Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur (Khwopa, 'city of devotees') was the capital of the whole valley under the early Malla kings. Its three great squares — Durbar Square with the 55-Window Palace and Golden Gate, Taumadhi with the five-storey Nyatapola temple of 1702, and Dattatreya with its woodcarving museum — are linked by brick lanes where life still follows the old calendar.

Watch potters at work in Pottery Square, eat juju dhau (king of curds), and try to visit during Bisket Jatra at Nepali New Year, when huge chariots are pulled and tugged through the streets.

What to see and do

In Durbar Square, see the Golden Gate leading to the Taleju courtyard, the 55-Window Palace, the stone Vatsala temple and the National Art Gallery. Taumadhi Square has the five-storey Nyatapola and the Bhairavnath temple; Dattatreya Square has the Peacock Window and the woodcarving and brass museums. In between, Pottery Square is full of wheels and drying pots.

Try juju dhau (king curd) in a clay bowl, and look for traditional thangka and paper-making shops.

Good to know

Foreigners pay a city entry fee, valid for a week if you register your passport. Staying overnight lets you see the squares at dawn and dusk without day-trip crowds.