How to Enjoy a Long Weekend in Colombo

Visitors to Colombo will discover that it is a cosmopolitan city boasting an interesting colonial legacy where people of different religions, races and cultures make their home. Here, you will find contrasting elements such as sophisticated office buildings and elegant hotels in proximity to quaint colonial period buildings. Colombo offers a myriad of dining, shopping and entertainment options too and provided below are some suggestions on how to spend a long weekend in this city.

Take a walking tour through Fort and Pettah

Taking a walking tour through the unique districts of Fort and Pettah would be a great way to experience Colombo’s vibrancy and some of its entrancing features. By doing so, you will also have the opportunity to mingle with the locals and gain a first-hand understanding of their way of life. You will find that Fort, an important hub for commerce, features several interesting buildings.

On the other hand, you will see that Pettah is a bustling market locale where you will encounter many distinctive sights, sounds, smells and tastes. In this rather chaotic yet charming area, you will be able to buy all manner of items at street stalls and shops, enjoy delectable street foods and much more.

Check out historical attractions

If you have an interest in history and culture, you are sure to appreciate the opportunity to visit several Dutch colonial period buildings in Colombo; these include the Dutch Period Museum, the Dutch Reformed Church and the Old Dutch Hospital. You will find that the Dutch Period Museum offers some fascinating insights into Dutch colonial rule as well. The Old Dutch Hospital complex is also an interesting sight as it is an appealing building with eye-catching roofs with red tiles; today, this site is a dining and shopping precinct where you can enjoy a relaxed meal and cool drink too.

Tour the National Museum

Culture lovers will also be enthralled by the vast National Museum which is housed within a stately colonial-style building. As you might expect, within this expansive museum, you will encounter an engrossing collection of statues, paintings, historical items and many other artefacts that are representative of Sri Lanka’s eventful history. It features an array of fascinating relics dating to the kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Kandy, including a selection of objects used by royalty. Also in the same compound, you will find the Natural History Museum which displays some unusual and quirky exhibits from the natural world.

Relax at Galle Face Green

To relax and unwind after a tiring day of sightseeing or shopping, make your way to Galle Face Green which happens to be a popular seaside park in Colombo. Particularly on weekends and in the evenings, it is filled with leisure seekers including kite flyers, courting couples and families, all coming here to enjoy quality leisure time amidst the pleasant surroundings. You will also find plenty of food vendors, offering some tasty snacks and cool drinks. A choice of accommodation to consider from which you could easily visit Galle Face Green would be Pegasus Reef which is amongst the attractively located hotels near Colombo.

Experience Gangaramaya Temple

If you appreciate interesting religious attractions, you should undoubtedly take the opportunity to visit the well-known Gangaramaya Temple during your long weekend getaway. At this captivating Buddhist place of worship, you will encounter attractions such as the vibrantly painted and ornately sculpted Viharaya (image house) with its striking Buddha statues and artistic features. Another interesting aspect would be the stupa, with the Samadhi Buddha statue situated in front of it within an elaborately carved structure. Also, check out the Ata Visi Hall with its statues representing 28 Buddhas as well as the venerated Bo (sacred fig) tree. Other interesting features would be the Borobudur replica, relic chamber and museum.