The back story
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The back story
Ports, forts and a modern skyline: Colombo, the back story
An ancient trading port, a Portuguese and Dutch fort, the British capital of Ceylon and today the island’s commercial capital.
Town guide · the capital by the sea
Colombo: Our Favourites
Colombo in one page: the Fort and Pettah, Galle Face Green, the National Museum and Bawa’s Number 11, with our favourite restaurants, rooftops, hotels and shops.
What's onThis week in Sri Lanka
What to see
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Colombo’s front lawn
Galle Face Green
A long seafront lawn where Colombo comes to fly kites, eat street food and watch the sunset.
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South Asia’s tallest tower
Lotus Tower
The lotus-shaped telecommunications tower, about 350 m tall, with an observation deck over the city.
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A temple full of treasures, and Bawa on the lake
Gangaramaya Temple & Seema Malaka
A busy Buddhist temple with a museum of donated treasures, and its lakeside meditation hall designed by Geoffrey Bawa.
Sri Jinarathana Road, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Independence, 4 February 1948
Independence Memorial Hall
The monument to Sri Lanka’s independence on 4 February 1948, in a wide square in Cinnamon Gardens.
Independence Square, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Founded in 1877
National Museum of Colombo
Sri Lanka’s largest museum, in a white colonial building in Cinnamon Gardens.
Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Colombo’s lake
Beira Lake
The lake in the middle of the city, with the Seema Malaka and views of the Lotus Tower.
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Colombo’s bazaar
Pettah markets
A grid of crowded market streets next to the Fort, each street once devoted to one trade.
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Red and white
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (the Red Mosque)
The striking red-and-white mosque in Pettah, built in the early 20th century and one of Colombo’s best-known landmarks.
2nd Cross Street, Colombo 11Explore View on map
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Old Colombo
Kayman’s Gate and the old lighthouse
Two small landmarks of old Colombo: the bell tower of Kayman’s Gate in Pettah and the old clock tower lighthouse in the Fort.
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Colombo’s green heart
Viharamahadevi Park
Colombo’s largest park, in front of the white-domed Town Hall, with shady paths, a large Buddha statue and fountains.
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Bawa at home
Number 11, Geoffrey Bawa’s house
The Colombo home of Geoffrey Bawa, made from a row of small bungalows on a quiet lane and open for guided tours.
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Contemporary art
Saskia Fernando Gallery
A leading gallery for contemporary Sri Lankan art, with changing exhibitions.
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Painted temple
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
A revered Buddhist temple about 11 km north-east of the Fort, known for its painted murals and the Duruthu Perahera in January.
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Modern Sri Lankan art
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA)
Sri Lanka’s museum of modern and contemporary art, with changing exhibitions of artists from the island.
117 Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Bawa masterpiece
The Parliament complex by Geoffrey Bawa
Geoffrey Bawa’s Parliament complex, completed in 1982, rising from an island in the Diyawanna Oya lake at Kotte.
Where to eat
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Lagoon crab, the Colombo icon
Ministry of Crab
The famous crab restaurant in the Old Dutch Hospital, founded by chef Dharshan Munidasa with cricketers Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara.
Old Dutch Hospital, Hospital Street, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Dharshan Munidasa’s first restaurant
Nihonbashi
The Japanese restaurant with which chef Dharshan Munidasa began, cooking with Sri Lankan seafood.
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In Geoffrey Bawa’s former office
The Gallery Café
Paradise Road’s restaurant in the former office of architect Geoffrey Bawa, with a courtyard pool and a gallery.
Alfred House Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Sri Lankan classics, all day
Upali’s by Nawaloka
A busy restaurant for Sri Lankan rice and curry, hoppers, kottu and lamprais.
C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha 65, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Pick your fish, choose the cooking
The Lagoon
Cinnamon Grand’s seafood restaurant, where you choose fish and shellfish from the display and how to have it cooked.
Cinnamon Grand, 77 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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An all-day dining hall
Central at Shangri-La
Shangri-La Colombo’s all-day restaurant, with open kitchens and international buffets.
Shangri-La Colombo, 1 Galle Face, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Tea facing the Indian Ocean
The Verandah
The Galle Face Hotel’s verandah restaurant, known for high tea and buffets looking out to the sea.
Galle Face Hotel, 2 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Street-food flavours
Monsoon Colombo
A restaurant on Park Street serving Southeast Asian dishes.
Park Street 50/2, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Named after the country code
Plus Nine Four
A café-restaurant on Fonseka Road in Colombo 5, named after Sri Lanka’s +94 dialling code.
Fonseka Road 35, Colombo 5Explore View on map
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A tea menu in the Fort
The t-Lounge by Dilmah
Dilmah’s tea lounge on Chatham Street, with a long list of Ceylon teas, tea cocktails and snacks.
