Flights to Almaty from €349.27

The city of winter entertainment and greenery – Almaty

The biggest city of Kazakhstan, Almaty, is often called the home of apples. It is said that city locals were the first ones to start growing apples. However, Almaty beckons more with its amazing park-decorated landscape and many winter entertainment opportunities. We recommend travelling to Almaty in the warm seasons, because that is when the true beauty of the city is revealed.

How to travel?

Cheap flights to Almaty end in the main international airport of the city. City centre can be the reached by bus or taxi. Almaty streets are also busy with trolleybuses and trams, and there is a recently reconstructed Almaty subway system also available. Purchase an e-ticket beforehand, as this way your travels will be easier and cheaper.

What to taste?

We recommend trying some of the most impressive traditional Kazakh dishes. They are usually prepared from horse meat and sheep meat. The locals are especially fond of beshbarmak, a dish made from sheep meat with boiled noodles. Local also like kazy (smoked horse meat or fat stuffed into horse intestines), dumplings, kabyrga (lamb rolls), and pilaff.

Try some shuzhuk, or cured horse meat sausage, kuyrdak, which is roasted horse, sheep, or cow offal, and some basturma, or spicy smoked horse meat. If you crave for something sweet, look for fied honey and nuts cake called chak chak. Also worth trying is kurt, a special kind of curdled-milk cheese. You can quench your thirst with some kumys, which is a fermented mare’s milk product, with strong black tea, or with some local beer.

What to see?

Almaty is one of the greenest cities in the world. Here you will see plenty of meticulously cared for parks, squares, and rosaries. Right at the centre of the city is the main Almaty mosque, and the Zenkov Cathedral is also just nearby. Kok Tobe Mountain raises its TV Tower high into the sky, and one can find a beautiful panoramic view of the city here as well.

Another sightseeing object is the vast Green Market, brimming with return gift ideas, souvenirs, snacks, and even something for your lunch. Visit Almaty’s Central State Museum and the Museum of National Musical Instruments, as well as Gorky Park, which is the central Almaty park housing a zoo inside.

What to do?

Former capital of Kazakhstan is surrounded by the breathtaking Tian Shan Mountains. There is a Medeo Sport Complex with a skating rink just on the outskirts of the city, and the nearby Chimbulak ski resort offers even more winter entertainment. You should also visit the Big Almaty Lake located deep within the mountains. Finally, the eastern baths of Almaty will help you recover your strength and feel refreshed.

Almaty is a great place to see the many contrasts of Kazakhstan. After getting fully acquainted with the city, head over to the ultramodern capital, all the while admiring the beauty of numerous prairies and ravines of Kazakhstan.