# Describe a historic place you visited: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Places

Describe a historic place you have visited.

You should say:
- where this place is
- when you visited it
- what you saw and did there
- and explain what you learned from visiting this place

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

The historic place I'd like to talk about is Bhaktapur, which is an old city in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, not far from Kathmandu itself. I have visited it two years ago with my cousin, during the winter holiday, because she was studying there at the time and she offered to show me around.

The centre of the city is full of old temples, palaces and squares, and most of the buildings are made of red brick and carved wood. We started at Durbar Square, where there's an old royal palace, and then we walked to another square where there's a really tall temple with five roofs, one on top of another. I think it's called Nyatapola. We climbed the steps, and on both sides there are stone statues of wrestlers, animals and goddesses guarding the temple. After that we wandered around the narrow streets, watched some people making pottery by hand, and of course we tried the famous yoghurt, which is called juju dhau. It was so delicious that I had two bowls.

What I learned from the visit is that history isn't only something you see in a museum. In Bhaktapur, people still live in these old houses, they still use the temples every day, and many families still do the same crafts as their grandparents did. My cousin also told me that a lot of buildings were badly damaged in the earthquake in 2015, and they have been rebuilt carefully using traditional methods, which I found really impressive.

So it made me appreciate my own country's culture much more. Before that trip, I was more interested to visit modern cities abroad, but now I'd really like to explore more places like this.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer gives a clear, well-sequenced account of the visit with good descriptive detail, such as the five-roofed temple and the guardian statues. Vocabulary like "carved wood", "wandered around" and "traditional methods" is used appropriately, and the lesson learned is explained. There is some repetition ("still" three times in one sentence), and errors persist: "I have visited it two years ago" (rather than "I visited it", as the time is finished) and "more interested to visit" (rather than "interested in visiting"). For Band 8, the speaker would use more precise, evocative vocabulary and reflect on the place's significance in a more nuanced way.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-historic-place-you-visited).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.