Chatham Street 62/2, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Coffee and cake in Colombo 7
Black Cat
A café and guesthouse on Wijerama Mawatha in Cinnamon Gardens, known for coffee and baking.
Wijerama Mawatha 11, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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In the Barefoot courtyard
Barefoot Garden Café
The courtyard café behind the Barefoot shop, with a gallery and the bookshop alongside.
Barefoot, Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Village feast in the city
Nuga Gama
A recreated Sri Lankan village in the gardens of the Cinnamon Grand, serving traditional dishes under a great nuga (banyan) tree.
Cinnamon Grand, 77 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Northern flavours
Palmyrah
The Renuka City Hotel’s restaurant, long known in Colombo for the cooking of Jaffna in the north.
328 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Vegetarian favourite
Shanmugas
A busy vegetarian restaurant for dosai, idli and thalis, popular with Colombo families.
53 Ramakrishna Road, Colombo 6Explore View on map
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All about prawns
Isso
A Colombo restaurant group devoted to the Sri Lankan prawn (isso), with its flagship on Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha.
53 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Warehouse street
Park Street Mews
A row of restored old warehouses on Park Street, turned into a cobbled lane of restaurants and bars.
Park Street, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Paradise Road
Tintagel Colombo
The courtyard dining room of the Paradise Road boutique hotel in a grand old house on Rosmead Place.
65 Rosmead Place, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Dim sum and Peking duck
Shang Palace
The Chinese restaurant of the Shangri-La Colombo, for Cantonese, Szechuan and Dongbei cooking and dim sum.
Shangri-La Colombo, 1 Galle Face, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Sushi with a view
Tenkū
The Japanese restaurant at The Kingsbury, with city views, more than 50 kinds of sushi and sashimi and a teppanyaki room.
The Kingsbury, 48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Biryani house
Kandoori
A busy local restaurant in Wellawatte for biryani, Sri Lankan, Indian and Chinese dishes, with branches in Beruwala and Galle.
17 Charlemont Road, Colombo 6Explore View on map
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Since 1996
The Cricket Club Café
A cricket-themed restaurant and bar, open since 1996 and full of memorabilia, popular with expats and match-day crowds.
Flower Terrace, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Garden café
Café Kumbuk
A café in a leafy house off Independence Avenue, with fresh breakfasts, lunches and good coffee.
3/1 Thambiah Avenue, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Freshly roasted
London House of Coffee
A coffee house on Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7, roasting its coffee fresh, with a sister café in England.
2B Gregory’s Road (R. G. Senanayake Mawatha), Colombo 7Explore View on map
Bars and rooftops
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Drinks above the Dutch Hospital
Botanik Bistro & Rooftop Bar
A rooftop bar and bistro on Hospital Street, looking over the Old Dutch Hospital and the Fort.
Hospital Street 7, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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In the 1864 hotel
Travellers Bar
The Galle Face Hotel’s bar, a classic for a drink in historic surroundings.
Galle Face Hotel, 2 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Sundowners on the sand
Firebeach
The Galle Face Hotel’s beach-side grill and bar, facing the ocean at sunset.
Galle Face Hotel, 2 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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By the Cinnamon Grand pool
Breeze Bar
Cinnamon Grand’s poolside bar, an easy spot for a drink in the city centre.
Cinnamon Grand, 77 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Ocean view
Sky Lounge at The Kingsbury
The rooftop bar of The Kingsbury hotel, beside the old lighthouse in Fort, with views over the ocean and the harbour.
48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Ninth-floor rooftop
Sky Bar at Headquarters by W15
A rooftop restaurant and bar on the ninth floor of HQ Colombo, with city views and cocktails, open daily from noon.
9th floor, HQ Colombo, 464A T. B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10Explore View on map
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Cocktails at the Shangri-La
Sapphyr Lounge
The cocktail lounge of the Shangri-La Colombo, for an elegant evening drink by Galle Face.
Shangri-La Colombo, 1 Galle Face, Colombo 2Explore View on map
Where to stay
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Since 1864
Galle Face Hotel
The grand old hotel at the end of Galle Face Green, founded in 1864, with lawns running down to the sea.
2 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Towers facing Galle Face Green
Shangri-La Colombo
A large luxury hotel on Galle Face, with restaurants, a spa and views over the ocean and the green.
1 Galle Face, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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The city’s social hub
Cinnamon Grand Colombo
A big, central five-star hotel on Galle Road, home to The Lagoon and many other restaurants.
77 Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Colombo’s newest grand hotel
ITC Ratnadipa
ITC Hotels’ tower hotel on the Colombo seafront, with ocean views.
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Modern and central
Mövenpick Hotel Colombo
A modern hotel off Galle Road, convenient for the city centre.
Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha 24, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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A governor’s seaside mansion
Mount Lavinia Hotel
A colonial-era hotel on a headland south of Colombo, built around a former governor’s residence.
Hotel Road 100, Mount LaviniaExplore View on map
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The new skyline
Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams
The tallest new hotel on Colombo’s skyline, part of the City of Dreams complex with restaurants, bars and shopping.
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At the Fort
The Kingsbury
A large seafront hotel at the edge of Colombo Fort, next to the old lighthouse, with a rooftop bar.
48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Near the Fort
Hilton Colombo
A long-established international hotel near Colombo Fort and Beira Lake.
2 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Facing Galle Face
Taj Samudra
A large hotel set in gardens facing Galle Face Green and the ocean.
25 Galle Face Centre Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Rooftop pool
Jetwing Colombo Seven
A modern boutique hotel on Ward Place in leafy Colombo 7, with a rooftop pool.
Ward Place, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Paradise Road
Tintagel Colombo
A small, stylish boutique hotel by Paradise Road in a grand early 20th-century house on Rosmead Place.
65 Rosmead Place, Colombo 7Explore View on map
Shopping
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The seafront mall
One Galle Face
A large modern mall on the seafront at Galle Face, with international brands, a food court and a cinema.
1A Center Road, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Shops, cinema and food
Colombo City Centre
A mall and residential tower in central Colombo with shops, restaurants and a cinema.
Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 2Explore View on map
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Colombo’s oldest building
Old Dutch Hospital Precinct
The restored Dutch-era hospital in the Fort, now a courtyard of restaurants, bars and shops.
Hospital Street, Colombo 1Explore View on map
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Colonial buildings, new life
Arcade Independence Square
Restored colonial buildings near Independence Square, now home to shops, restaurants and a cinema.
Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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The Colombo department store
ODEL
Sri Lanka’s best-known lifestyle department store, with its flagship at Alexandra Place.
Alexandra Place, Colombo 7Explore View on map
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Designer Shanth Fernando, since 1987
Paradise Road
The design store founded in 1987 by Shanth Fernando, for homeware, tableware and gifts.
Alfred House Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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Handwoven colour
Barefoot
Barbara Sansoni’s celebrated store for handwoven cotton textiles, toys, books and gifts.
Galle Road, Colombo 3Explore View on map
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A fair-trade handloom maker
Selyn
A Sri Lankan fair-trade handloom company, selling textiles, clothes and toys.
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Linen and cotton for the heat
Cotton Collection
A Sri Lankan clothing chain for linen and cotton clothes, with several stores in Colombo.
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Sri Lankan luxury toiletries
Spa Ceylon
A Sri Lankan brand of Ayurveda-inspired bath and body products, with boutiques across the island and abroad.
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Since 1922
Colombo Jewellery Stores (CJS)
One of Colombo’s oldest jewellers, founded in 1922, known for gems and fine jewellery.
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A Colombo jewellery house
Sifani
A Sri Lankan jewellery house with showrooms in Colombo, specialising in gems and fine jewellery.
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Sapphires and gemstones
Zam Gems
Gem merchants and jewellers with showrooms in Colombo and on the road into Kandy.
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Fixed prices
Laksala
The state-run handicraft stores, good for masks, batik, brass, wood carvings and tea at fixed prices.
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Bargain clothes
House of Fashion
A big, busy clothing store popular with locals for good-value clothes, including overruns from the island’s garment factories.
Baseline Road, Colombo 8Explore View on map
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Handcrafted furniture
Raux Brothers
A Sri Lankan maker of handcrafted furniture and home décor, including colonial-style pieces.
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Test before you buy
National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA)
The government authority for gems and jewellery, which tests and values stones and verifies certificates.
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Since 1928
Raja Jewellers
A family jeweller established in 1928, with its main showroom on Galle Road and branches in Kandy and Negombo.
173 Galle Road, Colombo 4Explore View on map
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Sarees and silks
New Asia Silk Emporium
A long-established store on Galle Road for silk sarees and fabrics.
196B Galle Road, ColomboExplore View on map
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Modern mall
Havelock City Mall
A large modern mall in the Havelock City development, with shops, restaurants and a cinema.
Getting there
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About 30–35 km north of Colombo
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
Sri Lanka’s main international airport at Katunayake, about 30–35 km north of Colombo and close to Negombo.
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Book by app for a fair price
Tuk-tuks, PickMe & Uber
Three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) are everywhere; booking one, or a car, through PickMe or Uber gives a fixed, metered price.
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Hill line partly closed in 2026
Trains & Sri Lanka Railways
The national railway: the coastal line to Galle and Matara, and the hill-country line, whose most scenic stretch runs from Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya) to Ella and Badulla.
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The most popular way to tour
Car with driver
Most visitors tour the island with a car and driver, booked through their hotel or a licensed tour operator.
Share your Colombo tips
Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.
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