Known to be one of the oldest cities of the world, Varanasi today is a religiously important place for the Hindus. The life and culture of this city in Uttar Pradesh revolves around the river Ganga, the most sacred of all rivers in India, on the banks of which it is situated. In the Vedas, the holy books of the Hindus, Varanasi is described as the city of temples and learning. A visit to this luminous city can be spiritually enriching.

The places of religious importance which are visited by tourists are- the Vishwanath Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple, Nepali Hindu Temple, Durga Temple and Gowdi Matha Temple. There is also a mosque, the Alamagir Mosque which is a great place to have a bird’s eye view of the city. Sarnath is a place that is 13 kilometers away from Varanasi and is very peaceful. It is believed that this is the place where Buddha gave his first sermon to his disciples. There is also a museum at Sarnath. The Ram Nagar Fort lies 14 kilometers away from Varanasi; it is built in red sandstone. It also has a museum which displays an array of ornate palanquins, gold plated howdahs and weaponry.

Another interesting thing about Varanasi is the Ghats. Ghats are nothing but the steps that lead to the bank of a river. Varanasi has a series of Ghats. The main Ghats in Varanasi are- Panchganga Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Kedar Ghat, Harishchandra Ghat and the Tulsi Ghat. A boat ride can be interesting to explore these Ghats. What you must not forget doing when in Varanasi is taking a holy dip in the sacred river Ganga. Over 60,000 people throng this city for the sake of washing their sins off by taking a dip in the Ganga.