For couples · Almaty · Kazakhstan
Romantic things to do in Almaty
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: МаратД, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Almaty's romance lies in its mountain setting: sunset over the city from Kok Tobe, a cable-car ride above the snowline and evening walks under the trees of the Golden Square. Couples tend to stay in Golden Square.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 2
- Area for couples
- Golden Square
- Best months
- May–June and September
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset at Kok Tobe
Ride the cable car up for dinner as the city lights come on below the mountains.
2.Talgar Pass
Take the lifts from Shymbulak to about 3,200 metres for glacier views and a warm drink at the top.
3.Ballet at the Abai Theatre
Dress up for an evening of ballet in the 1941 theatre on Kabanbay Batyr Street.
4.Evening skate at Medeu
Skate under floodlights at the mountain rink in winter.
5.Night at Kolsai
Stay in a guesthouse near the lakes and walk the shore at dawn before the day tours arrive.
Sights couples love
Viewpoint · Dostyk Avenue and Kok Tobe foothills
Kok Tobe
Go up an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight and then lit up, and check the weather: the view vanishes in winter smog.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Couples
Architecture · Golden Square
Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre
Check the programme for a Kazakh opera such as one by Mukan Tulebayev for something you will not see at home.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Art
- Couples
- Architecture
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and families
Golden Square
The 'Golden Square' (Zolotoy Kvadrat) is the most desirable part of central Almaty, a grid of tree-lined streets with irrigation channels, Soviet-era apartment blocks, embassies, cafés and restaurants. The Abai Opera House, the Kasteyev Museum of Arts and Kok Tobe's cable car are all within walking distance or a short taxi ride.
- Good
- Walkable, shaded streets; Best choice of restaurants and cafés; Central for most sights
- Watch out
- Higher hotel prices; Heavy traffic on main avenues
- Nearby
- Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kok Tobe cable car, Republic Square
Romantic day trips
- Kolsai Lakes (About 5 hours by car each way) — Three lakes stepped up a forested valley in the Kungey Alatau.
- Kaindy Lake (About 5 hours by car, last stretch by 4×4) — A lake formed after an earthquake in 1911 dammed a gorge, drowning a spruce forest whose bare trunks still rise from the turquoise water.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Beshbarmak, Lagman and Plov. Food delivery apps work well in Almaty if you want to eat in after a mountain day.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Almaty romantic?
Almaty's romance lies in its mountain setting: sunset over the city from Kok Tobe, a cable-car ride above the snowline and evening walks under the trees of the Golden Square.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Almaty?
Sunset at Kok Tobe: Ride the cable car up for dinner as the city lights come on below the mountains.
+Where should couples stay in Almaty?
Golden Square: Leafy, upscale grid of the old centre between Abay, Dostyk and Al-Farabi avenues.