CITY EXPERIENCE
Sri Lanka does not have many cities, but what it does have are few major cities that team with excitement around every corner. From the ever-changing skyline of the commercial capital Colombo to the coastal beauty of Galle and Negombo, Sri Lanka day tours offers the best Sri Lanka sightseeing tours. The size of the cities may be diminutive, but by the end of the day, these cities will have you begging for more.
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Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes, ruled successively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. That heritage is reflected in its architecture, mixing colonial buildings with high-rises and shopping malls. The imposing Colombo National Museum, dedicated to Sri Lankan history, borders sprawling Viharamahadevi Park and its giant Buddha statue. Colombo is a must see on your calendar.
Trincomalee is a major port city in the Eastern Province. It lies on the east coast of the island about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It is also the administrative capital of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outter harbors. The city is home to the famous ancient Koneswaram temple alluded to in it's historic Tamil name "Thirukonamalai" from which it's anglicized name is derived, and has been a seaport that has played a major role in the maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka.
Galle is a city on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. It’s known for the Galle Fort, the fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century. Stone sea walls, expanded by the Dutch, encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Notable buildings include the 18th-century Dutch Reformed Church. Galle Lighthouse stands on the fort’s southeast tip and it is another must see to be ticked off on your holiday agenda.
Kandy is a large city in central Sri Lanka. It's set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforests. The city's heart is the scenic Kandy Lake (Known as the Bogambara Lake), which is popular for strolling. Kandy is famed for the sacred Buddhist sites, including the famous "Temple of the Tooth Relic" (Known as the "Sri Dalada Maligawa") shrine celebrated with the grand Esala Perahera's annual procession during the month of august.
Jaffna was made into a colonial port town during the Portuguese occupation of the Jaffna peninsula in 1619. Remains of some Portuguese churches and the main Hindu temple of the North, the Nallur Kandaswarmy temple, built in the year 1948. You also see the public library, the bell tower and Jaffna train station at it's days of yesteryear.
Negombo is a city on the west coast of Sri Lanka, north of the capital Colombo. Near the waterfront the remains of the 17th-century Dutch Fort now houses as a prison. Negombo Lagoon, lined with fishermen’s huts, feeds into the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal. The canal leads south to Colombo. Neoclassical St. Mary’s Church, completed in the 1920s, features a ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings.
Nuwara Eliya is a city in the tea country hills of central Sri Lanka. The naturally landscaped Hakgala Botanical Gardens displays roses and tree ferns, and shelters monkeys and blue magpies. Nearby the Seetha Amman Temple, a colorful Hindu shrine, is decorated with religious figures. Densely forested Galway's Land National Park is a sanctuary for endemic and migratory bird species, including bulbuls and flycatchers.
Ella is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka governed by an Urban Council. It is approximately 200 km east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 meters above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, densed with numerous varieties of flora and fauna.
Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province of Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for it's well-preserved ruins of an ancient rich Sinhala civilization.