Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan’s eye-catching capital, is a wonderland of surreal architecture, traditional hospitality, and blind ambition, making it the hottest destination in Central Asia for the year ahead, discovers Nick Walton
The second coldest capital city in the world (after Ulaan Batar), Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) is a fascinating metropolis that continues to rise from the Kazakh steeps. The summer months bring Nur-Sultan to life, when you’ll find its beer gardens, chic new restaurants, and world-class performance centres packed with ambitious young locals enjoying the country’s new-found fortunes.
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9 am
Kazakhstan’s national carrier, Skytrax four-star airline Air Astana, connects Hong Kong, Bangkok, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul with Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, and on to Nur-Sultan, the new one. The airline regularly wins awards for its world-class service and is rapidly expanding its network to offer connectivity between the east and the west.
10 am
Start the day right with breakfast at your hotel, the brand spanking new Ritz Carlton Astana. Located in the coveted Talan Towers development, the hotel’s 157 guest rooms include 32 suites and 27 residences, each with panoramic views of the city. Head for Mökki, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, home to both European and classic Kazakh dishes.
11.30 am
Give some context to your visit to Nur-Sultan at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which opened in 2014. Home to a staggering array of exhibitions detailing Kazakhstan’s history and heritage, look out for the Hall of Ethnography, filled with timeless pieces from the country’s nomadic culture; the Gold Man, a third or fourth century warrior that was discovered in golden armor in 1969 and which has become a natural treasure; and the regular, patriotic performances of a huge, suspended eagle in the museum’s atrium.
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1 pm
Make your way to the riverside restaurant Farhi Hall, a popular spot with visiting dignitaries. The main dining room is regal and refined and themed on the traditional yurts of the nomads. Here you can sample some of Kazakhstan’s most iconic dishes, including national staple Besbarmak, boiled horse meat with onions and pasta-like noodles; rich sorpa broth; cheese samsa pastries with beef; and smoked Kylmai sausage.
2.30 pm
For a quirky take on the capital, walk off your lunch at Khan Shatyr, a Norman Foster-designed mall that also takes its inspiration from the shape of a traditional yurt. A crowning jewel of the city’s architectural scene, Khan Shatyr was designed to give residents of Nur-Sultan, the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar, find respite from the winter months; in addition to a shopping mall, there’s a mini-golf course, food court, boating river and even an indoor beach, which makes sense when you’re this far from the ocean.
4.30 pm
The best place to see the end of a day in Nur-Sultan is atop the 105-meter-tall Bayterek Tower. The vision of late Kazak president Nursultan Nazarbayev and themed on the mythical Tree of Life, this unique golden tower features an observation platform with spectacular views of the fledgling city. Be sure to place your hand in the mould left by the president to have your wishes granted.
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6.30 pm
Take a break with the city’s style set at one of Nur-Sultan’s two Pivovaroff beer halls, one of which is located on the left bank of the Ishim River and the other on the right. Both are part of a clutch of new craft beer bars taking this traditionally vodka-swilling market by storm. Pivovaroff produces two types of beer on-site in copper vats, a light Czech-style unfiltered pilsner, and a reddish, malty dark filtered ale. Here you’ll rub shoulders with Astana’s young millennials, especially during popular weekday happy hour, when they crowd the bars for the networking, the live sports and as the night progresses, the karaoke.
8 pm
For a meal that whisks you back to the Silk Road era, head to Ali Baba Summer Restaurant, with its expansive courtyard, wait staff in traditional costume, and a menu of Kazakh, Caucasus, and Russian classics. You’ll feel like you’re dining in a nomad camp thanks to walls decorated with swords and shields, yurt-style tented booths packed with throw pillows, and a soundtrack of traditional folk music.
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Alternatively, for something a little more contemporary, head to Selfie Astana, the newest venture by Russia’s White Rabbit Family. Located at the Ritz Carlton, Selfie boasts an open kitchen by Italian designer Andrea Viakava, chic interiors by Moscow’s Valery Lizunov, and views across the Garden Ring Road, setting the scene for the cuisine of two-star chefs Vladimir Mukhin and Anatoly Kazakov, who make the most of Russian produce, including pork from Kursk, halibut from Murmansk, veal from Bryansk, asparagus from Tver, and truffles from the Crimea, to create captivating dishes packed with flavor and colour.
11 pm
Night owls can head to Cinzano, one of Astana’s most acclaimed cocktail bars, a refined red, black and cream space with an extensive cocktail list. Be sure to try an ice cold martini using locally-produced Snow Queen vodka, or the signature Negroni, and take a perch at deep-set booths beneath walls adorned with Andy Warhol stencils. Zhengis Ave 5, Astana; +7 717 234 7785
10 am
Taste the local art scene at The Has Sanat Gallery on Nurzhol Boulevard, which champions emerging and established Kazakh artists while also introducing local collectors to pieces from beyond the region. Opened in 2003, the gallery’s name means ‘real art’ in the Kazakh language and its mission is to showcase pieces that are inextricably linked to the rich cultural heritage of the country. Here you’ll find works by some of Kazakhstan’s foremost artists, including Sadyhanov, Urazbekova, Denikeev, and Beysembinova, A.Shkolnyi, E.Volkova and Assanova.
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