2019-02-01_Lonely_Planet_Traveller

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World Heritage-listed

Durbar Square

COMPILED BYCATRIONAGREWWITHCONTRIBUTIONS FROM BRADLEY MAYHEW.PHOTOGRAPHS:ANANDOART/SHUTTERSTOCK,THOMAS KELLY/ROBERT HARDING

Nepal’s capital is a riot of sights, sounds

and smells. This list will help you barrel

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the Old Town in a rickshaw, marvel at

medieval temples and more.

Gandharba Culture & Art(0097714700292)representsthecity’s

musician caste and members offer lessons in the sarangi (four-

stringed instrument played with a bow), madal (drum) and bansari

(flute). The office is located in central Thamel (on the third floor).

First time in

Kathmandu

SIGHTS

Asan Tole

(Between Durbar Square

and Thamel)

From dawn to dusk the six-spoked

junction of Asan Tole is jammed

with vegetable and spice vendors

selling everything from yak tails

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allegedly wrote his hippie-era

songKathmanduin a smoky

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Durbar Square

(Old Town)

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crowned, and where they lived

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it remains the traditional heart of

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most spectacular legacy of

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Garden of Dreams

(gardenofdreams.org.np;

Kaiser Mahal, Thamel)

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remains one of the most serene,

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a million miles from central

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Hanuman Dhoka

(Durbar Square, Old Town)

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originally founded during the

Licchavi period (4th to 8th

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was expanded considerably by

King Pratap Malla in the 17th

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palace was hit hard by the 2015

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Indra Chowk

(Old Town)

The busy street of Makhan Tole

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newspaper sellers, scanning the

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traditionally a centre for the sale

of blankets and cloth, and

merchants cover the platforms of

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Itum Bahal

(itumbaha.org; Old Town)

The long, rectangular courtyard

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bahal (Buddhist monastery

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On its western side is Kichandra

Bahal,oneoftheoldestbahals in

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EATING

1905 Suites

INTERNATIONAL £££

(1905suites.com; Naryan Chaur)

This classy restaurant is set in the

charming former residence of a

court musician, where the lovely

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snacks, an all-day breakfast

menu, salads and heavier mains

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Baan Thai THAI£££

(00 977 1 4231931; Durbar Marg)

This unpretentious place looking

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thai (young papaya and dried

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Bhojan Griha NEPALI£££

(bhojangriha.com; Dilli Bazaar)

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traditional restaurants, Bhojan

Griha is in a restored 150-year-old

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here to see the renovation of this

beautiful old building, once home

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DRINKING

Himalayan Java

(himalayanjava.com; Tridevi Marg)

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placetoloseyourselfwithabook

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Therearebreakfasts,paninis,

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Tridevi Marg outlet has a balcony

and a big-screen TV for football

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Jatra

(00 977 01 4211010;

Chaksibari Marg)

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venue for a beer and local snacks

or a full dinner, with spacious

indoor and terrace seating,

a global soundtrack and live

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Good to know