Kazakhstan’s continental climate brings sweltering summers and freezing winters. In the capital city, Astana (now Nur-Sultan), temperatures can plummet to -40°C (-40°F) during the winter months.
The vast, open steppe amplifies the cold, making it one of the chilliest countries in Central Asia.
Check out ten of the world’s best castle hotels, from Rapunzel’s Tower in South Africa to a former getaway of Czech aristocrats, that are filled with royal charm.