Bishkek: The Concrete and the Canopy

The greenest capital in Central Asia sits under a wall of snow peaks, the mountains fill the end of every avenue, and most visitors walk straight past its Soviet mosaics.

A lived in, first person guide to doing Bishkek properly: Ala-Too Square and the changing of the guard, the State History Museum, Osh Bazaar with its bread mountains and spice rows, laghman houses and shashlik terraces where the city actually eats, a full day trip into the Ala Archa gorge, and the airport bus everyone misses.

Inside the guide:

• The famous sights and best areas, from Ala-Too Square to the State History Museum and Victory Square

• Where to eat and drink: laghman houses, chaikhanas, shashlik and Kyrgyz classics, with honest safety advice for going out

• Where to stay by budget, from luxury landmarks to hostels, plus best photo spots

• Watch Out: the fake police passport check, the airport taxi hustle and bazaar pickpockets

• Logistics in depth: Tulpar cards, marshrutka fares and Yandex taxis, plus itineraries for 1, 3 and 5 days

18 full-color photographs, including 7 full page panoramics: the concrete and the canopy.