A short travel guide for Astana where the Kairat-Olympiacos match will take place.
Olympiacos will travel to faraway Astana in Kazakhstan for the clash against Kairat Almaty (9/12), on Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League. Its hard to believe that until 1997, when it became the capital, this city was just a village in the middle of nowhere. Today, Astana is an ultra-modern city (designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa) with eccentric architecture and one of the fastest-growing capitals in the world. For those traveling there for the match, Travelgo.gr has prepared a guide to the best things to see in Kazakhstans futuristic capital.
A few words about Astana
Astana is the capital and second most populous city of Kazakhstan, after Almaty. It lies on the banks of the Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, in Akmola Region. It was founded in 1830 under the name Akmoly, as a defensive fortification of the Siberian Cossacks, and has changed names many times since then. In 1997, Akmola (as it was then called) replaced Almaty and became the capital of Kazakhstan, and a year later it was renamed Astana (meaning "the capital" in Kazakh). In 2019 the city was renamed Nur-Sultan in honor of the first president of Kazakhstan, but in September 2022 the name Astana was restored.
Astana is built in the mold of metropolises such as Brasília, Canberra and Washington. The city hosted Expo 2017. Notably, Astana is the second coldest capital in the world, after Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, a position previously held by Canadas capital, Ottawa, until Astana became the capital.
What to see and do in Astana
The view from Bayterek Tower
The white tower topped with a golden sphere is one of the citys most striking monuments. Bayterek Tower stands at the center of Nurzhol Avenue and offers panoramic 360-degree views of the city from the observation deck at a height of 97 meters.
Independence Square
If you head east from the tower, in the distance youll see the white-marble presidential palace crowned with a blue dome, and across the river lies the citys largest public space, Independence Square. There rises a soaring column topped with a golden Samruk, the mythical bird of happiness. Around the square stands a glass pyramid designed by Norman Foster, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, which houses a theater and an art gallery, the striking Hazrat Sultan Mosque and the futuristic building that houses the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Shopping in the worlds largest... tent
Another of the citys impressive constructions is the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre, which resembles a giant, translucent tent. This shopping mall was mentioned in the Guinness World Records precisely for that reason - because it is the largest tent in the world. The best time to visit Khan Shatyr is at sunset, as the sun shines through the translucent roof, giving an orange glow to the entire building.
Walking in Astana
Nurzhol Avenue is a wonderful place to unwind in the city. Walking along the avenue, from Bayterek towards Khan Shatyr, youll pass Astana Opera, a neoclassical theater that stands out from the surrounding postmodern architecture. The avenue also has many restaurants and cafes. To try traditional Kazakh food, head to Saksaul, a restaurant specializing in meat and pasta dishes.
Walk across the Atyrau Bridge
The striking Atyrau Bridge, which connects the two halves of the city, looks like a fish twisting through the water. Its covered section is decorated with thousands of metal scales, reminiscent of the Caspian beluga sturgeon, the fish that produces the famous black caviar.
The largest mosque in Central Asia
With a capacity of 235,000 people, the scale of Astanas Grand Mosque is impressive in its own right, but its the beauty of its interior that truly captures the imagination. Look up at the vast dome and climb one of the four minaret towers to reach the 130-meter-high observation deck and savor the views over the city.
