Places to visit in Patna

• Patna Museum: The sprawling Patna Museum is one of the most important places to visit to get a quick crash course in the many empires and cultures that the region was once home to. Housed in a building as majestic as its contents, there is a superb collection of Mauryan and Gupta stone sculptures, Buddhist statues, Tibetan cloth paintings and more. Don’t miss the sacred casket believed to hold some of Buddha’s ashes and the 16m long fossilised tree in both parts of the collection. Also on the museum circuit is the small but informative National Gandhi Museum which contains a fascinating pictorial history of the Mahatma’s life and some of his belongings.
• Khuda Baksh Oriental Library and Museum: End your museum tour with the Khuda Baksh Oriental Library and Museum. Founded in 1900, this vital library contains fantastic Arabic and Persian manuscripts, paintings, and Nadir Shah's sword. The library also includes the only books to survive the Moorish University of Cordoba's sacking in Spain.
• Buddha Smriti Park: If you’re looking to commune with nature, head to Buddha Smriti Park, a vast green space in the middle of the city inaugurated by HH The Dalai Lama in 2010.
• Golghar: For a dome with a view, climb the bulbous 230-year-old British era granary, Golghar, built by the army to avoid a repeat of the 1770 famine.
• The Padri ki Haveli or the St Mary’s Church: It is the oldest church in Bihar, built by the Catholic community when they arrived in the early 1700s.
• Takht Sri Patna Sahib: Take another step back in history, by visiting Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of the four sacred shrines of the Sikh religion, standing at the birthplace of the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab had built the original temple which comprises belongings of the Guru and other holy texts.

High-end shopping/luxury shopping/shopping malls in Patna

• Patna Central
• Patna One Mall
• P&M Mall
• Vasundhara Metro Mall
• JD Mall
• Gravity Mall
• UFO Mall

Street shopping in Patna

Most well-known for the famous Madhubani paintings, a visit to Patna is incomplete without buying one of these treasures. If you can’t make it to the town of Madhubani, to see the paintings on the village walls, head to Ajanta, a little boutique store on Fraser Road, for an excellent collection of paintings on different mediums. You can also check out the emporiums at Maurya Lok for their Madhubani style of work on handicrafts, lamps, wall hangings, etc. For a more street experience, head to the famous Hathua Market, one of the oldest street markets in the city that sell everything from colourful footwear to kitschy souvenirs.

Nightlife/party places in Bihar

• Cafe Hideout
• Hotbox Cafe & Dine-In
• O.S Cafe & Grill, Patna. ...
• Mogambo's
• Vaishali Cafe 
• Hangout Café
• LBW – Lounge Before Wicket
• Indian Summer Café

Kumhrar

Home to several empires, Patna, or Pataliputra known earlier, this place has impressive ruins strewn in and around the city. Kumhrar, the ancient town site has minimal left of its previous glory, except for a Mauryan Hall, which was once supported by 80 sandstone pillars, of which only one remains intact.

George Orwell Museum

For the love of the written word, take a trip to the George Orwell Museum, dedicated to the author of 1984 fame, in the tiny town of Motihari, en-route Nepal.

Kesariya Stupa

From Motihari, take a short bus ride to the largest stupa in the world, the enormous 104ft Kesariya Stupa, built on the site where Buddha gave away his begging bowl. There are many terraces with Buddha statues, many of which have got disfigured over time.

Bodh Gaya

For that much-needed peace, spend a few days in Bodh Gaya and be spoilt for choice by the number of serene temples. The most hallowed spot is the Bodhi tree inside the famous Mahabodhi Temple complex. The best time to visit is from December to January when Tibetan pilgrims and HH Dalai Lama come from Dharamsala.

Sher Shah Suri Masjid

For a different time in history, make your way to the Sher Shah Suri Masjid, built in the Afghani style of architecture by the ruler in 1545 to commemorate his reign.

Places to visit near Patna

• Bihar is an essential confluence of historical and religious events, making Patna the perfect place to base oneself to visit these sites. Head north of the Ganga through small villages to the ruins of Vaishali, one of the earliest republics dating back to 6 BC, where the Buddha preached his last sermon. It is also the birthplace of Lord Mahavir and essential to the Jain community.
• 105 km south of Patna is the historical town of Rajgir, which holds the 40 m Vishwa Shanti Stupa, or the Peace Stupa built by the Japanese Buddhist order that stands atop the Ratnagiri Hill.
• From Rajgir, you can also visit the well-maintained and serene ruins of the 5th century Nalanda University, which gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016.

• Don’t miss the Xuan Zang Memorial Hall built by the Chinese in honour of the famous traveller who walked to India and studied and taught at Nalanda.

Chhath Puja

This is probably the most famous festival in  Bihar as several tourists visit the state to be a part of this grand celebration. It is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God - Surya, celebrated six days after Diwali. Chhath Puja is an expression of thanksgiving and seeking blessings from God for sustaining life on Earth.

Sonepur Cattle Fair

The Sonepur Cattle Fair is Asia’s largest cattle fair, which takes place in the town of Sonepur in Bihar. It falls on Kartik Purnima, which is the first full moon after the festival of Diwali. Animals which include elephant, camel, sheep, and birds, are brought in from around the country and sold here at this fair. Apart from this, a range of handicrafts and handloom stalls are put up offering various products to shop and take home as souvenirs. In addition, magic show and folk dances for entertainment purposes can also be witnessed at this fair.