14 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Colombo

At a distance of 5 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, the National Museum of Colombo, also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum is one of the two museums in Colombo city. It is the largest museum in Sri Lanka and among the must-visit places as part of Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

The Colombo Museum, as it was called at the beginning, was established in 1877 CE by Sir William Henry Gregory, the then Governor of British Ceylon from 1872-1877. The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory in 1872 the need for a public museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. Designed by James G. Smither, the construction was completed in 1876 and the museum was opened to the public in the following year. Now, it was maintained by the Department of National Museum of the central government.

Built-in the Italian architectural style, the two stroyed museum has three main sections, including natural science, .....

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At a distance of 6 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Independence Square is a historical landmark located right in the heart of Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Colombo and among the prime places to visit during your Sri Lanka Trip.

Earlier known as Torrington Square, Independence Square is a site of historic consequence, natural beauty, and architectural significance. It takes its name from the Independence Memorial Hall built there to commemorate the independence of Sri Lanka from British rule in 1948. The exact location is where Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, opened Sri Lanka's first parliament on a special podium, bringing an end to almost five centuries of colonial rule and marking the beginning of Sri Lanka's self-rule.

This Hall is based on the architecture of the Audience Hall (Magul Maduwa) located in Kandy. The column and pillars are decorated with traditional Sri Lankan designs and statues of lions .....

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At a distance of 1.5 km from the National Museum and 5 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Gangaramaya is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Colombo. Situated near Beria Lake, it is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo and among the most important places to visit as part of Sri Lanka Packages.

Gangaramaya Temple was started by the famous scholar-monk Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera in the late 19th century CE. After the Venerable Sri Sumangala, Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera took on the administration of the temple and convert the little temple to an institute of international reckoning. It is much more than a temple in the conventional term, but a place of worship, a seat of learning and a cultural center.

The Gangaramaya Temple is a unique blend of architectural styles from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Chinese and India. It is exceptionally beautiful with the Beira Lake on one side and statues & carvings paving the way inside. It features a Vihara, the main temple, .....

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At a distance of 4 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Galle Face Green is an urban park located on the seafront in the port city of Colombo. It is one of the popular places to hang out in Colombo and among the prime places to visit as part of your Sri Lanka Tour.

The Galle Face Green in Sri Lanka is a half kilometer promenade in the heart of Colombo. On one end of this stretch of land lies the Ceylon Intercontinental Hotel while on the other side, lies the magnificent Galle Face Hotel. This area is now considered the largest open space in Colombo that is accessible to crowds inclusive of tourists and regular local visitors. The beach is frequented by the locals residing in Colombo, especially on weekends as it makes for the best spot for children to play around and for families to spend some quality time next to the sea under the open sky.

The originally planned Galle Face extended over a much larger area than exists today. The promenade was initially laid out by the Dutch .....

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At a distance of 10 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya near Colombo. Also known as Kelaniya Temple, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Colombo and among the best places to visit as part of Sri Lanka Tour.
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The temple is located on the bank of river Kelaniya and is an ancient archeological monument that was built in the 5th century BCE. The temple has a special significance and is considered to be one of the most sacred sites in Colombo. Legend has it that on the eighth year following enlightenment, Lord Buddha visited Kelaniya with 500 monks on the invitation of King Maniakkhikha to preach the dhamma. A stupa was built on the place where the Buddha preached his sermon.
The original temple was destroyed by a lot of invaders but the temple had been reconstructed each time. The medieval temple was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1510 yet reconstructed .....

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At a distance of 3 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, St. Lucia's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church located Kotahena locality of Colombo. The cathedral is considered the oldest and largest parish cathedral in Sri Lanka and among the top places to visit in Colombo.

St. Lucia's Cathedral is dedicated to saint martyr St. Lucia who is considered to be the protector against all kinds of eye trouble. This is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo. The cathedral was first built as a small chapel of wood in 1760 when Ceylon was under Dutch occupation. This small structure was later replaced by a more massive shrine made of brick and mortar in the year 1782. St. Lucia's Cathedral became the first church of Sri Lanka after it was detached from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Goa. A plan was made in 1872, to build a new cathedral which took roughly 30 years and was fully completed in the year 1902.

St Lucia's Cathedral is a massive structure .....

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At a distance of 1 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Jami-ul-Alfar Mosque is a historic mosque located in the Pettah district of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Colombo and among the prime places to visit in Colombo as part of Sri Lanka Packages.

Jami-ul-Alfar Mosque, also known as Rathu Palliya in Sinhala, Samman Kottu Palli in Tamil and Red Mosque in English, is quite a sight in itself and also a big tourist attraction. It was built by the local Indian Muslim community, based in Pettah, in the year 1908 to fulfill their required five-times-daily prayer and Jummah on Fridays. The construction was completed in 1909 and originally it had the capacity for 1,500 worshippers although at the time only around 500 were attending prayers. However, the numbers grew swiftly and in 1975 the Haji Omar Trust took control of the surrounding properties and began the work of expanding the mosque. A new four .....

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At a distance of 3 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, the Old Parliament Building is a heritage building that houses the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka during the British era. Situated in the Colombo Fort area facing the sea, it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the city, and among the must-visit places in Colombo as part of Sri Lanka Tour.

