Varanasi

Best time to visit

October to March

Varanasi's climate is typical of North India, with hot and dry summers from March to June, and mild winters from December to February. The monsoon season brings heavy rain and humidity from July to September, with the rest of the year being relatively dry and warm.

Getting there & around

• Air — Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (Babatpur)
• Rail — Varanasi Junction and Banaras (Manduadih) railway stations
• Road — NH-19 / NH-31
• Auto/Rickshaw — Auto-rickshaw and cycle-rickshaw for the old city
• Walking — the lane network inside Godowlia is walk-only
• Boat — boats along the ghats are a genuine transport mode, not just a ride

Before you go

• Manikarnika and Harishchandra are working cremation grounds
• photography of pyres and mourners is intrusive and locally resented. Bhang is sold openly in lassi at some Chowk shops and is easy to order unknowingly. Power-loom 'Banarasi-style' saris from Surat are widely sold as handloom
• the GI mark and the reverse-side weave are the checks.

Famous eateries & specialties

• Kachori-sabzi with jalebi — breakfast
• tamatar chaat and chura matar, both specific to the city
• Banarasi lassi in kulhad
• malaiyo — winter only
• thandai
• Banarasi paan
• lal peda

Emergency numbers