Overview
Take a trip to Colombo on your Sri Lanka Vacation
On Sri Lanka vacations, Colombo is Sri Lanka’s largest city and was the island’s capital till 1978, although still remains Sri Lanka’s commercial and financial centre.
Located on Sri Lanka’s west coast and featuring a large harbour, Colombo is ideally situated along the east-west sea trade routes and has been a port city for the last 2000 years.
Before obtaining its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka was under the control of the Portuguese, Dutch, and British from the 16th century, and its history is reflected in the colonial architecture, food, clothing, language, and attitudes found throughout the city. While the Portuguese and Dutch primarily used Colombo as a military fort, the British set Colombo on its way to major development, constructing houses and other various structures.
Surrounded by various canals, a river to the north and northeast, and a lake in the heart of the city, Colombo is a mix of land and water, as well as of old and new, and offers interesting places to shop, dine, and experience some of Sri Lanka’s arts and culture on a Sri Lanka vacation.
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Sinhala, TamilCurrency
Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)What do the experts say?
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