05 Most Beautiful Cities in Sri Lanka – Discover The Islands Best Locations

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Galle is located on the popular south coast of Sri Lanka. There you will discover a past heavily influenced by colonial occupations of the Portuguese, Dutch and English. The Galle Dutch Fort a heritage site, dates back to the 1600s and is a well preserved relic of cobblestone streets, vintage churches and ramparts overlooking the ocean. Galle is a sleepy fisher village too, where you experience simple lifestyles all carefully woven into the web of attractions that make up Galle. There's no better way to explore the island than with a reputed tour operator in Sri Lanka, enjoy the best of your time on the island, stay at charming villas in Sri Lanka, savour local hospitality and discover hidden gems. With help from Nkar Travel House or any other tour agent offering an impressive adventure across the island, you won't be disappointed.

Colombo is less than an hour from the international airport and one of Asia's most modern cities; which can boast both contemporary vibes and plenty of historical splendour to explore. As a coastal city, Colombo is home to some of the islands best beachside suburbs, for indulging in leisurely walks and savouring fresh seafood. Shopping is very trendy at the chic boutiques while restaurants from across the world treat varied taste-buds. Colombo has plenty of green space, with the Viharamaha Devi Park serving as a verdant oasis right in the middle of the busy city. Escape to Galle Face for sweeping vistas of the ocean and enjoy exploring the Colombo Museum, the Art Gallery and the Colonial Dutch Hospital restored to its former glory home to top restaurants and boutiques.

Sigiriya is most noted for its UNESCO Heritage Site the Lions Rock Fortress. Considered a marvel of the old world, this site was once the harem and stronghold of King Kashyapa built in the 5th century on a monolithic rock over 500 feet high, in the middle of the forest. The site is impressive for its skilled infrastructure, meditation caves, natural cooling systems, stunning rooftop gardens, huge ponds and interior murals famous the world over. Sigiriya is a rustic village with savannah type jungles to explore; these wild reserves, in turn, are home to herds of untamed elephants, other mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

If you want to savour tradition and culture Kandy promises to deliver. Home to the last kingdom of Sri Lanka, Kandy is located in the central highlands. The city is home to the Temple of The Tooth Relic a prominent pilgrimage site. Surrounded by rolling hills, tea estates and pretty forests, Kandy is popular for the Esala Perahera an annual festival which parades the tooth relic on the back of a majestically clad elephant. In Kandy you can trek the hills, explore the botanical marvels at the Peradeniya Gardens, visit a tea factory and take in cultural shows consisting of local dancers, fire walking and acrobats. Kandy is ideal to book a villa and chill; these holiday bungalows complete with a cook gives you a home-away-from-home vibe to savour.

Nuwara Eliya is located at the highest point of the island and is a lovely chilly locale improved by the British colonists who found the place quite similar to home. Made up of hills carpeted with tea bushes, Nuwara Eliya is called the garden city for its riot of colourful blooms in April. The town is home to colonial style holiday bungalows, the Lake Gregory for paddle-boating, power boat rides and tours while the popular park lining the lake is the ideal chilly environs for relaxing, dining, pony rides and even zip-lining. A trekkers paradise the nature surrounding Nuwara Eliya is made up of silvery waterfalls, verdant valleys and stunning forests. Make sure to visit the Worlds End National Park and trek to the summit of Mount Piduruthalagala, the islands tallest mound.