Spend an afternoon in Patan

Patan, also called Lalitpur, is the old city across the river from Kathmandu, and its Durbar Square is the most complete of the valley's three. Stone temples, tiered pagodas and the old palace stand close together, with locals sitting on the temple steps as they have for centuries.

Inside the palace, the Patan Museum is one of the best in South Asia: bronze and stone sculpture, explained clearly, in a beautifully restored building. Its courtyard café is a good place to rest.

Patan is a city of metalworkers and courtyards. Walk north to the Golden Temple, Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, a Buddhist monastery with a gilded facade hidden off a small lane. Look for the workshops where statues are still cast by hand.

In the evening, stay for whatever is on. Patan's galleries, courtyards and cafés host art openings, talks and small concerts, and the listings below show what is coming up.

Start with the museum while you are fresh, then walk the square and climb onto a temple plinth to watch the evening come in. Leave the lanes and courtyards for the end, when the light is low and the workshops are closing up.

Patan is small enough to cover on foot. Everything in this guide sits within a 15-minute walk of the Durbar Square.