Kirtipur, the city that gets skipped

Most weekend itineraries through the valley list Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur. Kirtipur, which is right there — twenty minutes south of Patan by bus — almost never makes the list. This is wrong, and I am here to fix it.

The shape of the place

Kirtipur is built on a ridge. The old core sits up high; the newer expansion (Tribhuvan University, the dorms, the cafes) spreads out at the base. To do Kirtipur right you ignore the new town and walk straight up.

The streets are narrow. The houses are mostly traditional Newari — three or four storeys of brick, dark wood, carved windows. The pavement is the original stone. Cars cannot really enter, which means the soundscape is human voices and the occasional motorbike straining up.

What to look for

The main square has an old shikhara temple (Bagh Bhairab) that is genuinely dramatic at sunset. Next to it is a sword tied to a wall — an offering from a long-ago military victory.

Walk around the back. There are at least four chowks (courtyards) tucked into the lanes. Each has a shrine, a well, a few daily-life things going on. People will look at you because tourists are uncommon. Smile.

Where to eat

The Newari joint at the south end of the upper square — no name, you'll know it because there are always at least three people sitting outside on plastic stools — does choila and chiura for around Rs 250. This is among the best meals you can have in the valley for that price.

Why it's skipped

The trip's slightly annoying. There's no direct bus from Thamel, the language is strongly Newari, and there is no information centre. None of that is bad — it's why the place is still itself.