Patan Durbar Square
Place · Patan Durbar Square
A compact square of temples and a palace museum, with a calmer pace than Kathmandu: go in the morning for 2 hours and include the museum.
- Krishna Mandir
- Patan Museum
- Newar crafts
- Shoes off inside
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with …
- South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
- South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
- Nepal ↗Get visa information only from the Department of Immigration; visa-service lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
- Nepal ↗At stupas walk clockwise; at temples and homes remove shoes where there is a rack or a raised floor; cover shoulders and knees.
- Nepal ↗Carry Nepalese rupees in small notes: many stalls, taxis and tea shops are cash-only, and shops rarely take foreign notes.
- Nepal ↗Strikes (bandh) and protests can close roads without notice: check the news and your hotel the night before any airport or highway day.
- Kathmandu Valley ↗In the dry season (Nov–Apr) the valley fills with haze and dust: viewpoints often show nothing after 09:00, so go at dawn or skip.
- Kathmandu ↗Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with motorbikes: taxis stop at the edge, so large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Kathmandu ↗Dust and smoke haze is worst around Feb–Apr and can linger in winter: carry a mask rated for fine particles on walking days and move long walks to the clearest morning.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 06:00
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: About NPR 1,000 (2026 estimate)
- Time to spend
- 75–100 min · up to 150 min if you linger
Best time to go
Tour groups mid-morning; quiet at opening and late afternoon.
By weekday: quietest Mon–Fri, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Note
- Opening days and hours not printed until verified.
- Hours note
- Desk estimate: daylight; museum has its own hours; confirm.
Which month is quietest
- Janbusy
- Febbusy
- Marbusy
- Aprbusy
- Maybusy
- Junlight
- Jullight
- Auglight
- Sepbusy
- Octpacked
- Novpacked
- Decheavy
Quietest Jun–Aug · busiest Oct–Nov.
Estimate: desk reasoning from season and weekend patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Taxi to the edge of the square (Mangal Bazaar side)
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- Not recorded
- Shoes
- Shoes off at shrines where signed.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance
- Check firstLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- YesRamps · A flat square with cobbles; steps at temple plinths; the museum has a ramp or lift in parts (check).
- PartialWheelchair
- PartialStroller · caution
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
- Peak crowd5/5 Very high
Exposure: medium
What to bring and the rules
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Footwear that suits the rule · Shoes off at shrines where signed.
- A small bag · Small bags fine.
- Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Small bags fine.
- Lockers or cloakroom (check) Ask at the museum.
- Allowed in the square; the museum may limit photography.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Café near the square with shade
- rain: Patan Museum and covered arcades
Nearest rescue anchor: A — north-west of the cluster: café or restaurant with seating (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Do not climb on temple plinths or touch offerings.
- Shoes off at shrines where signed.
- Ask before photographing people at prayer.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Go at opening for quiet light and few groups.
- Include the museum; it shows the metalwork and religion of the valley.
- Walk the lanes for metal workshops and stone carvers.
- Ask before photographing artisans.
Best time of day
Plan 75–100 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level on weekends and public holidays
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- A foreigner ticket covers the square and the museum (about NPR 1,000, check).
- Queues
- Go at opening for quiet light and few groups.
- Dress code
- Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Bags & lockers
- Small bags fine.
- Lockers or cloakroom (check) Ask at the museum.
- Photos
- Allowed in the square; the museum may limit photography.
- What's closed
- Museum weekly closurecheckThe museum may close one day a week; check.
- Festival dayscheckProcessions and holidays can close streets.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Foreigner entry ticket | About NPR 1,000 (2026 estimate) | Check the current price and whether it includes the museum. |
| Museum audio guide | NPR 200–500 (2026 estimate) | Optional. |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
45min
Worthwhile
75min
Typical
100min
p95
150min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (100 min).
With the other 20 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Newari khaja, Patan4 min on foot · 16 min spare
- Golden Temple, Patan5 min on foot · 15 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Ticket and square entrance
5 minBuy the foreigner ticket at the office.
Krishna Mandir and temples
25 minA stone temple with carved friezes.
Patan Museum
50 minA former palace with metal and stone art.
Lanes and workshops
20 minMetalwork and stone carving.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Ramps: yes · yesA flat square with cobbles; steps at temple plinths; the museum has a ramp or lift in parts (check).
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
- Stroller: partly · partlycaution
A flat square with cobbles; steps at temple plinths; the museum has a ramp or lift in parts (check).
Step-free route
- 1A flat path crosses the square; the museum may have a lift or ramp (check).
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | yes | In the museum and nearby cafés. |
| Lockers or cloakroom | check | Ask at the museum. |
| Café or food | yes | A garden café at the museum and shops around the square. |
| Seating | yes | Temple steps and cafés. |
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Art and craft travellers | good | Metalwork and stone carving in workshops nearby. |
| Families | ok | Space to walk; the museum is short. |
| Photographers | good | Brick and carved wood in morning light. |
Skip it if
- You have seen Kathmandu Durbar Square and want a rest.
- It is a festival day.
With kids
- with kids
- Open space and pigeons; the museum is short but rich.
- child price
- check
Combine with
Combine with
- 4 minNewari khaja, Patan · eat
- 5 minGolden Temple, Patan
- 35 minBoudhanath
Walk the Patan Durbar Square area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna Mandir in early light | Morning | Stay off the plinth. |
| Museum courtyard | Midday | Ask about photo rules. |
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
How long do I need?
About 2 hours with the museum.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is Patan better than Kathmandu?
It is quieter and more compact; see both if you can.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Where do I eat?
A Newari khaja set nearby.
Can I hire a guide?
Yes; agree a price first.
Photos
Photos
Patan Durbar Square Photo: Mithunkunwar9, CC BY-SA 4.0
Patan Durbar Square Photo: Sunil kawan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Patan Durbar Square Photo: Shadow Ayush, CC BY-SA 4.0
Deep dive
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Taken from the desk crowd estimate by hour. It is not a count of visitors.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.