Leafy avenues at the foot of snowy peaks
Almaty lies at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau, whose snowy peaks form the backdrop to almost every street. The city is leafy and relaxed, with Soviet-era buildings, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilov Park and the Green Bazaar, where you can try horse meat, kurt and kumys. A cable car climbs Kok-Tobe hill for views, and within half an hour you can be at Medeu ice rink or skiing at Shymbulak. Further afield lie Big Almaty Lake, the Kolsai lakes and Charyn Canyon.