From misty mountains to golden coastlines - discover the best of Sri Lanka with Lisence to Travel Lanka.
A busy, layered harbour city where colonial-era streets, gleaming new towers, temples, mosques and churches sit side by side — most visitors' first and last stop, and worth more than a passing glance.
Colombo has been a trading port for over two thousand years, shaped in turn by Arab traders, Portuguese, Dutch and British colonists, and today it's Sri Lanka's commercial and administrative hub. The result is a city of contrasts: the colonial-era Fort and Pettah districts sit minutes from the glass towers and reclaimed waterfront of Port City and Galle Face, while quiet Cinnamon Gardens streets give way to the noise and colour of local markets.
We build Colombo in as a city stop at the start or end of a trip — enough time for a walk along Galle Face Green at sunset, a look through the Dutch Hospital precinct and Fort's colonial buildings, and a taste of local street food, before heading out to the rest of the island.
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