Colonial and Modern Colombo in One Day Tour

Colombo boasts a rich colonial heritage, featuring a melting pot of races, religions and cultures. A city of contrasts, it is both an eclectic mix of shiny hotels and swanky office blocks, neighbouring beautiful red-tiled colonial-era buildings. Sprawling bustling street markets brim with fragrant spices, colourful silks, cottons and fresh fruit and vegetables. The home of the famed Ceylon tea, delve into the vast array of fragrant flavoured teas, including banana and brandy. Featuring a fascinating heritage and enticing culture, Sri Lanka‘s capital is one of Asia’s favourite travel destinations.

The Town Hall of Colombo is the headquarters of the Colombo Municipal Council and the office of the Mayor of Colombo. Built in front of the Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo, Sri Lanka, it is the meeting place for the elected municipal council. In 1921 renowned Scottish town planner, Professor Patrick Geddes, recommended that the Council should construct a large central and dignified municipal building to house the council, a public reception hall, the mayor's office and a public library. The foundation stone for the town hall was laid on 24 May 1924, by the Mayor of Colombo, Thomas Reid. The construction of the building was undertaken by A. A. Gammon & Co and four years later on 9 August 1928 it was formally opened by the Governor Sir Herbert Stanley KCMG.

The Galle Face Green is a 12 acres urban park stretching 500 meters along the coast. It is situated in the heart of Colombo surrounded by a large business area. Initially the Galle Face Green was used for horse racing, golf, cricket, rugby, football and tennis. At present it is used as a large open space between the Galle Road and the Indian Ocean for people to come and have fun under the open skies. There are various food vendors selling cooked crabs and prawns, slices of mango with pepper and salt etc. along the area. It is situated facing a majority of five star hotels in Colombo.

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.

The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, also known as the Red Mosque (not to be confused with the Red Mosque of New Delhi), is one of Colombo’s oldest mosques. The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque was built in 1908 in Pettah to cater to the growing need for a large place for religious repose. The design and construction was done by Habibu Labbe Saibu Labbe an unknown architect of the time. He used Indo-Saracenic structural images, given to him by the South Indian traders who commissioned him, as his base; but also mixed in elements of his own. One of the most notable architectural changes is that the dome shaped spires on top of the mosque is not of the typical onion shape. Instead its shape follows that of a pomegranate; while its walls are painted the same shade of red as the innards of that fruit, along with pale yellow horizontal stripes. This red tone is why the mosque gained its name.

At the corner of Chatham Street in the North West of Colombo fort, located an elegant Victoria clock tower. This tower used to be a lighthouse as the lamp still exists on the top to this day, but it is no longer in operation, since the light became blocked by tall buildings around it. However, the tower remains and functions as a clock tower.

Colombo Lotus Tower is a 350 meters high tower located in D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha (McCallum Road) in Colombo 10. The lotus-shaped tower was officially declared open on 16th September 2019. It is the tallest completed tower in South Asia and the second tallest structure in South Asia just coming behind the INS Kattabomman in India. It is also the 11th tallest completed tower in Asia and the 19th tallest completed tower in the world. The tower which is visible throughout Colombo and its suburbs, is used for observation, communication and various other leisure activities. It includes a telecommunications museum, hotel, restaurants, auditorium, and an observation deck. It will function primarily as a radio/television and telecom transmission hub with a secondary tourism and entertainment function. It gives a panoramic view of the entire city of Colombo.