Colombo Trip Overview
Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the Municipality. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the Municipality. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple, 61 Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo Sri Lanka
Gangaramaya is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, started by the famous scholar monk Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera in the late 19th Century.
After the Venerable Sri Sumangala, his chief pupil Devundera Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera took on the administration of the temple. It was he who laid the foundation to convert the little temple to an institute of international reckoning.
The next chief incumbent was the Ven. Devundara Keerthi Sri Sumangala Jinaratana Vacissara Thera, the teacher of the Ven. Galboda Gnanissara, who worked to make the Gangaramaya what it is today: much more than a temple in the conventional term, but a place of worship, a seat of learning and a cultural centre.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sri Ponnambalam Vanesar Kovil, Kotahena, Colombo Sri Lanka
The Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Temple was built during the time of the British rule in Sri Lanka by Ponnambalam Mudaliyar, who lost his life whilst fighting for Sri Lanka’s independence and who wished to provide a place of worship for the Hindus. Hence a small temple was built, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. This temple displays ancient Dravidian architectural styles. In 1905, this temple was inherited by the son of Ponnambalam Mudaliyar; Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, who was a renowned Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Solicitor-General of Ceylon. The Kovil we see today was built by Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan.
This temple is one of the very few solid granite temples still in existence in our country. The temple is quite dark since it is made of stone, and is only illuminated by the flames of oil lamps. When you enter through the wooden doors, the synchronized chanting and the sound of bells fill your ears. The walls and stone pillars found in this temple are carved intricately.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Independence Memorial Hall, Independence Square, Colombo 00700 Sri Lanka
Independence Memorial Hall is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the restoration of full governing responsibility to a Ceylonese-elected legislature on February 4, 1948.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Pettah, Colombo Sri Lanka
Pettah is a neighbourhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka located east of the City centre Fort. The Pettah neighborhood is famous for the Pettah Market, a series of open air bazaars and markets. It is one of Sri Lanka’s busiest commercial areas, where a huge number of wholesale and retail shops, buildings, commercial institutions and other organisations are located.
The main market segment is designed like a gigantic crossword puzzle, where one may traverse through the entire markets from dawn till dusk, but not completely cover every part of it.
Pettah is derived from Tamil: Pettai, an Anglo-Indian word used to indicate a suburb outside a fort. Today, the Sinhala phrase, pita-kotuwa (outside the fort) conveniently describes the same place.
Pass By: Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo Sri Lanka
Viharamahadevi Park is a public park located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, situated in front of the colonial-era Town Hall in Sri Lanka. It was built by the British colonial administration and is the oldest and largest park of Colombo.
Stop At: Ceylon Tea Supermarket, 326/A,Deans Road, Colombo 01000 Sri Lanka
Ceylon tea
Ceylon tea is the brand of tea which is produced in Sri Lanka. Ceylon tea has been described as not only a geographical indication but also a pillar of Sri Lankan culture, heritage and identity. … In 2019, Sri Lanka was the fourth largest tea producer and the third largest tea exporter in the world.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, Second Cross Street, Colombo 01100 Sri Lanka
While you’re in the Pettah area, visit the city’s incredible Red Mosque, known formally as the Jami Ul-Alfar Masjid. It was built in the early part of the 20th century and makes quite a statement with its red and white stone minarets, topped with onion- and pomegranate-shaped domes. They tower over the area, and the domes give the building an almost Russian feel to it, architecturally. The style is called “Indo-Saracenic.”
The mosque is near the port, and its contrasting red and white colors made it a visual landmark for arriving ships. It’s especially interesting, as the red and white bricks are arranged in different patterns. Some swirl, some spiral, and other areas have alternating colors with a near optical illusional effect.Visitors, both men and women, are welcome to visit the mosque.
Pass By: Pettah Floating Market, Bastian Mawatha, Colombo Sri Lanka
Starting around the year 2000, this formerly industrial area of Colombo was redeveloped into a thriving floating market with almost 100 vendors. Pettah is in central Colombo, about a five-minute drive from Fort.
The floating market is along a canal, lined with sidewalks and wooden boardwalks. They both line and cross the canal, making it a fun area for shopping, strolling, and people watching. There is great street food here as well. It’s also a fruit and vegetable market. You can buy clothes, crafts, jewelry, even electronics like phones.
Pettah Floating Market is open from 8am to 8pm; sunset is a great time to visit and for photos (about 5pm).
Stop At: Colombo Lotus Tower, AC6, Colombo 01000, Sri Lanka
One of the coolest places to visit in Colombo is also one of the city’s newest attractions. The Colombo Lotus Tower is South Asia’s tallest freestanding structure (368 meters/1,168 feet), and a trip to the top rewards visitors with unobstructed views across Colombo and the surrounding cityscape and sea.
The tower, which houses a lot of telecommunications equipment, has a telecom museum, a shopping mall, a revolving fine dining restaurant, a hotel, and indoor and outdoor observation areas. The tower is also a sight to see from the outside – it’s covered in LED lighting and presents seasonal themed lighting displays each night.
