Introduction
The holy city of Varanasi, called as the city of temples and learning, is a place of great historical importance. Situated on the banks of river Ganges, this place is dedicated to Lord Shiva. A striking feature of Varanasi is that the riverfront of the city is decorated with ghats and no other place in this world is believed to have such timeless quality and soulful atmosphere. With Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment, just 10 kms away, Varanasi has been regarded as a place of renaissance. It is a premiere most place for oriental learning. Inspite of being religious, this place has kept a pace with modern technology. It comprises of three major universities, one Tibetan institute and an institute of Arabic studies. It is famous for its fine silk and Mehrotra silk factory. It is an important centre of art, culture and literature. Varanasi is also linked with spiritualism, mysticism, sanskrit and yoga. It has produced ever-great poets like Premchand and Tulsi Das.


Quick Facts
Location : On the banks of the Ganges, Uttar Pradesh
Trip Highlights : Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Ideal time to visit : October - March
Languages : Hindi, Sanskrit and English
STD Code : 0542
Climate : Summer ( Max - 45ºC ) & Winter ( Min - 7ºC )


Varanasi Air/Rail/Road Links

Airport :	Varanasi is well connected to major Indian cities. There are daily domestic flights to and from Varanasi to several cities in India.
Railway Station :	Varanasi railway station is well connected to Delhi. Kolkata, Mumbai and other parts of India. There are two stations in Varanasi namely Kashi and Varanasi Junction. One can catch trains from Mughalsarai, located just 10 kms away from Varanasi.
Bus Station :	It has good network of Roads. Frequent public and private buses ply to the major towns of Uttar Pradesh and near bys.

Attractions of Varanasi
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Located at Vishwanath gali, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiva Linga at Vishwanath temple is among one of the 12 Jyotrilingas. The temple has earned its appellation as the 'Golden Temple' due to its golden painting done using tones of gold.

Sarnath Museum
It has a rich collection of sculptures, artifacts and edifices of Buddha and its holy remains. Finest specimens of Buddhist art and other important remains have been found at this place.

Ashok Lion Capital
Also known as the Sarnath Lion Temple, this is the national symbol of India. The four animals in the Sarnath capital are believed to depict different steps of Lord Buddha's life. The lion depicts the accomplishment of Buddha hood.

Shopping Centres in Varanasi
The most popular art of Varanasi is silk weaving. The city is expertise in silk Sarees, gold silver brocade Sarees, wonderful pieces of brass ware, copper ware, wooden clay toys and antique jewellery. Another attractions of the city are hand knitted carpets, musical instruments and lagda aam which is hot favourite among people. You can also buy shawls, carpets, wall hangings, zari work, stone in lay work glass beads and bangles The various shopping spots in Varanasi are-

Famous Hotels in Varanasi
Experience the old fashioned hospitality in Varanasi with a perfect blend of luxury and comfort. Varanasi hotels offer a wide range of hotels that fit your budget. So if you wish to view magnificent holy city, this place possess many heritage and luxurious hotels to choose from.

Getaways
There are many places to see around Varanasi. You can move to these places as a part of excursions from Varanasi. These places are a good way of learning this place from a broader angle. Given below are the places around Varanasi that are often visited by tourists.

Allahabad - 125 km
Bhaktiyarpur - 283 km
Gorakhpur - 212 km
Luckhnow - 300 km
Kanpur - 320 km