Discover Local Almaty: What to Do Around Mercure Almaty

At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Almaty, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?

Almaty in 5 picks

Kok Tobe

Take the cable car up to Almaty's highest hill for the best skyline view in town, mountains included. It's a six-minute ride over old neighbourhoods and fruit gardens, and yes, there really is a bronze Beatles statue at the top, the first monument to the band anywhere in the former USSR.

Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar)

This is where Almaty actually shops, not a market dressed up for visitors. The current hall dates from the 1970s but trading here goes back to 1875, and the spice section, run mostly by Kurdish vendors, piles saffron, cumin and dried peppers into small mountains of colour.

Medeu

The world's highest mountain skating rink sits at 1,691 metres, ringed by the Tian Shan peaks. Whether you skate or just stand at the rail, the setting alone is worth the trip up from the city.

Big Almaty Lake

A glacial lake at 2,511 metres with turquoise water that looks almost artificial. It's about an hour's drive from the city centre, so plan it as a half-day escape rather than a quick detour.

Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral

A leafy park built around the Soviet WWII memorial to the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, with the bright wooden Zenkov Cathedral at its centre. It's one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world, and it's about a 25-minute walk from the Mercure.

Where to eat
Skip the guidebook restaurants and head to the Green Bazaar's food stalls for a plate of besparmak or fresh Korean-style carrot salad from the Koryo-saram section. On Arbat Street, a pedestrian strip a five-minute walk from the hotel, cafes spill onto the pavement with Kazakh and international menus side by side.
Up into the mountains
Almaty's real trick is how fast the city gives way to peaks. Medeu and the Shymbulak ski resort above it are a straightforward taxi ride away, and even a half-day out to Big Almaty Lake feels like a different country. Bring layers: the temperature drops fast once you climb.
Right outside your hotel
Mercure Almaty City Center sits on Abylai Khan Avenue, a minute's walk from Abylai Khan Plaza mall and four minutes from Arbat walking street. The two nearest metro stations are five minutes on foot, and the airport is a 15-to-20-minute drive, so you can go from landing to the Green Bazaar within the hour.
/

FAQ

It's about an 11-minute drive to the Kok Tobe cable car station, or you can walk it in under an hour if you fancy stretching your legs first.

Yes. It's roughly an hour's drive from the city centre, so a morning departure gives you plenty of time at the lake and back for dinner.

Go hungry and go slow. Wander the spice, dairy and produce sections, sample as you go, and expect it to be busiest, and most fun, in the morning.

Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Almaty, all within reach of these picks.

View hotels
Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Almaty, all within reach of these picks

View hotels