Things to do in Varanasi, the Ganga aarti, sunrise boat rides, ancient temples, Sarnath and the old city’s hidden lanes. A local guide to the world’s oldest living city.
Things to Do in Varanasi: A Local Guide to the World's Oldest Living City
Some cities you visit. Varanasi you experience. Known as Kashi to pilgrims and Banaras to poets, this is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, a place where life and death sit openly side by side along the banks of the Ganges, where fires at the cremation ghats have burned without pause for centuries, and where every dawn brings prayers to the river.
It can overwhelm first-time visitors, and that’s part of its power. This guide walks you through the essential things to do in Varanasi, the quieter corners most people miss, and how to plan your days so the city reveals itself rather than swallowing you whole.
The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
If there is one unmissable ritual in Varanasi, this is it. Every evening just after sunset, seven young priests perform a synchronised 45-minute ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat, honouring the river with towering brass lamps, incense, conch shells and chanting. The riverfront glows with thousands of reflected lights and the air fills with bells. It begins around 6 pm in winter and 7 pm in summer; arrive at least 45 minutes early for a spot on the steps, or hire a boat to watch it from the water, often the better view. There’s no entry charge.
This is the heart of any Varanasi sightseeing itinerary, and the experience that stays with most travellers long after they leave.
A sunrise boat ride along the ghats
The counterpart to the evening aarti is the dawn boat ride. As the sun rises over the river, the 84 ghats stretching roughly 6.5 km along the waterfront come alive, pilgrims bathing, sadhus in meditation, laundry drying on the steps, temples catching the first gold light. Most rides start from Assi Ghat in the south. Gliding past the ghats from the water is the best way to grasp the scale of the city and its relationship with the Ganges, and it’s one of the most photographed experiences in India.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The spiritual centre of the city, Kashi Vishwanath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest
Shiva shrines in Hinduism and Varanasi’s most sacred temple. The structure you see today was rebuilt by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century, and its dome was later gold-plated by
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, earning it the nickname “the Golden Temple.” The 2021 Kashi Vishwanath Corridor now links the shrine directly to the river, making access far easier through the old city’s tangle of lanes. Note that only Hindus may enter the inner sanctum, photography is prohibited inside, and modest dress is expected.
The ghats: Manikarnika, Assi and the quiet ones
Beyond Dashashwamedh, each ghat has its own character. Manikarnika is the holiest cremation ground in Hinduism, where fires have burned for centuries, a confronting and profound place that demands silence and respect (it is not a spot for photography or for bathing). Assi Ghat, at the southern end, is the calm one, best at sunrise for yoga and bhajans.
For those wanting offbeat things to do in Varanasi, walk the lesser-known ghats: Scindia Ghat, with its half-submerged Shiva temple slowly sinking into the river; Panchganga Ghat, quieter and steeped in pilgrimage lore; and Kedar Ghat, with a distinctly different, South Indian character and far fewer crowds. Walking the numbered ghats end to end is the single best free thing to do in the city.
Sarnath: where the Buddha first taught
About 10 km from the city, Sarnath is where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after enlightenment. The towering Dhamek Stupa, originally commissioned by Emperor Ashoka, marks the spot, and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum, the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India, houses the original Lion Capital of Ashoka, the sculpture at the heart of India’s national emblem. It’s one of the most important places to visit near Varanasi, and a peaceful contrast to the intensity of the ghats.
More places to visit in Banaras
The list of Banaras city tourist places runs deep:
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) — One of Asia’s largest residential universities, with a green campus, the marble New Vishwanath Temple, and the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum.
Bharat Mata Temple — Unusual for housing a large marble relief map of India instead of a deity; quietly moving and easy to combine with BHU.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple — A much-loved Hanuman temple near Assi Ghat, especially atmospheric during its festivals.
Durga Temple (Monkey Temple) — An 18th-century ochre-red temple in the Nagara style, named for the monkey troop in its trees.
Ramnagar Fort — Across the river, the 18th-century seat of the Maharaja of Varanasi, with a wonderfully eccentric museum of vintage cars, palanquins and royal artefacts.
Fun things and food: the other side of Banaras
Among the most underrated fun places in Varanasi is simply the food. This is a city of legendary street eating kachori-sabzi for breakfast, tamatar chaat, thick creamy lassi, the famous winter dessert malaiyyo, thandai, and of course Banarasi paan to finish. Eat at clean, well-known shops your hotel trusts.
When it comes to things to buy in Varanasi, the answer is Banarasi silk. The city’s silk-weaving tradition is centuries old, and a genuine handwoven Banarasi sari or scarf is the souvenir to seek, ideally bought from a workshop where you can watch the weavers at work, the kind of hands-on craft experience we love building into our journeys.
How long do you need? Itinerary planning
Varanasi in 1 day: Do the essentials, a sunrise boat ride from Assi Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a walk through Vishwanath Gali and the central ghats, and the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh. That single arc, dawn to dusk, captures the soul of the city.
Things to do in Varanasi in 3 days: With three days you can go far deeper. Day one for the boat ride, temple and aarti; day two for Sarnath and the BHU circuit; day three for the quieter ghats, Ramnagar Fort across the river, a silk workshop, and a proper food walk. Three days lets Varanasi unfold at its own pace rather than rushing the highlights.
Because Varanasi sits beyond the classic Golden Triangle, it works beautifully as an extension to a wider India trip. Many travellers add it on after the monuments of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, see how it fits onto a classic Golden Triangle tour, or talk to us to design your own itinerary that ends on the Ganges.
