Almaty: what to see in 1 day

The Panfilov Park opens the route: the large urban park dedicated to soldiers fallen in World War II hosts the Zenkov Ascension Cathedral, built entirely in wood without a single nail and among the tallest wooden buildings in the world.

A few steps away is the Central State Museum, which collects artifacts from Kazakh history from nomadic times to the Soviet era.

Continuing toward the center you reach the Green Bazaar, the covered market where spices, dried meat, and dairy products are sold according to the tradition of the Central Asian steppes.

For lunch, the restaurants around the Green Bazaar offer beshbarmak and the other dishes of Kazakh cuisine.

The rest of the day offers a choice between Kok Tobe, the panoramic hill above the city reached by cable car, with a small amusement park and an open view of all Almaty surrounded by mountains.

Arbat Street, the pedestrian street of the center, instead brings together cafés, street musicians, and shops of local craftsmanship.

As evening falls, heading back to the center, the restaurants around Arbat Street are the obvious place to dine, with the mountains darkening against the sky behind the city.

Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, and Green Bazaar already tell Almaty's historical soul well, while an afternoon choice between Kok Tobe and Arbat Street adds the panoramic or urban dimension.

The Medeu skating rink, at high altitude among the mountains, and a trip to Charyn Canyon remain chapters for a second journey. Watching the snow-capped peaks of the Tian Shan close the horizon behind Zenkov Cathedral remains Almaty's most memorable detail.