CNN Travel names Almaty top destination for 2025
CNN Travel has released its annual list of the best places to visit in 2025, placing Almaty in the top position and describing it as Central Asia’s “capital of cool,” Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
“Central Asia’s dramatic landscapes and unique urban centers are proving to be particularly alluring,” reporter Karla Cripps wrote. According to the article, Almaty is “one of those rare cities that truly has it all,” including a vibrant culinary scene and thriving nightlife as well as a rapidly expanding arts and culture sector.
Cripps also highlighted the city’s metro stations as “works of art,” drawing parallels with its museums. The Abilkhan Kasteev State Art Museum and the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture were noted in particular. When it comes to cuisine, the article points to Almaty as the birthplace of “Neo Nomad” gastronomy, reflecting a modern reinterpretation of traditional Kazakh culinary heritage.
“Getting to Almaty is surprisingly easy, too. It can be reached via direct flights from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, while Kazakhstan offers visa-free entry to citizens of a long list of countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom,” Cripps concludes.
Other destinations featured on the list include the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India), Bequia (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Chemnitz (Germany), Eswatini and Mpumalanga Province (South Africa), and Gdańsk (Poland).
Earlier, Almaty received an award for tourism innovation at the Global Tourism Forum 2025.