Kathmandu Valley heritage sites: the seven zones

Kathmandu's old royal square, also called Basantapur or Hanuman Dhoka, sits at the southern end of the old city. The palace complex of Hanuman Dhoka is named after the red-cloaked statue of the monkey god at its gate, and parts of the palace now house a museum. Across the square is the Kumari Ghar, the carved house of the Kumari, the living goddess: a young Newar girl chosen as the incarnation of the goddess Taleju. She sometimes appears briefly at an upper window of the inner courtyard; photographing her is not allowed.

The square is busiest from late morning. We start early, around 8 am, when the temple steps fill with people bringing offerings, then walk north through the old trade lanes of Indra Chowk and Asan, where spice, bead and brass sellers work from tiny shopfronts. In late August or September the square is the main stage for Indra Jatra, when the Kumari is pulled through the city on a chariot. The 2015 earthquake hit this square hard; several temples have been rebuilt and others are still under work.

Patan, or Lalitpur, lies about 5 km south of central Kathmandu across the Bagmati, at around 1,350 m, and its Durbar Square is the most complete of the three. The palace faces a row of temples, including the stone Krishna Mandir, built in 1637 in the shikhara style. Inside the palace, the Keshav Narayan Chowk courtyard houses the Patan Museum, the museum we rate most highly in Nepal for understanding Hindu and Buddhist sacred art, with clear labels and well-lit galleries.

A short walk north takes you to the Golden Temple, Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, a Buddhist monastery courtyard with gilded roofs, and to Kumbheshwar, a five-tiered temple to Shiva. To the south-east is Mahabouddha, a terracotta temple covered in images of the Buddha. Patan is also the centre of Nepal's metal casting: family workshops still make bronze and copper statues by the lost-wax method, and we arrange visits with craftsmen. In April and May the Rato Machhindranath chariot is hauled through Patan's streets. Patan has no true luxury hotel, so we visit from Kathmandu.

Bhaktapur, about 13 km east of Kathmandu and 30 to 60 minutes by car depending on traffic, is the best preserved of the three old cities. Most of the centre is free of cars, and life still moves around three linked squares. Durbar Square holds the 55-Window Palace and the gilded Golden Gate, which leads towards the Taleju temple courtyard. A short walk away, Taumadhi Square is dominated by the Nyatapola, a five-tiered temple completed in 1702 and the tallest temple in the valley, with pairs of stone guardians lining its staircase. Dattatreya Square, further east, is surrounded by old priests' houses and the carved Peacock Window.

At Pottery Square, potters shape and dry pots in the open air, and shops in every lane sell juju dhau, the rich, sweet king curd set in clay bowls. In April, Bhaktapur celebrates Bisket Jatra at Nepali New Year, with chariots pulled through the streets. Foreign visitors pay a municipal entry fee at the gates (check current status before you travel). Bhaktapur deserves at least half a day; a full day lets you see the town after the day visitors leave. Like Patan, it has no true luxury hotel.

Swayambhunath sits on a wooded hill west of the city. The traditional approach is the long stone stairway on the eastern side, past carved Buddhas and the troops of monkeys that give the site its nickname. At the top, the white dome and gilded tower painted with the Buddha's eyes look out over the whole valley. Go in the early morning, when local Buddhists and Hindus walk the circuit and light butter lamps, and on a clear day look north-east for the Himalaya.

Boudhanath, in the north-east of the city, is one of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Kathmandu's Tibetan community. Monasteries, thangka painters' studios and tea houses ring the circular plaza. Its best hour is dusk, when hundreds of people walk the kora clockwise around the stupa, spinning prayer wheels and murmuring mantras; we join them, then take tea on a rooftop as the lamps are lit. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu is a short walk from the stupa, and Kopan Monastery, on a hill to the north, offers a quieter view of monastic life.

Pashupatinath, on the banks of the Bagmati near the airport, is the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal and one of the most important Shiva shrines in South Asia. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main temple, but much of the complex around it is open: terraces, smaller shrines, wandering sadhus, and the cremation ghats along the river, where families bring their dead for the final rites. Visitors watch from the east bank. It is a place of mourning first, so we keep our distance, dress modestly and never photograph grieving families. In the evening, priests perform the aarti on the riverbank with lamps, bells and chanting, and visitors are welcome to watch.

Changu Narayan is the quietest zone and is widely held to be the oldest temple in the valley. It stands on a ridge about 6 km north of Bhaktapur, reached by a winding road through farmland. The two-tiered temple to Vishnu is covered in carved roof struts and surrounded by stone sculptures, some from the Licchavi period more than 1,500 years ago. The walk down from Changu Narayan to Bhaktapur takes about two hours and makes a good half-day with lunch in the old city.

With a private car and guide, three days cover all seven zones without rushing, with time for meals and rest at the hotel. We stay at Dwarika's Hotel in Battisputali, close to Pashupatinath and Boudhanath, whose own collection of salvaged Newari carved woodwork makes a good introduction to what you will see in the squares.

• Day one: Swayambhunath at 7 am, Kathmandu Durbar Square, lunch, then the old markets of Indra Chowk and Asan; Boudhanath at dusk
• Day two: Patan Durbar Square, the Patan Museum, a metal casting workshop and the Golden Temple; Pashupatinath for the evening aarti
• Day three: Changu Narayan in the morning, the walk down to Bhaktapur, and the afternoon in Bhaktapur's three squares with juju dhau

If you dislike crowds, avoid Saturdays at Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath, as local families visit in numbers on the weekly holiday. Wear shoes that slip off easily for temples, cover shoulders and knees, carry small notes for offerings, and walk clockwise around stupas and shrines. Leather items are not welcome inside some Hindu temples. Ask before photographing people at prayer, and never touch offerings or step over them. Mornings from October to April are cool, so bring a light layer; by midday the squares warm up quickly.