KATHMANDU
Capital city of Nepal

The country's capital and largest city simultaneously reeks of history and the wear and tear of increasing modernity. The tightly packed historical center, with its squares and temples, continues to preserve a world light years away from the shantytowns, expensive hotels, restaurants and shops on the city's outskirts. Kathmandu's core is Durbar Square, with the Vishnumati River to the west and Ratna Park to the east.

PATAN or LALITPUR
City of Wood Carvers

Patan, the second-largest city in the valley, lies just across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu, but it's a much quieter and less frenetic place to visit. The city is proud of its temples and artisans, and it is their handiwork that provides the focus of the stunning Durbar Square - choc-a-block with the largest display of Newari architecture in Nepal. It includes the Royal Palace, which contains a richly decorated bathtub, and the two-tiered brick Jagannarayan Temple. Look up to the roof struts to see carvings of figures engaged in quite athletic acts of intercourse.

BHAKTAPUR or BHADGAON
City of potteries

Bhaktapur is in many ways the most medieval of the three major cities in the Kathmandu Valley. Despite recent development, the city still retains a distinctly timeless air with much of its glorious architecture dating from the end of the 17th century. Most sights can be easily traversed by foot and include yet another Durbar Square, which is infinitely larger than Kathmandu's and has its fair share of temples, statues and columns, many with grisly histories behind them. For instance, the sculptor of the Ugrachandi & Bhairab Statues had his hands chopped off to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces.

PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE
Temple of Lord Shiva

The country's pre-eminent Hindu temple and one of the most significant Shiva temples on the subcontinent. As the Bagmati is a holy river, Pashupatinath has become a popular place to be cremated - the ghats (river steps) immediately in front of the temple are reserved for the cremation of royalty, while those a little further south are for the riff-raff.

BOUDHANATH STUPA
Largest Buddhist monument in Nepal

Another site with a religious bent is the huge stupa of Boudhanath, which is the largest in the country and among the largest in the world. It's also the center for Nepal's considerable population of Tibetans. Early morning or late afternoon is good time to visit. This is when prayer services are held and the locals turn out to walk around the stupa, (if you want to join in, remember to walk in a clockwise direction). Surrounding Boudhanath are a number of monasteries, but be discreet and respectful if you intend visiting them.

Pokhara
One of the most beautiful holiday destinations in Asia

The city of Pokara is renowned for its setting rather than its historical or cultural endowments. Its quiet lakeside location and proximity to the mountains mean it is an ideal place for recovering from (or gearing up for) a trek, taking leisurely strolls or simply putting your nose in a good book. And wouldn't you know it, Pokhara has some of the country's best accommodation and restaurants as well. There's a batch of Tibetan settlements, a hilltop monastery and the pretty Devi Falls nearby. Day walks can be taken to Sarangkot (1592m), the limestone caves at Mahendra Gufa or Rupa and Begnas Tals lakes. More exertion (but not much more) will be required to tackle the three to four-day Annapurna circuit.