वाराणस्यां द्रष्टव्यानि स्थानानिवाराणस्यां द्रष्टव्यानि स्थानानिPlaces to visit in Varanasi

The riverfront ghats (Dashashwamedh for the evening Ganga Aarti, Assi for sunrise, Manikarnika and Harishchandra as the cremation ghats), Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the temples around it (Annapurna, Kaal Bhairav, Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund), Sarnath 10 km away where the Buddha gave his first teaching, Ramnagar Fort across the river, and the city's mosques, gurudwaras, Jain temples, Kabir's math and St. Mary's Church. This site lists 32 of them with timings, entry and how to reach.

Two days cover the ghats at dawn and dusk, Kashi Vishwanath and the old-city temples, and a half-day trip to Sarnath. A third day adds Ramnagar Fort, the Bhakti and Buddhist sites, and a slower morning on the river. See the 1-, 2- and 3-day itineraries on this site.

All the ghats, Kashi Vishwanath (regular darshan; Sugam Darshan costs ₹300), Annapurna, Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund, Kaal Bhairav, Tulsi Manas, Bharat Mata, the gurudwaras, Kabir Math and the Ravidas temple. Ticketed sites are Sarnath's excavated area and museum (ASI), Ramnagar Fort museum and the Man Mandir observatory (ASI). Each place page lists its entry.

Sarnath is about 10 km north-east of the Varanasi ghats, inside Varanasi district. The Dhamek Stupa, the excavated monasteries and the museum take two to three hours; the site has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 25 July 2026.

Not inside Kashi Vishwanath, where phones and cameras are not allowed past the lockers, and not inside the sanctums of Sankat Mochan and most other temples. Photography is fine on the ghats and in the open, except at the cremation ghats, where it is not acceptable.