About Varanasi
Varanasi (Hindi: वाराणसी Vārāṇasī), once known as Benares or Banaras and Kashi, is a city at the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, India. Being the most sacred city in Hinduism and Jainism, and important in the history of Buddhism, Varanasi is India's most important pilgrimage destination. It was home to 1.2 million people as of 2011.
Source: Wikipedia
Essential Information
Currency
Indian rupee (INR)
Symbol: ₹
Language
English
Also: Hindi, Tamil
Phone Code
+91
International dialing code for India
Driving
Drive on the left
Standard for India
Region
Asia
Southern Asia
Connectivity
BSNL, Jio, Vi and Airtel are the most popularcell phoneservices in the region. If you bring your GSM cellphone from home, you can buy a SIM card and call within India and abroad. You will need your passport and a passport photo to buy a SIM card.
How to Get to Varanasi
Transportation options and arrival information
Varanasi is well connected by plane, train, and bus. Varanasi is mostly on the west bank of the Ganges. The25.32238283.0345821Malviya Bridgeon the north and25.27134283.0199952Ramnagar Bridgeon the south connect the city to the eastern parts of India.
Getting Around Varanasi
Local transportation and navigation tips
Many streets are too narrow to be reached by cycle-rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, and car and therefore, you may have to walk a bit to reach your destination.
Safety in Varanasi
Low Safety (Global Peace Index: 2.578)
About the Global Peace Index: Global Peace Index measures peacefulness on a scale of 1 (most peaceful) to 5 (least peaceful)
Violent crime is rare, but still do be careful in the lanes after dark.
Where to Stay in Varanasi
Accommodation tips and recommendations
The most interesting area to stay is around the ghats, which are the main attractions for foreigners and are close to the religious attractions. However, this area is extremely noisy and many accommodation choices here are subpar, so do some research before you book. An alternative to staying in Varanasi is to stay near the main railway station (Varanasi Junction). This area has some very nice places and is about 10 minutes away on a tuk-tuk. Another alternative is the much quieterSarnath, 10 km
Things to See in Varanasi
4 landmarks and points of interest
Alamgir Mosque
mosque in Varanasi, India
Bharat Kala Bhavan
university museum located in Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Gyanvapi Mosque
Mosque in India
Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
Jain Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Source: Wikidata
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