Expat from Portugal, António Henriques, shares his top picks of places in Kazakhstan's southern capital that deserve the attention of both travelers and locals alike.
António João Bettencourt Henriques, city — Almaty, consultant, Linkedin
I am a partner at a Portugal architecture firm, helping to run its local office Kazakhstan. We design all sorts of public buildings, from hotels to hospitals and even airports.
From Kazakhstan, we also execute and export high-quality BIM architecture drawings for projects around the world.
Must-see places in Almaty
Small Almaty River, Big Almaty River, and Esentai River
Although they are still not perfect, these three rivers and their central location represent the best combination of nature, sights, and diversity. I really hope the municipality will further invest in making them even better, with uninterrupted pedestrian and cycle paths, improved lighting, and more green areas.
Big Almaty Canal, named after Kunaev
An honorable mention goes to this water infrastructure, which I believe has the potential to transform the northern area of Almaty into a place of leisure and a new urbanistic centrality.
Again, I hope the municipality has big plans for it.
Radostovtsa pedestrian street
The still-developing Radostovtsa pedestrian street that links 4You Apartment Complex and the Mega Center area, parallel to Rozebakiev Street has quickly become a go-to area at almost any time of day. I happen to live nearby and have witnessed its fast evolution. This area is rapidly becoming an unmissable central part of Almaty. I hope it will continue to develop with many more cafés, restaurants, pedestrian zones, and bicycle paths.
Kamenskoe Plato
Here, you get the best views of Almaty from certain spots. It is still so raw, with all the dachas and small houses. I believe this area will be discovered soon. Perhaps it just needs some good traditional restaurants, better-maintained roads, and improved public spaces. I would suggest building public sightseeing platforms and footpaths.
Kok-Zhailau and everything around it
There are no words. I visit it several times a year. Truly world-class trails and breathtaking natural views. We should cherish it even more.
I left out the more obvious ones, such as Panfilova Street, the Esentai Mall complex, the Old Town Center, Medeo, Shymbulak, the Botanical Garden, and the central parks. I preferred to highlight places full of unrealized potential. Still, don’t forget to visit those places and the Green Bazaar at least once!
