Astana

Astana needs 1 day: the Baiterek Tower, 97 meters tall with a golden handprint at the top where visitors place their own hand to make a wish, and the Khan Shatyr, a giant 150-meter tent designed by Norman Foster housing a mall with an artificial beach inside, are the main reason to visit. June-September is best, as winters are extremely cold. It's mid-to-high priced for the region's standard. It's one of the newest capitals in the world, built almost from scratch starting in 1997 in the middle of the steppe, with an urban plan blending futuristic skyscrapers by international architects.