Even staying for 2 weeks in Kyoto, I still didn't manage to visit all of the city's temples, but for those that I did visit, they each present different, unique landscapes and buildings to wander through - and that is the way I found myself, wandering slowly in a sort of otherworldly revelry, admiring every little detail which had been created, from the ponds to the pagodas.

Obviously, as possibly the most famous temple in Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion) is especially busy, so expect to wait about 10 minutes to get the pond edge for that perfect photograph. You can expect a decent number of people around each major temple in the city, even if it isn't UNESCO listed.

Though not as impressive as Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavilion), is a place I highly recommend visiting. The complex sits at the foot of the mountains and so feels more secluded than many of the other sites, and it is an exemplary display of the Japanese landscape design which is famous across the city.

Enryaku-ji, though harder to access (one must drive or take the train to Sakamoto, then take the Funicular up the mountain) is perhaps the most surreal place I have ever visited. There is very little sound except for the periodic ringing of the peace bell, and the clouds often settle around the height of the temple, creating a misty aura, as if you've stepped into another world. Most people will only visit the main temple complex by the entrance, however, I highly recommend visiting the second area, where you can see Shaka-do, an isolated temple surrounded by trees which can make even the most atheistic feel a sort of spiritual presence.