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The red-and-white striped domes of the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque in Pettah, Colombo
City tours · Colombo

Colombo city tour, temples to Galle Face

An afternoon around Colombo, from Gangaramaya Temple and Independence Square to the Pettah market and sunset on Galle Face Green.

Duration
Half day, about 5 hours
Pickup
Pickup from your hotel or home in Colombo
Group
Private car with a driver guide, just your group
Languages
English and Sinhala; Tamil on request
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours before pickup
Confirmation
Within a few hours of your request
  • Colombo’s towers lit up at night above the Galle Face Green promenade
  • A golden Buddha statue on the shore of a lake, with Colombo towers behind
  • Seafood frying at a street food stall at night
  • The Lotus Tower rising behind a passing blue train

Highlights

  • Gangaramaya Temple and the Seema Malaka on Beira Lake
  • Independence Memorial Hall and Viharamahadevi Park
  • The Pettah market streets and the red-and-white Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
  • The Fort district and the Old Dutch Hospital
  • Sunset and street food on Galle Face Green

Why you’ll love it

  • The city in an afternoon

    Temples, colonial streets, the market and the sea front in about 5 hours, with no parking or traffic to deal with.

  • Two landmark places of worship

    Gangaramaya, with its museum of donated treasures, and the red-and-white Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque in Pettah.

  • Pettah up close

    Walk the market streets where spices, cloth and fruit are traded street by street, with a guide who knows the way.

  • Sunset on Galle Face

    The tour ends on the sea-front green as the sun goes down, with street food stalls along the promenade.

How the tour runs

  1. 2:00 pm

    Pickup

    We collect you from your hotel or home in Colombo.

  2. 2:30 pm

    Gangaramaya Temple

    Visit Gangaramaya Temple and its museum of donated treasures, then cross to the Seema Malaka pavilions on Beira Lake.

  3. 3:45 pm

    Independence Square

    A stop at Independence Memorial Hall, which marks Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, and a drive past Viharamahadevi Park and the Town Hall.

  4. 4:30 pm

    Pettah

    Walk the busy market streets of Pettah and see the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, built in the early 1900s.

  5. 5:15 pm

    Fort and the Old Dutch Hospital

    Drive through the Fort district and stop at the Old Dutch Hospital, one of Colombo’s oldest buildings, now home to cafés and shops.

  6. 6:00 pm

    Galle Face Green

    End on Galle Face Green as the sun sets over the sea, with street food stalls along the promenade.

  7. 7:00 pm

    Drop-off

    Return to your hotel or home.

What’s included

Included

  • Pickup and drop-off in Colombo
  • Air-conditioned car with an English-speaking driver guide
  • Gangaramaya Temple entry ticket
  • Bottled water in the car

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Lotus Tower ticket (ask us to add it)
  • Personal expenses and tips

Good to know

What to bring

  • Light clothes that cover shoulders and knees
  • Shoes that slip off easily
  • A small umbrella for afternoon showers
  • Cash for street food and the market

Not suitable for

  • Travellers who dislike crowds (Pettah market)
  • Wheelchair users in Pettah (crowded, uneven pavements)

Know before you go

  • Gangaramaya and the mosque ask visitors to cover shoulders and knees and take off their shoes; women may be asked to cover their hair at the mosque.
  • Visits to the mosque avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday, so your guide may change the order of stops.
  • Afternoon showers are common, most of all from May to November; your guide plans around them.
  • Pettah is crowded and busy with traffic: keep valuables close and stay with your guide.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup. Cancellations after that, and no-shows, are charged in full. If heavy rain sets in, your guide changes the order of stops, or you choose a new date.

Questions

Can we do this tour in the morning?

Yes, tell us when booking. The afternoon tour is timed to end with the sunset on Galle Face Green, but the same stops work just as well in the morning.

Can we add the Lotus Tower?

Yes. Its observation deck looks out over the whole city. Ask us to add the ticket and we will fit it in before Galle Face.

What should we wear?

Light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for the temple and the mosque, and shoes that are easy to slip off.

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