The Stories of Old Colombo – A Walking Tour
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Highlights: For those with a passion for history, an eye for photography and a fondness for quirks, a gentle walking tour of Colombo can be just the thing. Hear the stories behind the capital city, learn how the buildings and monuments are preserved and discover the best vantage point from which to view them all.
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Itinerary
A walking tour of the Sri Lankan capital combines some of the city’s most important monuments and helps to get a feel of both past and present life in Colombo. Start your walk in the Colombo Fort area where European-style architecture dominates and street names follow English examples, such as York Street, Duke Street and Bristol Street. Next, it’s on to the red-bricked Cargills & Millers building which housed a Dutch Commander, a British Governor and then island’s first department store. Walk through this wonderfully preserved building to observe the brass work, flooring, signage, lift and cashier boxes all in their original form. The fast food chains which now occupy the ground floor, cut a stark contrast to the original arched openings of the verandahs above.
Pass by the lighthouse clock tower, standing 96 feet over the city at the spot which marks the city’s zero mileage point. Designed and established by the British, it is two years older than Big Ben in London. Then, see the former President’s House and it’s beautifully lush, four-acre garden. Take a look at the Grand Oriental Hotel, situated in a 19th-century residence and once one of the most luxurious hotels of the east. The views of the harbor from its restaurant are among some of the best in the city.
Move on to the HSBC bank building with its original emblem, still at the entrance and one of the very few that remain in the world. Then, if you wish, venture to Pettah flea market and soak up the bustling atmosphere that surrounds it. Each street is dedicated to different produce, mainly for wholesale, for example electrical items, fabric and even a street dedicated to Colombo’s version of China Town. Before you head back to your hotel, take a stroll on the Galle Face Green overlooking the glistening Indian Ocean, or wander through Viharamahadevi Park, full of street artisans and a good spot for both visitors and locals to relax in.
