拉萨市

Why this place

Lhasa is the spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism: the Potala Palace rises on its hill above the city, and the Jokhang Temple in the old town is the most sacred site in Tibet, with pilgrims prostrating outside it from dawn to dark. The Barkhor pilgrimage circuit around it is one of the great human spectacles in Asia.

What to see

• The Potala Palace — 13 storeys of halls, chapels and tombs, and the view from the hill opposite at sunrise
• The Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor kora circuit, walked clockwise with pilgrims
• Sera and Drepung monasteries, with their debating courtyards and monk scholars
• The Norbulingka, the former summer palace, in its garden
• Yamdrok Lake and Namtso, two of the great holy lakes, on day trips

What to eat

• Butter tea and tsampa — the Tibetan staple, and salt tea is not sweet
• Yak meat dishes and yak yogurt; the local 'momo' dumplings and thukpa noodle soup
• Sweet tea houses, which are social institutions in the city

How to plan

Four days minimum: arrival day to acclimatise, Potala and Jokhang, the monasteries, one lake.

Best time

April–June and September–October; winter is cold, clear and much emptier

Practical tips

• The altitude is 3,650m and travellers need a permit arranged through a registered agency — plan well ahead
• Walk the Barkhor clockwise, and ask before photographing people inside temples; photography is often forbidden or charged