The Lotus Tower, designed to replicate a lotus bulb and flower, simultaneously represents the historic culture of the country and its focus on the future.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Old Town Hall, Fort, Colombo Sri Lanka
Hidden in the busy Pettah Market lies a the old town hall building of then Ceylon hidden by the hawker stalls. Built in 1873, the mastermind behind this wonderful creation was British architect J. G. Smither who himself designed the furniture to match the woodwork of the building. The unique feature of this painstakingly designed furniture is the back rest of the chairs which resembled the design of wooden arches in each window.
Town hall was the first civic building at the time to be opened in Colombo. Its architecture has the overall features of a Neo-gothic building with its predominance of pointed arches and cast iron columns. The building was used as the municipal headquarters from 1873-1924 until in 1925 it was moved to a new premises.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Colombo Lighthouse, Chaithya Rd, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka
The current 29-metre-high (95 ft) lighthouse was built in 1952 after the Old Colombo Lighthouse was deactivated when its light became obscured by nearby buildings as part of the Colombo Harbor Expansion project. It was opened by Rt Hon D.S. Senanayake, the first prime minister of Ceylon. Built on a concrete base which is 12 m (39 ft) high, it has four statues of lions at its base.
Due to the panoramic view of the Indian Ocean it offered, it became a city landmark. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War, public access to the site was restricted. This was due to its placement in a high-security zone as it is across the street from the Naval Headquarters and close proximity of the Port of Colombo.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Cargills Department Store, No. 40 York Street, Colombo Sri Lanka
In 1844 British businessman William Milne started ‘Milne & Company’ , general warehousemen, importers of oilman stores etc, with branches in Kandy and Galle. In 1850 Milne was joined by his friend, David Sime Cargill, and the firm became ‘Milne, Cargill & Co’.In 1860 Milne retired from business in Ceylon and moved back to England to form a company in Glasgow to look after the business of Cargill & Co. in the UK. Cargill became sole partner until he was joined by David MacKenzie and the name was changed to ‘Cargill & Co’. The company had a Colombo office at the intersection of Price and York Streets in Colombo Fort, a Kandy office at Upper Lake Road and an office in Galle Fortat 22 Pedlar Street. The Galle office was closed down in 1863.
Duration: 2 minutes
Pass By: President’s House, Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka
President’s House is the official residence and workplace of the President of Sri Lanka, located at Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since 1804 it has been the residence of British governors and governors-general and Sri Lankan presidents, having been known as the “King’s House” or the “Queen’s House” until Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. There have been 29 governors who resided here, and also six presidents who resided or used it in an official capacity. Currently it is used by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka for state functions. The Presidential Secretariat functions as the office of the president, with much of the presidential staff based there.
Stop At: King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe Prison Cell, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha Colombo 1, Colombo Sri Lanka
Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe, the king of Kandyan Kindgdom was captured by the British on the 18th February 1815 at Medamahanuwara after his own officials including Eheylapola Maha Adhikaram ( who was one of the main conspirators who helped the British to take over Kandy ) joined the British to help take hold of Kandy. On 6th March 1815 the king, his family and relatives were brought to Colombo by the British. Its is said that that king was kept at a location close to the Galle Face Green until 24th January 1816, almost a year before being deported to Vellore India. The cell identified as the holding cell of Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe lies on the intersection of Bank of Ceylon Mawatha and the Janadhipathi Mawatha within the Ceylinco Building car park area but visible to the road. Painted in bright yellow and orange, this is a roughly 8×5′ building with a 2 feet thick wall. The roof is designed with a fish scale design.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Manning Market, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Just east of Fort train station, Manning Market is ripe with everything grown in Sri Lanka. It’s the city’s wholesale fruit and veg centre and is a monkey’s dream of bananas.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Kayman’s Gate Belltower, Main Street Pettah, Colombo Sri Lanka
Kayman’s Gate was an entrance to the former Colombo Fort located at the foot of the Wolvendaal Hill in the Pettah district of Colombo, Sri Lanka. A historic free-standing bell tower still stands at the site, now at the intersection of Main and 4th Cross Streets.
Read more about Colombo Morning & Evening Private City Tour by Tuk Tuk 2022 – https://www.viator.com/tours/Colombo/Morning-City-Tour/d4619-180602P2?mcid=56757
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Galle Face Green, Galle Road, Colombo Sri Lanka
Galle face green has always played a special part in the lives of Colombo-dwellers, although it is the British who are credited with making it a place of social interaction, as it remains today. In colonial times, the British embraced Galle face green as a leisure ground especially in the evening when elite ladies were said to promenade the length of the green. Active pursuits of cricket, football, polo and the famed horse races also took place on Galle face green. Horse-racing become popular in the 1840s and the Ceylon turf club was founded here sometime between the and 1860, although official records were not kept until 1866. The formal structure of the walk along the seaside was built during the period of governor ward in 1859. A plaque recognizes his achievement in providing a place where residents of Colombo could gather and socialize.
Duration: 15 minutes