The building was designated as the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1977. Initially, the building was home to the Legislative Council of Ceylon and was witness to the country's transition from a colonial state to self-rule in 1947. Completed in 1930, this building was home to the country's legislature for 53 years until the new parliamentary complex was opened at Sri Jayawardenepura in 1983 CE during the country's prolonged Civil War. Since then, the Old Parliament Building has functioned as the home to the Presidential Secretariat.

Built-in the Neo-Baroque style of architecture, the Old Parliament Building is a complete .....

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At a distance of 4 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Viharamahadevi Park is a public park located near the National Museum in the port city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Situated in front of the colonial-era Town Hall building, it is the oldest and the biggest park in Colombo and among the must include places in Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Formerly called Victoria Park, the park was built on land donated to the Colombo city by Charles Henry de Soysa during the British rule of Sri Lanka. The park has a long history of being used for different purposes like during World War II it hosted the British Army and the 17th Brigade of the Australian Army. It was also used as a cricket ground by the first-class teams from 1927 to 1995 and even hosted a match between the touring English team in the 1930s. After Sri Lanka's Independence, the park was given its current name, Viharamahadevi Park after the mother of King Dutugemunu.

Maintained by the Colombo Municipal Council, this public park .....

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At a distance of 13 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka is a zoo park situated in Dehiwala, a suburb of Colombo. It is one of the oldest zoological gardens in Asia and among the must-visit Colombo Tourist Places.

Also called Colombo Zoo or Dehiwala Zoo, the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka was initially started by Mr. John Hagenbeck in the late 1920s as a private collection in 11 acres. The zoo was closed at the beginning of World War II. Later, the park was officially taken over by the Government of Sri Lanka on 1st July 1936 and was established as an independent public department in 1946.

Stretches over an area of almost 30 acres, the park is home to over 2,500 to 3,000 animals including 79 species of mammals, 31 species of reptiles and 89 species of birds. One can see lions, tigers, panthers, chimpanzees, horses, zebras, crocodiles, and many other animals. The aquarium in the zoo is the only one of its kind in Asia and displays .....

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At a distance of 30 km from Colombo, Panadura Beach is a public beach at Panadura town situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Along the coast of the Indian Ocean, Panadura is one of the mesmerizing beaches near Colombo and among the best places to visit as part of Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Panadura Beach is a quiet secluded beach with a long stretch of golden sands and clear waters which are perfect for candid moments with the beach. Just like the town of Panadura, its beach too speaks of elegance, warmth, and simplicity at its best. It is not widely regarded for its water adventures of scuba diving and snorkeling along with the usual hustle of nightlife on the coasts. However, Panadura presents a landscape for some edgy family time and romance by the seas with your loved ones.

Kite flying is a favorite activity on the beach, and one can buy a kite from the shops outside the beach. The breeze and a slight technique with your hands will do the trick for a beautiful kite .....

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At a distance of 4 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Beira Lake is a serene lake in the center of the port city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is one of the most famous landmarks in Colombo and among the top Colombo Tourist Places.

As per the history, the Beira Lake was created by the Portuguese in the 1500s, in order to serve as a moat to protect their base in Colombo from the aggressive inhabitants. There were added other dangers to the lake, such as large crocodiles to strengthen the security. Beira later turned out to be a massive barrier to the Mayadunne of Sitawaka in their effort to free the country from the foreigners. It was Mayadunne's son, Rajasinghe I, who got successful in debilitating the lake during the year 1587 from the Portuguese. After the Dutch laid siege and captured the lake, it was expanded and also constructed several artificial islands on the same. Later, the British took over, removed the crocodiles and developed the area surrounding the Beira Lake. This .....

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At a distance of 1 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, Pettah Floating market is a bustling market located on Bastian Mawatha in Pettah, a neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is one of the most sensational shopping spots in Colombo and among the must-visit places during Sri Lanka Trip.

Opened in the year 2014, the Pettah Floating Market on the Beira Lake is a popular landmark in Colombo. The floating market is a series of pavilions constructed on the far end of the restored Beira Lake between the Pettah Bus Station and the Railway Station. The entrance is on the west side of the market area where there's a wood-carved flanking marked 'The Floating Market'. The main objective of the market was to relocate unlicensed street vendors off the footpaths, particularly in congested areas like the Pettah, where they had no facilities and were forcing pedestrians onto the road. Businesses, however, have struggled at the floating markets due to high rents and low sales.

There are .....

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At a distance of 1 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station, the Colombo Dutch Museum is a museum located in the bustling hub of Pettah, Colombo. It is one of the renowned museums in Colombo and among the must include places in every Sri Lanka Packages.

The Colombo Dutch Museum is a beautiful two-story building which is a storehouse of some fantastic architecture and history of Dutch colonial rule of Sri Lanka. The Colombo Dutch museum was initially the residence of Thomas Van Rhee, the Dutch Governor of Sri Lanka from 1692- 1697. The building of the Colombo Dutch Museum has been used for many purposes so far, such as a college, military hospital, police station, seminary and even a post office during the British period. Later, it was restored by a special preservation committee with the assistance of the Netherlands government in 1977 and opened for the public as Dutch Museum in 1982 by the Department of National Museums.

The museum is a storehouse of over 3000 Dutch artifacts .....

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