Past foreign visitors to Nepal themselves began calling Bhaktapur “the living museum”. The city’s name actually means “the city of devotees” and it was founded in 889 AD. With the Khasa Khusung and Hanumante Rivers on either side, Bhaktapur boasts of an immense palace complex in the center surrounded by numerous other temples which reflects the supreme craftsmanship of the city’s artisans. In the middle of the Durbar Square stands the magnificent “Pachpan Jhyaley mahal” (Palace of 55 Windows), residence of the former kings. Other “must see”s are the Big Bell, the stunningly exquisite Golden Gate, the five-tiered Nyatapola Temple, the Bhairab Temple and the woodcarving and metalwork museums in Dattaraya Square.

Unlike Kathmandu city, Bhaktapur does not have ugly high-rises, roaring traffic nor a hectic pace of living. The people here enjoy a somewhat laid-back life style. Also, Bhaktapur is one of the cleanest places in the Valley.

Visitors staying in Kathmandu for an extended time are known to visit Bhaktapur again and again and expatriates often use it for pleasant weekend outings.