Kathmandu Valley
Patan
Just across the Bagmati river, the old capital of the Newar craftsmen: a royal square of stone and wooden temples, and the finest museum in Nepal.
- Region: Kathmandu Valley
- Time needed: 1 day
- Entry: 1,000 NPR (≈ €6) (museum included)
- From Kathmandu: 20 to 30 min
At a glance
Patan, which Nepalis call Lalitpur, “the city of beauty”, now merges with Kathmandu: you just cross the Bagmati. Yet it was a separate kingdom until the 18th century, and it has kept its character: brick lanes, Buddhist monastery courtyards on every block, and workshops where bronze statues are still cast by the lost-wax process.
Its royal square is the most harmonious of the valley's three, and the old palace houses Patan Museum, the best in the country for understanding Nepal's Hindu and Buddhist art. Half a day covers the essentials; a full day lets you get lost in the courtyards and craft quarters. Many travellers stay here to escape the noise of Thamel.
Don't miss
- The royal square early in the morning, when locals make the round of the temples.
- Patan Museum: bronzes, wood carvings, and a peaceful courtyard with a café.
- The courtyard of the Golden Temple, a Buddhist monastery clad in gilded copper.
- The bronze-casters' and carvers' workshops around the square.
Less good
- Still some scaffolding on the square in 2026 (rebuilding after the 2015 earthquake).
- Heavy traffic to get there from Thamel at rush hour.
- Less spectacular than Bhaktapur if you only have time for one of the two.
In pictures
What to see
The royal square ticket (1,000 NPR (≈ €6) for non-SAARC foreigners, checked in September 2026) includes the museum; you can leave and come back the same day. Other sites charge separately at the entrance.
UNESCO
Durbar Square
1,000 NPR (≈ €6)
A row of temples facing the old royal palace: the Krishna Mandir, a stone temple from 1637 whose interior is for Hindus only, the Bhimsen temple, the Taleju bell. Inside the palace, the Sundari Chowk courtyard and its carved royal bath, the Tusha Hiti, and the Mul Chowk courtyard, the oldest, still partly under restoration.
- Time
- 1 to 1 h 30
- Tip
- Keep your ticket: it also covers the museum and re-entry the same day.
Included in the ticket
Patan Museum
Housed in the Keshav Narayan Chowk courtyard of the old palace and carefully restored. Its rooms explain how to read a Hindu or Buddhist statue, how bronze is cast, how a temple is built. The garden café at the back is one of the calmest spots in the valley.
- Time
- 1 h 30 to 2 hours
- Hours
- about 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, closed on some public holidays
5 min north
Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar)
100 NPR (≈ €0.6)
A 12th-century Buddhist monastery with a façade clad in gilded copper and sacred turtles in the courtyard. Take off your shoes and leave leather items (belts, bags) at the entrance. Best in the morning, during prayers.
- Time
- 30 min
10 min north
Kumbheshwar
free
One of only two five-roofed temples in the valley, with Bhaktapur's Nyatapola, dedicated to Shiva in a very lively neighbourhood. Its ponds are said to be fed by the sacred lake of Gosainkunda. The courtyard is open to all; the inner shrine is for Hindus only.
- Time
- 30 min
10 min south-east
Mahabouddha
The “temple of a thousand Buddhas”, a terracotta tower covered with small Buddha figures, squeezed into a narrow courtyard. The surrounding area is the bronze-casters' quarter: you can watch the workshops and, of course, buy.
- Time
- 30 min
Planning your visit
In half a day
Arrive early, before 9 am. Durbar Square, then the museum when it opens (10:30), and the Golden Temple before lunch. Ideal before heading to Bhaktapur in the afternoon, as in Nepal in 7 days.
In a full day
Add Kumbheshwar to the north, the bronze-casters' quarter and Mahabouddha to the south-east, through the inner courtyards. Lunch at the museum café or in Jhamsikhel.
For a quiet base
Patan is a good base for the whole valley: quieter than Thamel, 20 min from Kathmandu's Durbar Square, and closer to the road to Bhaktapur.
Getting there
Taxi or ride-hailing from Thamel
Pathao and InDrive show the price upfront. Ask for “Patan Durbar Square” or “Mangal Bazar”.
Local bus or microbus
From Ratna Park, towards Lagankhel; get off at Patan Dhoka or Mangal Bazar, then walk a few minutes.
On foot
Possible via the Thapathali bridge over the Bagmati, but along very busy roads. Best kept for the return, at the end of the day.
Getting around locally
On foot
All of old Patan is walkable: 10 min separate the royal square from the Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar or Mahabouddha.
Where to stay
Around Durbar Square
Guesthouses in restored old Newar houses, often with a roof terrace overlooking the temples. The loveliest setting, sometimes small rooms.
Jhamsikhel and Pulchowk
A residential area 15 min on foot west of the square: cafés, restaurants, newer hotels, many expats and NGOs. Practical and quiet.
When to come
bestpossiblenot advised
Same climate as Kathmandu: best from October to December, pleasant until April, rainy but visitable during the monsoon (June to September). The museum is a good refuge on a rainy afternoon.
Festivals
| Rato Machhindranath Jatra | April to June The valley's longest festival: a giant chariot, as tall as a building, is pulled by rope through Patan for weeks, as far as Jawalakhel, where the god's sacred vest is shown to the public (Bhoto Jatra). |
| Janai Purnima | July–August Pilgrimage to the Kumbheshwar temple; Hindus renew their sacred thread and bathe in the pond. |
| Krishna Janmashtami | August–September Krishna's birthday: crowds and singing all night in front of the Krishna Mandir. |
Dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year.
Good to know
You get your visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport or at the border: form, fees and pitfalls to avoid on our dedicated site.
Visa Nepal →Fancy a few days of walking? Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Langtang… permits, guides, transport and day-by-day itineraries on our trekking site.
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