A Colombo City Tour in 10 Simple Steps

Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, is fast becoming a Sri Lankan favourite for tourists, offering a vibrant mix of high rises and sandy boulevards, plus beautiful parks, trendy galleries and busy markets. Brightsun Travel has cheap flights to Colombo so you can enjoy a city break with a difference this holiday.

1 Historic Buildings

Start at the Old Dutch Hospital, a 17th century building that houses trendy bars and cafes, before heading to the historic precinct of Fort and Pettah. End up at the Old City Hall, and explore old council chambers dating back to 1865, and enjoy views across the city.

2 Parks

Galle Face Green is a huge open lawn surrounded by skyscrapers and ocean. The park is the perfect spot to join in a game of cricket with the locals, or watch gorgeous sunsets over the sea. Alternatively, head to Colombo’s biggest park, Viharamahadevi Park, and enjoy beautiful landscaped gardens.

3 Temples

The Seema Malaka temple, designed by one of Sri Lanka’s most famous architects, is a meditation centre set around the central Beira Lake, offering plenty of Buddhist temples to explore, and an atmospheric setting where you can spot pelicans, storks and lizards.

4 Galleries

Barefoot is a Colombo institution, a compound that houses an art gallery, restaurant and shop where you can buy local textiles and catch a live jazz performance at the weekend. Or, head to the National Museum and roam galleries dating back to 1877.

5 Markets

Shopping at the bustling Pettah market is an experience not to be missed in Colombo. The market is a melting pot of cultures, where you can buy anything from sapphires to Ayurvedic medicine, and stroll past beautiful mosques and temples that line its busy streets.

6 Modern Architecture

The cherry on the cake of this ancient city’s new contemporary face lift is the Lotus Tower building, due to open in 2018, which will be the tallest building in South Asia. Keep your eye on its opening date, and book into its exclusive restaurant, or visit its observation deck for incredible views over the city.

7 Museums

Start at the National Museum, Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest, and discover statues dating back to the 9th century, alongside thrones, masks and beautiful grounds. Visit the Dutch Period Museum and experience a lovely old mansion with garden courtyards dating back to the 17th century.

8 Colonial Legacies

Once in Colombo you could find yourself dining at restaurants dating back to the 1800s, or taking afternoon tea in old British hotels. Have a cocktail at the Victorian-inspired Galle Face Hotel, built by the British in 1864, or visit one of the city’s several colonial-era train stations and take a day trip to the coast.

9 Restaurants

The Pagoda Tea Room is one of the oldest food outlets in the city, housed in a historical building dating back to 1884, serving a range of pastries and traditional dishes. Head to the Ministry of Crab at night, and experience the city’s most famous eatery.

10 Hotels

The 5 star Cinnamon Grand in Colombo is an exclusive hotel on the seafront, a short stroll from Galle Face, with 14 restaurants, a luxury spa and Presidential suites that come with a full private butler service. Here you can try Sri Lanka’s speciality teas in its tea lounges, with advice from a resident tea sommelier.

Flights

Contact Brightsun Travel and access a wide variety of discounted airfares to Colombo this holiday.

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Brightsun Travel has a wide range of cheap airfares to Far East so that you can take a city break with a difference this holiday.