Almaty

Crammed into a small crevice where the Kazakh steppe morphs into the rugged tops of the Ile-Alatau Mountains, the city of Almaty is now one of the beating cultural and economic kingpins of Central Asia. Recent oil money has bolstered the town with a cosmopolitan population of expats, Russian emigres and Kazakh business folks, which has also brought buzzing bars and fine-dining restaurants.

Almaty is home to diverse tourist attractions. There are the telling remnants of the Soviet age, the stark whitewash of the Presidential Palace and the sprawling Republic Square juxtaposed with astoundingly beautiful cathedrals, natural lakes and even the throbbing fashion street of Arbat– think endless malls and knock-off clothes labels. Along with this, Almaty tour guides often delve into the National Museum to reveal the deeper past of this town, going all the way back to the days of the great Ghengis Khan and the hordes of the Mongol Empire. And when the city gets too much, be sure to make for the mountains, to the ski resorts at Chimbulak and the huge Medeo ice rink. For apple lovers, there is an extensive diversity among the wild apples in the region that you can choose from!