Sightseeing · Nepal
The Best Places to Visit in Kathmandu
Durbar Square, the great stupas, Pashupatinath and the Garden of Dreams — the top places to visit in Kathmandu.
The top places to visit in Kathmandu are a tight cluster of UNESCO-listed temples, stupas and palaces that together tell the story of one of Asia's great medieval cities. While our companion guide covers the broader things to do in Kathmandu, this page focuses on the specific monuments and sites worth blocking out time for, with a sense of how they group together for easy planning.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
The old royal heart of the city, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a dense collection of pagoda temples, courtyards and the Hanuman Dhoka palace, plus the residence of the living goddess, the Kumari. It is the single best place to grasp the Newar architecture that defines the valley.
Swayambhunath and Boudhanath
Two stupas dominate the skyline. Swayambhunath crowns a forested hill in the west, its painted eyes gazing out over the city, while the colossal Boudhanath stupa in the east anchors the Tibetan Buddhist quarter and is unmissable at dusk. The latter is the centrepiece of our Tibetan Buddhist sites guide.
Pashupatinath
On the Bagmati River, Pashupatinath is Nepal's holiest Hindu temple and a place of cremation, ritual and devotion. Sitting close to Boudhanath, it completes a powerful eastern half-day. See it within the wider famous temples of Nepal.
Gardens and museums
For a calmer pace, the restored Garden of Dreams near Thamel offers neoclassical lawns and pavilions, a welcome retreat from the city's noise, while the Narayanhiti Palace Museum opens the doors of Nepal's former royal palace, the site where the monarchy formally ended in 2008. Both are easy add-ons between the bigger sights.
The old bazaars
No visit is complete without a wander through the living markets of the old city. The crossroads of Asan and Indra Chowk have been trading hubs for centuries, their lanes still piled with spices, textiles, brassware and ritual goods. Rani Pokhari, the historic tank near the city centre, and the warren of courtyards behind Durbar Square reward slow, aimless exploration far more than any guidebook tick-list.
A logical order for your days
Group the western sights — Durbar Square and Swayambhunath — into one half-day, and the eastern pair of Boudhanath and Pashupatinath into another, since each cluster sits close together. The gardens, museums and bazaars slot neatly into the gaps. With this rhythm, two unhurried days cover the city's essentials.
Across the river to Patan
When you have seen the core, cross the Bagmati to the artisan city of Patan, covered in our things to do in Patan and Lalitpur. To stitch these sights into a longer trip, see the Nepal bucket list, and choose your dates with the best time to visit Nepal.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-see places in Kathmandu?+
The must-see sights are Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), the Boudhanath stupa and the sacred Pashupatinath temple — four UNESCO-listed monuments that capture the city's Hindu and Buddhist heritage.
Are Kathmandu's main sights close together?+
Most cluster within a short drive of the centre. Durbar Square and Swayambhunath sit on the western side, while Boudhanath and Pashupatinath are close together to the east, so each pair makes a logical half-day.
Is there an entry fee for Kathmandu's sights?+
Yes, the major monument zones — Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath — each charge a foreign-visitor entry fee that helps fund conservation. The Garden of Dreams and the museums also charge modest admission.
What is a good place to visit in Kathmandu beyond the temples?+
The restored neoclassical Garden of Dreams is a peaceful escape near Thamel, while the Narayanhiti Palace Museum offers a look inside Nepal's former royal residence.
