Nepal’s intoxicating capital, Kathmandu has a long and fascinating history. Sat at the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, the city is the historical, artistic, cultural and economic hub of the country, a melting pot that perfectly showcases Nepal’s wonderful diversity and cosmopolitan attitudes. At its centre is a maze of timeless alleyways, lined with shops bursting with materials and spices, all leading to the magnificent medieval Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This part of the city may be exciting, chaotic and a sensory overload, but the sense of tradition that it exudes gives a real sense of the city of times gone by – in fact, it’s hardly changed since the Middle Ages! Around this old centre, the city expands out in layers of varying modernity, reaching out towards the Himalayan peaks that watch over it from a distance. Today, Kathmandu is home to 1.4 million, the largest city in the Himalayas. These striking contrasts make it quite the place to explore!