Arbat G. Almaty — Attraction in Almaty

Your first time trip to Almaty will be incomplete without walking the streets of the city, especially to this eclectic pedestrian street. I visited and walked along this place on the weekend prior to Labor Day week, during my weeklong solo vacation. And since it’s the weekend prior to the holiday (Kazakhs celebrate Unity Day and not Labor Day on the 1st of May), the streets were abuzz and pulsing with life due to the dizzying number of crowds. Immersing yourself just by sitting down on a park bench along the pedestrian street, you will feel the vibe, culture, and camaraderie of the Kazakhs just by observing them from afar. And since it was the weekend, shops along the pedestrian street are busy plus the great number of street performers, who are busking along the pedestrianized zones, are invigorated as they seem to get their energy from the huge number of entertained audiences – I saw a very good Michael Jackson impersonator who can easily pass for the real MJ and witnessed an outdoor car show or event which I recorded an hour long video of the said event, as the cars on display were quite impressive!

Though the main Arbat pedestrian street is not too long, the pedestrianized zones of the adjacent streets from Arbat act like extensions of the main walking street itself; thus making your leisurely walks very lengthy. How long was my walk in this instance? I walked back from Seyfullin Avenue towards Arbat again and turned right upon arriving to Panfilov street, then walked leisurely towards the Abay Opera House – this took me more than 2 hours! What’s great as well is that the pedestrianized zones are well-maintained and very wide, though you do have to cross pedestrian crossings and intersections along the way. It may be quite tiring but walking along the pedestrianized zones, surrounded by the cheerful Kazakhs and the pseudo-Soviet/European architecture, was more...

As a tourist, I often find myself returning to this street during my free time. It is always lively and full of energy, with locals busking and performing both cultural and international acts. When I visited in August, the street was especially vibrant, filled with young people enjoying the atmosphere.

What I admire most about this place is how performers dedicate their time to sharing their culture with everyone around, particularly with tourists like me. I was especially intrigued the first time I saw a traditional cultural dance—it was captivating and authentic. The experience left such an impression that I came back on the following days, only to find the same performers, which made me appreciate their passion and consistency even more.

I am truly amazed by how this street preserves and promotes cultural expression, giving young people a platform to showcase their talents. It is not just entertainment but also an opportunity to witness cultural heritage being kept alive.

For safety, there is a police station nearby, and officers regularly patrol the area. This presence is reassuring, especially since occasional incidents involving intoxicated individuals can occur. Despite that, the overall environment feels safe and welcoming, making it an enjoyable place to spend time...

The Zhibek Zholy street that is oftentimes called 'Arbat' (after the famous Moscow street) is the most well-known walking street in Almaty.

The street itself is quite long, it situated mostly between Small Almatinka (Kishi Almaty) and Essentai (Vesnovka) rivers, and goes in the direction from the East to the West. However, its walking part is much shorter and located close to the historical center of the city. If we walk to the East, it is from Seifullin street corner where it is combined (walking and driving) to the Abylai Khan avenue where it becomes walking till Kaldayakov street near the Green Bazaar. The major points along its way are TSUM (ЦУМ) market, Silk Way and Univermag (Универмаг), old historical buiding of Kyzyl-Tan (Tkani) shop which was built in 1912 by Andrei Zenkov and the Green Bazaar main entrance.

Arbat is the favorite place for street musicians and artists to gather, especially close to where it intersects the Panfilov street. Here you can enjoy the local and foreign street food at the numerous eateries as well as do the shopping while walking to/from Green Bazaar area. That's the ideal place to spend some time to feel the vibrant atmosphere...