Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur, about 13 kilometres east of Kathmandu, was once the capital of a medieval kingdom, and its old centre is the best preserved in the valley. Durbar Square, with its royal palace, Golden Gate and Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, is part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.

Just beyond lies Taumadhi Square, dominated by the Nyatapola Temple, a five-tiered pagoda whose steep stairway is guarded by pairs of stone figures. Wander on through brick lanes to Pottery Square, where potters shape clay on spinning wheels, and stop to try juju dhau, the town’s famous sweet curd.

Mornings and late afternoons are quieter, and the light is lovely on the carved wood. Traffic is restricted in the old town, so expect to walk. Much has been carefully restored since the 2015 earthquake.