Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This friendly, well-kept little hostel in the old city is unsigned and hard to find, so contact them ahead of arrival. It offers spacious four- and six-bed dorms, a well-equipped kitchen and two bathrooms. The entrance is up a small staircase next to Akku drycleaners, just inside the southernmost archway into the courtyard of a huge apartment block.
The hostel will pick you up from the bus or train station for 1000T.
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
3.37 MILES
This huge blue-glass-and-white-marble museum covers the history and culture of Kazakhstan from ancient to modern times. Themed halls comprise interactive…
2.65 MILES
Nur-Sultan's most extraordinary building (so far), the Khan Shatyr is a 150m-high, translucent, tentlike structure made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene …
Palace of Peace & Reconciliation
3.04 MILES
This beautiful glass-and-steel pyramid was opened in 2006 as the home for the triennial Congress of World and Traditional Religions, hosted by Kazakhstan…
ALZhIR Museum-Memorial Complex
29.21 MILES
During the Stalin years, Akmol, 35km west of Nur-Sultan, housed ALZhIR, a notorious camp for wives and children of men who were interned elsewhere as …
2.51 MILES
Nurzhol bulvar's centrepiece is this 97m-high monument, a white latticed tower crowned by a large glass orb. This embodies a Kazakh legend in which the…
0.66 MILES
The yurt-shaped museum showcases beautifully presented exhibitions on weaponry and warfare, with striking murals greeting visitors. On the ground floor,…
2.02 MILES
This rare relic of the 1950s may be gone in a few years' time, banished by the relentless wrecking ball, but for now you can see this enormous, decaying…
Ploshchad Poyushchykh Fontanov
2.54 MILES
The eastern half of Nurzhol bulvar starts with this plaza, which springs to life with music-and-water shows at 9pm on summer evenings. Further east stand…
0.66 MILES
The yurt-shaped museum showcases beautifully presented exhibitions on weaponry and warfare, with striking murals greeting visitors. On the ground floor,…
2. Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
0.87 MILES
Inside the former presidential palace, a succession of lavish galleries display gifts to President Nazarbayev from foreign governments and grateful…
1.1 MILES
The large, somewhat-untidy city park abuts the south side of the Ishim river. On its southern edge you'll find the Atameken, a 200m-long, walk-around…
1.36 MILES
The Atameken – a 200m-long, walk-around country map with models of major buildings – is quite fun.
1.48 MILES
Duman is a modern leisure centre most worth visiting for its oceanarium, which has over 3000 creatures from the world’s oceans and a 70m shark tunnel…
2.02 MILES
This rare relic of the 1950s may be gone in a few years' time, banished by the relentless wrecking ball, but for now you can see this enormous, decaying…
2.44 MILES
Striking office blocks whose tops splay outward like the pages of opening books.
8. Transport & Communications Ministry
2.46 MILES
The tall, gleaming, copper Transport & Communications Ministry, has been dubbed the ‘Lighter’ by irreverent locals. Ironically, there was a fire inside…