Colombo City Tour with a Local Guide

Colombo City Tour with a Local Guide

Colombo, Sri Lanka‘s bustling commercial hub, is located on the country’s west coast and with a population of between 800,000 and one million (estimates vary) is by far the country’s biggest city, as well as the most developed. Its natural harbour at the mouth of the Kelani River was a magnet for successive traders and conquerors – initially the Arab merchants, then Portuguese, Dutch and British imperialists.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Galle Face Green, Galle Road, Colombo Sri Lanka

Galle Face Green is a half kilometer promenade in the heart of Colombo and was initially laid out in 1859 by Sir Henry Ward, Governor of British Ceylon. The stretch of land was used for horse racing and golf and was known as the Colpetty Race Course.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple, 61 Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo Sri Lanka

The temple's architecture demonstrates an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture.

This Buddhist temple includes several imposing buildings and is situated not far from the placid waters of Beira Lake on a plot of land that was originally a small hermitage on a piece of marshy land. It has the main features of a Vihara (temple), the Cetiya (Pagada) the Bodhitree, the Vihara Mandiraya, the Seema malaka (assembly hall for monks) and the Relic Chamber. In addition, a museum, a library, a residential hall, a three storeyed Pirivena, educational halls and an alms hall are also on the premises.

Most notable for tourists is the architecture of the Simamalaka Shrine, which was built with donations from a Muslim sponsor to the design of Geoffrey Bawa.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, Hospital Street Galle Fort, Colombo 00001 Sri Lanka

The Old Colombo Dutch Hospital (known as The Dutch Hospital) is considered to be the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area dating back to the Dutch colonial era in Sri Lanka. It is now a heritage building and a shopping and dining precinct

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Pettah Floating Market, Bastian Mawatha, Colombo Sri Lanka

Barter yourself to a bargain at the colorful markets of Pettah.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Arcade Independence Square, 7 Colombo, Colombo 00700 Sri Lanka

The Arcade Independence Square is a shopping complex in the city of Colombo in Sri Lanka, housed in a group of renovated buildings including the former Jawatta Lunatic Asylum (later known as the Auditor General's building) and the former Western Provincial Council Building. It was built as a part of the Independence Square Redevelopment programme initiated by the Sri Lankan Government.

Duration: 1 hour