Why we suggest experiencing Varanasi this way
After years of guiding travellers through India, we’ve learned that Varanasi is the one city people most often get wrong, not because they miss the sights, but because they rush them. They arrive for an afternoon, tick off the aarti, and leave before the city has a chance to work on them. That’s why we suggest it as an unhurried extension to a wider journey rather than a quick stop.
We recommend pairing Varanasi with the classic Golden Triangle for a simple reason: the contrast is the whole point. After the Mughal grandeur of Agra and the royal palaces of Jaipur monuments built to be admired, Varanasi is something else entirely, a living city where the spiritual life of India happens out in the open, unchanged for centuries. Seeing them back to back is what turns a sightseeing trip into an understanding of the country.
What we care about most is doing it respectfully and well. The ghats are not a backdrop; they’re someone’s place of worship, grief and daily life. A good local guide is the difference between watching Varanasi from the outside and being quietly welcomed into it, knowing when to step back at Manikarnika, which silk workshop actually weaves its own cloth, where to find the dawn boat before the crowds. That’s the version of Varanasi we love to share, and the reason we build it into our journeys rather than leaving it as an afterthought.
If this is the kind of slow, considered travel you’re after, we’d love to help you plan it, add Varanasi to a Golden Triangle tour or design your own itinerary built around the places that matter most to you.
Final thought
Varanasi rewards the traveller who slows down. Watch the aarti, yes, and ride the river at dawn but also sit on a quiet ghat with a cup of chai, let the old lanes lead you somewhere unplanned, and allow the city to move at its ancient pace. That’s the Banaras that stays with you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What not to miss in Banaras?
Four things define a first visit: the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, a sunrise boat ride along the ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and a day trip to Sarnath. If you have more time, add Ramnagar Fort, the quieter southern ghats, and a Banarasi silk workshop. Together these cover the spiritual, historical and cultural heart of the city.
Is 2 days sufficient for Varanasi?
Two days is enough for a satisfying visit. Spend the first on the river and the old city, a dawn boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Vishwanath Gali and the evening aarti and the second on Sarnath and a calmer ghat walk or food tour. That said, three days lets you slow down and explore the offbeat corners without feeling rushed, which is when Varanasi is at its best.
What is the main attraction of Varanasi?
The ghats along the Ganges are the main draw, and the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is the single most famous experience. Spiritually, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas is the city’s most sacred site. Most travellers find the river itself, seen at sunrise from a boat, is the defining memory.
What to do in Varanasi in 1 day?
Start before dawn with a sunrise boat ride from Assi Ghat, then visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple and wander Vishwanath Gali. Spend the afternoon resting or eating your way through Banarasi street food, then arrive early at Dashashwamedh Ghat for the evening Ganga aarti. That dawn-to-dusk arc covers the essential places to visit in Varanasi in 1 day.
What are the top 10 tourist places in Varanasi?
The ten that capture the city best: Dashashwamedh Ghat (for the aarti), Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Manikarnika Ghat, Assi Ghat, the sunrise boat ride along the river, Sarnath, Banaras Hindu University, Bharat Mata Temple, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and Ramnagar Fort across the river.
What are some unique and offbeat things to do in Varanasi?
Beyond the headline sights: walk the lesser-known southern ghats like Scindia, Panchganga and Kedar; watch weavers at a Banarasi silk workshop; take an early-morning yoga session at Assi Ghat; explore the eccentric museum at Ramnagar Fort; and join a guided food walk through the old lanes for kachori-sabzi, malaiyyo and paan.
What are the top 5 places to visit in Varanasi?
If you only have time for five: Dashashwamedh Ghat for the evening aarti, the Ganges at sunrise by boat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Sarnath, and Assi Ghat. These five together give you the spiritual, historical and serene sides of the city.
What are the things to do in Varanasi in 3 days?
Day one: sunrise boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, old city lanes, evening aarti. Day two: Sarnath and the Banaras Hindu University circuit including Bharat Mata Temple. Day three: the quieter ghats, Ramnagar Fort, a silk-weaving workshop and a food walk. Three days lets you balance the must-sees with the offbeat.
What are the best things to buy in Varanasi?
Banarasi silk is the signature buy handwoven saris, scarves and brocade, ideally from a workshop where you can see the weaving. Beyond silk, look for brass and copper puja items, wooden toys, beaded jewellery, and locally made incense. Buy from established shops to ensure you’re getting genuine handwoven silk rather than a machine-made imitation.
What are the best places to visit in Varanasi for couples?
Couples tend to love the calmer side of the city: a private sunrise boat ride, a rooftop café overlooking the ghats at sunset, the peaceful gardens of Sarnath, and an unhurried evening at Assi Ghat away from the densest crowds. A quiet ghat walk at dusk, before the aarti, is one of
the most romantic things to do in the city.
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Recommended Tours to Enhance Your Varanasi Experience
Varanasi is a city of spirituality, ancient traditions, and timeless stories. We recommend these carefully selected tours to help you explore the sacred Ganga, historic temples, vibrant ghats, and the cultural heritage of one of India’s oldest living cities. These experiences allow you to discover the true essence of Varanasi beyond the usual sightseeing.
Explore the 8 Days Golden Triangle with Ranthambore & Rishikesh tour with tiger safari, Taj Mahal visit, and spiritual Rishikesh.
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Rishikesh Overnight Tour from Delhi covering Lakshman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Beatles Ashram and Ganga Aarti with private car, guide, and...
6 Days Golden Triangle Tour with Rishikesh Explore Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Rishikesh with monuments, Ganga Aarti & private guided...
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