Places to visit in Varanasi
16 places, grouped by kind. Each one shows how well it is verified: an official source, two independent sources, or not yet verified.
District headquarters 1
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Varanasi (district headquarters) Two sources
Headquarters of Varanasi district, Varanasi division (Wikipedia).
Temples and shrines 10
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Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple Official source
Kashi Vishvanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. (district portal; wording is the portal's own claim)
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Assi Ghat Official source
Ghat where the Assi stream meets the Ganga (Incredible India).
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Bharat Mata Temple Official source
Temple to Mother India with a relief map in marble (Incredible India).
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Dashashwamedh Ghat Official source
Ghat of the evening Ganga Aarti (Incredible India).
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Durga Temple (Durga Kund) Official source
Goddess temple seen as the city's guardian (Incredible India).
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Ganga Ghat Official source
Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River Ganges. The city has 88 ghats. (district portal)
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Manikarnika Ghat Official source
Principal cremation ghat; photography is not appropriate (Incredible India; estimate).
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Saint Ravidas Temple Official source
This grand temple is built at Seergoverdhan area, near the B.H.U. (district portal)
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Sarnath Official source
Sarnath is a place located 10 kilometres north-east of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. (district portal)
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Tulsi Manas Mandir Official source
Rama temple named after the poet Tulsidas (Incredible India).
Forts, tombs and monuments 4
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Chaukhandi Stupa, Sarnath Official source
Stupa on the approach to Sarnath (Incredible India).
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Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath Official source
Stupa about 141 ft high; Incredible India dates it to 500 CE, replacing an Ashokan structure.
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Rajghat mounds Official source
Mounds of a pre-Mauryan settlement north of Malviya Bridge (Incredible India).
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Ramnagar Fort Official source
18th-century sandstone fort of the Kashi rajas (Incredible India).
Museums and culture 1
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Banaras Hindu University Official source
Residential university campus (Incredible India).
In depth: Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple
Varanasi on the Ganga is a major Hindu pilgrimage city, with 88 ghats (district portal) and the Kashi Vishwanath temple; Sarnath, 10 km away, is where the Buddha gave his first sermon (district portal; Incredible India).
At a glance
- Type
- Shiva temple (district portal) Official source
- Setting
- Old city above the ghats (district portal) Official source
History and significance
- District formed
- existed at Independence (Wikipedia lists 15 August 1947) (Wikipedia) Two sources
What to see
- Ganga Ghat
- Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River Ganges. The city has 88 ghats. (district portal)
- Saint Ravidas Temple
- This grand temple is built at Seergoverdhan area, near the B.H.U. (district portal)
- Sarnath
- Sarnath is a place located 10 kilometres north-east of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. (district portal)
- Assi Ghat
- Ghat where the Assi stream meets the Ganga (Incredible India).
- Dashashwamedh Ghat
- Ghat of the evening Ganga Aarti (Incredible India).
- Manikarnika Ghat
- Principal cremation ghat; photography is not appropriate (Incredible India; estimate).
Visiting
- Timings, fees
- Not published on the pages read. Confirm locally. Not yet verified
Festivals
- Dev Deepawali
- Kartik Purnima, November; date to confirm. Not yet verified
Visitor guidelines
- Temples, mosques and gurdwaras set their own dress and photography rules; ASI monuments charge entry and many close one day a week (estimate).
How to reach Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple
- By air
- Lucknow (LKO), Varanasi (VNS), Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Kanpur, Agra and Bareilly airports serve the state; nearest to confirm (estimate).
- By road
- Route to confirm. Not yet verified
Month by month
| Month | Temp °C | Sunrise | Sunset | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | IMD normals to add | 06:45 | 17:28 | Cold; dense fog can delay trains and flights |
| Feb | IMD normals to add | 06:34 | 17:51 | Good: cool, clear |
| Mar | IMD normals to add | 06:09 | 18:07 | Good; Holi (Braj celebrations) |
| Apr | IMD normals to add | 05:37 | 18:20 | Hot |
| May | IMD normals to add | 05:14 | 18:35 | Very hot; loo winds |
| Jun | IMD normals to add | 05:07 | 18:49 | Very hot until the monsoon |
| Jul | IMD normals to add | 05:16 | 18:51 | Monsoon |
| Aug | IMD normals to add | 05:31 | 18:35 | Monsoon; Janmashtami in Mathura |
| Sep | IMD normals to add | 05:43 | 18:04 | Monsoon easing |
| Oct | IMD normals to add | 05:56 | 17:32 | Good: Dussehra; Ramlila |
| Nov | IMD normals to add | 06:15 | 17:11 | Best: Diwali, Dev Deepawali, Chhath |
| Dec | IMD normals to add | 06:36 | 17:10 | Good; cold nights, fog begins |
Suggested plans
- One or two days
- Ganga Ghat, Saint Ravidas Temple, Sarnath, Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple.
How to reach Varanasi
- By train
- See the sources for the nearest station.
- By air
- See "Getting there".
- By road
- National and state highways; route details to confirm.
- Headquarters
- Varanasi
- Coast
- Landlocked
Best time to visit Varanasi
- Best time
- October to March (estimate).
- Climate
- Hot summers (April-June), monsoon July-September, cold foggy winters (estimate).
Dates to plan around in Uttar Pradesh
- Dev Deepawali — Varanasi ghats: Kartik Purnima, November; date to confirm
- Magh Mela — Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj: January-February; 2027 dates to confirm
- Holi in Braj — Barsana, Nandgaon, Vrindavan (Mathura): February-March; 2027 dates to confirm
- Taj Mahotsav — Shilpgram, Agra: February; 2027 dates to confirm
- Deepotsav — Ayodhya: Diwali eve; date to confirm
- Dadri Mela — Ballia: Cattle fair (district portal); dates to confirm
- Tigri Ganga Mela — Amroha: Annual fair on the Ganga (district portal); dates to confirm
Where to stay in Varanasi
Quick answers about Varanasi
What is Varanasi known for?
District in Varanasi division.
What is the one place not to miss in Varanasi?
Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple. Kashi Vishvanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. (district portal; wording is the portal's own claim)
Which is the nearest railway station to Varanasi?
See the sources for the nearest station.
Which is the nearest airport to Varanasi?
See "Getting there".
When is the best time to visit Varanasi?
October to March (estimate).
How many places are there to visit in Varanasi?
Our guide lists 16 places in Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, across district headquarters, temples and shrines, forts, tombs and monuments, museums and culture.
Official links and sources
- Varanasi: Ganga Ghat (district portal) ↗
- Varanasi: Saint Ravidas Temple (district portal) ↗
- Varanasi: Sarnath (district portal) ↗
- Varanasi: Shree Kashi Vishvanath Temple (district portal) ↗
- Incredible India: Assi Ghat ↗
- Incredible India: Dashashwamedh Ghat ↗
- Incredible India: Manikarnika Ghat ↗
- Incredible India: Dhamek Stupa ↗
- Incredible India: Chaukhandi Stupa ↗
- Incredible India: Ramnagar Fort ↗
- Incredible India: BHU ↗
- Incredible India: Bharat Mata Temple ↗
- Incredible India: Tulsi Manas Mandir ↗
- Incredible India: Durga Temple ↗
- Incredible India: Rajghat ↗
- Wikipedia: List of districts of Uttar Pradesh ↗
- Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh ↗
- Business Standard: Boundaries of administrative units to be frozen on Dec 31, 2025 for Census (29 Jun 2025) ↗
- UPSTDC hotel booking (Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation), read 3 Nov 2026 ↗