men and women from Kazakhstan who died in World War II. There's an eternal flame by the war memorial.
Small Soviet-esque fun fair perched on a hilltop, where the highlight is getting there on the cable car. (The base station is at Luganskiy 2, east end of Abay.) Up top is a series of overpriced rides, games and attractions, and two restaurants; the wildest beasts in the "mini-zoo" are some hens and goats. The park is fenced in with no access to the nearby mountains, but you can walk to or from town via the service road.
Year-round mountain spa with pools and cabin accommodation. Mixed reviews.
Uzbeki restaurant. Brace yourself for being sung at, danced at, and horse meat.
Sit-down canteen with an English menu. Low prices and offers local specialties such as horsemeat.
Inexpensive Chinese eatery, large servings. Plenty of vegetarian dishes such as tofu.
Steakhouse, mixed reviews on food quality and value for money. Good if you would like to try horse.
Chain pizzeria with filling portions, veggies won't starve.
Good Indian food.
Popular Chinese restaurant.
Good-value Indian and other Asian food.
Great Kazakh food with an interesting modern touch.
Uzbek restaurant, good food with grumpy service. They also have outlets at Abylai Khan125 and Dostyk Ave.
Good selection of meat, veggies may struggle,
A cool restaurant with great mosaics.
МиМи
Little canteen where local people go for lunch. A selection of meals unfortunately all with meat; vegetarians will have salad, samsa and mashed potatoes available. Cheap for the city.
Decent South Indian food in an air-conditioned restaurant. Lots of vegetarian options, as well as meat.
For evening drinks, gets lively after 23:00. A bit stuffy: there are strict age requirements (21+ for women, 25+ for men) and a dress code.
English pub
Kazakh pub
Western beer and Indian food
Irish pub
Kazakh beers from $2
Kazakh sport bar & pub with a variety of international beers
Very basic, only if you're stuck.
Mid-range business hotel, clean, friendly and close to main railway station.
Mostly positive reviews for this mid-price hotel.
Pleasant hotel facing the Opera House. Not to be confused with the place of the same name at Kuanyshbayev 38а, way out beyond Sayran bus station.
Creaky old place but clean, and good value for what you pay.
Central but in a quiet area, good value for money.
In a 1977 Soviet block but smart and clean.
Clean, comfy place with restaurant and pool.
Great value central Accor hotel.
Accor chain hotel, central, oasis of calm clean efficiency.
Smart hotel near the government sector.
Showing its age with crumbly fittings and indifferent service.
Upmarket hotel with 4 restaurants and indoor pool.
Grand exterior, poor scores for comfort and service.
Pleasant hotel near Dynamo stadium, pricey for what you get.
formerly Saltanat
Modern business hotel.
Plush hotel with 3 restaurants, spa and pool. The 30th-floor bar has a good view of the mountains. Service not always at the standard you expect for these prices.
Zelyoni Bazaar
A city institution, an extensive market in a lime-green concrete building. Fresh vegetables, dairy products, and meat, as well as clothing and other non-food household items. Seasonal prices, relatively expensive by Central Asia standards.
By Metro
The Metro has a single line. The northern terminus is on Raiymbek Batyr east of Almaty-2 railway station. The line runs south to Abay, then turns west along Abay to Bauyrjan Momyshuly.
By bus
The city has some 170 bus routes and 9 trolleybus routes. Use Yandex Maps for network details and journey planner. In 2026 the cash fare is 200 tenge, pay the driver or conductor on boarding.
By taxi
Yandex Go is available and works the same way as Uber. Ensure you have mobile data (see the Connect section) and order taxis this way in Almaty.
By bike
There is a city bike scheme, with pick-up/drop-off stations dotted around. Almost every bike store rents bikes, thus just ask in your hotel for a bike store.
By scooter
You can find a vast network of various scooters (samokats) spread around the town, which you can rent using their respective applications. If you know Bolt scooters in Europe - that's the same thing.
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Almaty · International · ALA
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