Patan

Newar temples, a palace museum and bronze casters across the river

Patan, also called Lalitpur, is the old city of craftsmen 5 km south of central Kathmandu across the Bagmati River. Its Durbar Square is the best preserved of the valley's three, and the Patan Museum is the finest in Nepal. We visit as a full day from Kathmandu, as Patan has no true luxury hotel.

Photo: Clemensmarabu · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Patan, officially Lalitpur, was one of three Newar kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley, and for centuries its kings competed with those of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur in temple building. The result is a dense old city of brick and carved timber, full of Buddhist courtyards, called bahal, stone water spouts and pagodas. Its heart is Patan Durbar Square, one of the valley's seven World Heritage monument zones. The city sits at about 1,350 m, roughly 5 km south of central Kathmandu across the Bagmati River, and the two have now grown together.

Patan's reputation rests on its craftsmen. Its metalworkers have cast bronze and copper images by the lost-wax method for centuries, and their work fills monasteries across the Himalaya. Woodcarvers, stone carvers and painters still work in the lanes around the square. Patan is also more Buddhist in character than Kathmandu, with large monastery courtyards such as the Golden Temple standing near Hindu shrines like the stone Krishna Mandir of 1637. The mix of faiths, and their easy closeness, is one of the things we most want guests to see.

There is no true luxury hotel in Patan, so we stay in Kathmandu and come for a full day, or for two half-days. The drive from Dwarika's Hotel takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. The best light is in the morning, before the square fills, and a long lunch in a courtyard restaurant leaves the afternoon free for workshops and side lanes. The Rato Machhindranath chariot festival, held over several weeks in April and May, fills the streets and is worth planning around.

Highlights

What Patan does best

Patan Durbar SquareThe old royal square packs temples, a palace and stone pillars into a compact space, with the hills behind. Krishna Mandir, a stone shikhara temple of 1637, stands at the north end. Several buildings were rebuilt after 2015. A foreign visitor fee applies to the square; check current status before you travel.
Patan MuseumSet in Keshav Narayan Chowk, part of the old palace, the museum displays Hindu and Buddhist bronzes, wood carving and ritual objects with clear English labels. The restored courtyard and the garden café behind it make it, in our view, the best museum in Nepal. Allow at least 90 minutes.
The Golden TempleHiranya Varna Mahavihar, a Buddhist monastery a few minutes north of the square, has a gilded facade, a courtyard of bells and prayer wheels, and resident turtles. A young boy serves as temple priest for a month at a time. Shoes and leather items are left at the entrance.
Lost-wax metal workshopsPatan's metal casters model figures in wax, encase them in clay, melt out the wax and pour in bronze or copper, then spend days chasing and gilding the result. We visit a family workshop to watch each stage at close quarters, and there is no obligation to buy anything.
Mahabouddha and KumbheshwarMahabouddha is a tall shikhara temple covered in terracotta tiles, each bearing a small image of the Buddha, tucked into a narrow courtyard. Kumbheshwar, north of the square, is a five-tiered Shiva temple whose ponds are said to be fed by a sacred lake high in the mountains.
Rato Machhindranath festivalEach spring, a towering chariot carrying the red rain god is pulled through Patan in stages over several weeks in April and May. It is one of the valley's oldest and longest festivals, with whole neighbourhoods turning out to haul. Dates follow the lunar calendar; check current status before you travel.

Experiences

Four hours to plan around

culture · 3.5 hours Patan Durbar Square and the Patan Museum Patan, Nepal

craft · 2 hours Lost-wax bronze casting with a Patan family Patan, Nepal

spiritual · 2 hours The Golden Temple and Patan's Buddhist courtyards Patan, Nepal

food · 3 hours A Newar food walk through old Patan Patan, Nepal

Getting there

How to reach Patan

Air

Fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), Kathmandu. Patan is about 7 km from the airport, or 20 to 30 minutes by car outside rush hours. Most guests visit from a Kathmandu hotel rather than going straight to Patan on arrival.

Road

From central Kathmandu, Patan is about 5 km south across the Bagmati River, 20 to 40 minutes by private car depending on traffic. From Bhaktapur it is about 15 km, 40 to 60 minutes. Our driver drops you at the edge of the old city and collects you after the walk.

