Kathmandu

The medieval royal square at the heart of the old city, a UNESCO site crammed with pagoda temples, palaces and shrines — the old Hanuman Dhoka palace, towering temples and the courtyard home of the Kumari, Nepal's living goddess. Damaged in the 2015 earthquake and much restored, it's still magnificent; wander its temples, watch the life around them, and soak up centuries of Newari craftsmanship.

The ancient hilltop stupa in the west, its gilded spire painted with the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha, fluttering with prayer flags and swarming with cheeky monkeys. Climb the steep stairway for a sweeping view over the whole valley, spin the prayer wheels, and feel the mingling of Buddhist and Hindu worship. One of Nepal's holiest and most iconic sights, magical at dawn or dusk.

One of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal — a vast white dome topped by the Buddha's watchful eyes, ringed by monasteries and circled endlessly by maroon-robed monks and pilgrims spinning prayer wheels. Deeply serene and atmospheric; join the kora (clockwise circuit), then watch it all from a rooftop café at dusk as butter lamps flicker. Unforgettable.

Nepal's holiest Hindu temple, a sprawling complex on the sacred Bagmati river where open-air cremations take place on the ghats — a profound, unflinching encounter with life, death and devotion, amid sadhus (holy men), monkeys and temples. Non-Hindus can't enter the main shrine but watch respectfully from across the river. Intense and moving; one of the most powerful places in the country.

Across the river in the sister city of Lalitpur lies the most beautiful of the valley's three royal squares — a dazzling ensemble of Newari palaces, stone and metalwork temples and the superb Patan Museum, in a city famed for its artisans and metalworkers. Quieter and more graceful than Kathmandu's, it's a highlight of the valley; wander the square and the craft workshops in the lanes around it.

The traveller heart of Kathmandu — a buzzing tangle of lanes crammed with trekking-gear shops, pashmina and singing-bowl stalls, bookshops, cafés and bars, rickshaws weaving through the crowds. Chaotic and touristy, but great fun and endlessly useful: kit out for a trek, hunt for souvenirs, and eat everything from momos to wood-fired pizza. Every Nepal adventure begins here.

Nepal's food is a delicious surprise — above all the momo, the beloved steamed or fried dumpling, plus the everyday dal bhat feast, spicy Newari specialities like choila and bara, and Tibetan thukpa noodle soup and butter tea. Eat momos everywhere, seek out a traditional Newari restaurant for a proper spread, and wash it down with local Gorkha beer or millet raksi. Hearty, warming and cheap.

The frenetic beating heart of old Kathmandu's commerce — Asan Tole and Indra Chowk, a maze of teeming market lanes selling spices, grains, textiles, brass, beads and everyday goods, with hidden shrines at every turn. A gloriously chaotic, un-touristy plunge into daily Newari life; wander with your senses open (and your bag close), and watch the city trade as it has for centuries.

A beautifully restored neo-classical garden right beside Thamel — a serene walled oasis of fountains, pavilions, lawns and a lovely café, a world away from the dust and horns just outside the gate. The perfect refuge to rest, read or have a coffee between the temples and the bustle; small but blissful, and a favourite escape for travellers and locals alike.

A one-hour scenic flight along the Himalaya at dawn — cruising past a wall of the world's highest peaks, Everest included, close enough to fill the window, without a single step of trekking. Every passenger gets a window seat and a turn in the cockpit; unforgettable and, on a clear morning, worth every penny. The easiest possible way to meet the mountains that draw people to Nepal.

Join the pilgrims on the kora — the meditative clockwise circuit around the great Boudhanath stupa — spinning the prayer wheels as monks chant and butter lamps glow, then explore the surrounding Tibetan monasteries and refugee quarter. A deeply peaceful, immersive experience of living Buddhism; end on a rooftop café watching the crowds circle the dome at dusk. The soul of Buddhist Kathmandu.

A serene Tibetan Buddhist monastery on a hill above Boudhanath, home to hundreds of monks and famous for its meditation and Buddhism courses — but also simply a beautiful, peaceful place to visit, with gardens, a gilded temple and a wonderful view over the valley. Watch the young monks debate, soak up the calm, and get a gentle taste of monastic life. A tranquil escape above the city.

The former royal palace, opened as a museum after Nepal abolished its monarchy in 2008 — grand 1960s state rooms and royal apartments, and the poignant site of the 2001 royal massacre that hastened the monarchy's end. A fascinating, slightly eerie window into recent Nepali history and the vanished world of its kings; a cool, offbeat hour near the centre.

On Durbar Square stands the ornately carved wooden house of the Kumari — a young girl worshipped as a living goddess, chosen through ancient ritual, who occasionally appears at her latticed window to the courtyard below. A unique, spellbinding tradition found only in Nepal; admire the exquisite Newari woodcarving of the courtyard, and if you're lucky, glimpse the goddess herself (no photos of her).

After dark Thamel comes alive — live-music bars playing everything from rock covers to Nepali folk, rooftop lounges, cheap cocktails and cosy pubs full of trekkers swapping tales of the trail. Relaxed and friendly rather than wild; toast a summit or a safe return with a Gorkha beer, catch a band, and enjoy the buzz of travellers from every corner of the globe. The perfect end to a Kathmandu day.