The market square of Indra Chowk is sandwiched between the Shiva and Mahadev Temple, in the centre of the capital. The square and its surrounding streets are home to a plethora of shops selling everything from jewellery to rugs, glassware to home furnishings and textiles. Head to Raki Bazaar to browse a huge selection of brightly coloured beads and bangles, or to Shukra Path for some high-end goods.

Three Durbar Squares sit opposite Kathmandu’s ancient palaces and while they were damaged in the 2015 earthquake, significant restoration efforts are underway. The biggest and best-known, Kathmandu Durbar Square, lies in the city centre and is surrounded by 12th century fountains and statues. To the east, the traffic-free Bhaktapur Durbar Square still feels like a peaceful medieval city. The final southern landmark, Patan Durbar Square, is a complex of 136 courtyards and 55 temples.

This is the food of the historical inhabitants of Kathmandu. From smoked buffalo meat to slow cooked potato curries, this no-frills restaurant serves big flavours without the price tag to match.

Kathmandu – like many other cities – is home to people who hate visiting the dentist. But rather than relying on just good dental hygiene, they’ve put their fate in the hands of the god of the toothache: Vaisha Dev. Coins have been nailed to every cranny of the Toothache Tree as an offering to the god. It’s also conveniently located on a street full of dentists…should your prayer not find a sympathetic ear.

The Taragaon Museum is worth a visit for the architecture alone. Originally built in 1970 as a hostel for foreign workers, it combines modernist shapes with an old-school building material: the red brick distinct to ancient Newari temples. The museum houses artefacts and exhibitions which showcase Nepal’s rich cultural heritage, as well as more contemporary exhibitions by Nepalese artists.

One of the most pictured parts of Kathmandu, the Swayambhunath stupa tops a hill in the west of the city. Its vast white dome represents the earth, while the tall, tiered structure extending above it represents the 13 different stages to Nirvana. This UNESCO world heritage site is commonly referred to as the monkey temple, thanks to its frequent animal visitors.

Jhochhen Tole got its nickname ‘Freak Street’ in the 1960s as the centre of the Hippie Trail. A unique cultural movement was born here and spread through the area until the 1970s, when political upheaval cut the trail in half. Today, much of the street’s original buildings and residents have disappeared, but you’ll still find a few shops and institutions from its heyday (including the venerable Snowman Cafe).

On his Mount Everest travels, explorer and mountaineer Edmund Hillary based himself in Phaplu – a three-day hike from Lukla, where Everest treks begin. He became so fond of the area he named his home away from home ‘The Happy House’. Once home to the ‘mountain literati’, today it’s open to the public with 10 bedrooms, a library and meditation centre. The Happy House is run by Ang Tshering Lama, whose family built the house.

Kathmandu is an entry point for hikers with their sights set on Everest base camp and beyond. But those looking to climb a mountain of a slightly different scale will find themselves surrounded by easily accessible day treks. The Champadevi hike, which starts just 16km outside of Kathmandu, takes roughly three hours to reach the summit, and offers views of the Annapurna mountain range on a clear day.

Kirtipur is just a half-hour’s drive from Kathmandu. Cooler climes and fewer visitors make this a welcome break from the busy streets of the capital, with its medieval architecture and temples offering further insight into Newari history and customs. Bagh Bhairab (Tiger Temple) is a popular attraction, as is the Chilancho stupa complex.

Nepal is full of rugged mountainscapes, accessible only to those with big ambitions and peak fitness levels. But you don’t need to scale great heights to admire their beauty: Nagarkot village offers views of eight mountain Himalayan ranges without exhausting climbs. It’s an easy day trip from Kathmandu, but plan to stay overnight to witness the sunrise. Optimal viewpoints include the View Tower and the nearby trails for mountain bikers. Or, you can even go paragliding.

Nepal might be better known for mountain ridges rather than valleys, but Kathmandu’s proximity to raging rivers makes it an ideal place for water-sports enthusiasts in search of an adrenaline rush. The Bhote Kosi River is a three-hour drive from Kathmandu and offers intense stretches of water for rafting.

A short drive southeast of Kathmandu, Panauti is one of Nepal’s oldest towns. Its history dates back at least 1,800 years, and that’s clear in its winding cobbled streets and hand-carved architectural features. Visit the Indreshwar Temple to see one of the country’s tallest pagodas or visit the Old Bazaar for a taste of life back in the town’s historic heyday.