On foot

Inside Patan, walking is the only sensible way to move. Lanes are narrow and many courtyards are reached through low passages. The main sights, from Durbar Square to the Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar and Mahabouddha, lie within about 1 km of each other.

Where to stay

Rooms we book

Patan has no true luxury hotel, and we say so plainly. A few simple heritage guesthouses in restored Newar houses near Durbar Square are comfortable enough for travellers who want to wake in the old city, but they lack the space and service our guests usually expect. We base most guests at Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu, 20 to 40 minutes away, and visit Patan as a full day. Hotel Yak & Yeti and the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel are also within easy reach. For an evening in Patan, we arrange dinner in a courtyard restaurant and drive back afterwards.

From our planners

Five things to know

Arrive at Durbar Square by 9 am, before day groups, and spend the hottest part of the day inside the museum.
Remove shoes and leather belts or bags before entering the Golden Temple and other monastery courtyards.
Objects over 100 years old cannot legally leave Nepal, so buy new work with a receipt; check current status before you travel.
Leave the afternoon for a workshop and a slow walk through the northern courtyards rather than rushing on to another site.
During Rato Machhindranath in April and May, streets on the chariot route close and crowds are dense, so we plan the walk around them.

Questions travellers ask

Questions about Patan

How far is Patan from Kathmandu?

Patan is about 5 km south of central Kathmandu, across the Bagmati River, and the two cities have now grown together. By private car the drive takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. From Dwarika's Hotel or the airport the time is similar. Most guests visit Patan as a full day from a Kathmandu hotel.

Is Patan worth visiting if I have seen Kathmandu Durbar Square?

Yes. Patan's Durbar Square is better preserved and quieter, and the Patan Museum explains the art you will have seen elsewhere in the valley. Patan also has a stronger Buddhist character, with monastery courtyards, the Golden Temple and working metal workshops. If you have time for only one of the valley's royal squares, we usually suggest Patan.

Are there luxury hotels in Patan?

No, Patan has no true luxury hotel. There are a few simple heritage guesthouses in restored Newar houses near the square, comfortable enough for a night if you want to wake in the old city. Most of our guests stay at Dwarika's Hotel or another Kathmandu hotel, 20 to 40 minutes away, and visit Patan as a full day.

How much time do I need in Patan?

A full day is ideal: a morning for Durbar Square and the museum, lunch in a courtyard, and an afternoon for the Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar and a metal workshop. Half a day covers the square and museum only. If you are keen on crafts or photography, two half-days, one early morning and one late afternoon, work very well.

What is Patan famous for?

Patan is known for its Durbar Square, its metal casters and its Buddhist monastery courtyards. Its craftsmen have made bronze and copper images by the lost-wax method for centuries, for clients across the Himalaya. The Patan Museum, the Krishna Mandir of 1637 and the Golden Temple are its best-known sights, and it hosts the Rato Machhindranath chariot festival.

When is the Rato Machhindranath festival in Patan?

The festival begins in April or May and runs for several weeks, as a tall chariot carrying the red rain god Machhindranath is pulled in stages through Patan. Dates follow the lunar calendar, and the closing ceremony, Bhoto Jatra, usually falls in May or June. Check current status before you travel, and we will plan your Patan day around a stage of the pull.

Are Patan and Lalitpur the same place?

Yes. Lalitpur is the official name of the city and district, and Patan is the older name most people still use for the historic centre. Newar residents also call it Yala. On maps and road signs you will see Lalitpur Metropolitan City, and the main sights are grouped around Patan Durbar Square in the old core of the city.

Can I buy handicrafts in Patan?

Yes, Patan is one of the best places in Nepal to buy metalwork, wood carving and thangka paintings. Buy from workshops or established shops, ask for a receipt and a written description, and avoid pieces sold as antiques. Nepal restricts the export of objects over 100 years old; check current status before you travel. Larger items can be shipped home.

Was Patan damaged in the 2015 earthquake?

Yes. Several temples in Patan Durbar Square fell or were badly damaged, along with many houses in the old city. Much of the square has been rebuilt using traditional brick, timber and carved struts, and it is fully worth visiting. Some buildings may still have scaffolding. We check the state of the work before your visit; check current status before you travel.