Galle is one of the most-visited destinations in Sri Lanka. Known for its history and beautiful surroundings, the city attracts several visitors around the year. The route from Colombo to Galle travels along the coast and the view is quite scenic. Both...more
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Galle is one of the most-visited destinations in Sri Lanka. Known for its history and beautiful surroundings, the city attracts several visitors around the year. The route from Colombo to Galle travels along the coast and the view is quite scenic. Both bus and train journeys take visitors along the coastline giving them beautiful sceneries to enjoy. Among the most notable features of Galle is the historic architecture of the colonial times which is quite well-preserved.
The Galle Fort is the main landmark of the city and is around 300 years old. The fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and enclosed by soaring bastions, inside which is the Old Dutch town. The city is divided into two, the Old Dutch town and the new bustling town. The streets around the Galle Fort are practically traffic free and visitors can conveniently walk around and appreciate the historic architecture. The Historic Mansion Museum features a vast collection of artefacts from the colonial era. The old lighthouse and the Leyn Baan Street are the two main lookout points in the Galle Fort area. Outside the fort area is the long coastline where one can enjoy long walks and also visit the turtle hatcheries.
The Galle Fort area is also known for its shopping. There are several gems and antique shops inside the fort area. Visitors can bargain at these shops to get good prices for gems and jewellery. Those who wish to enjoy a modern shopping experience; the new town has some good supermarkets and stores.
The nearest airport to Galle is the Bandaranaike International Airport. From the airport visitors can travel to the Colombo Fort and from there regular air-conditioned buses are available to Galle. The bus journey takes around 2-3 hours depending on the route taken and costs around Rs 230. Trains are also available from Colombo to Galle.
Locating halal restaurants in Galle is not difficult. Visitors can ask around with locals or at the mosque about halal food availability in the city. Some of the halal restaurants in Galle include Indian Hut at Galle Fort, Crêpe-ology Restaurant at Galle Fort, etc.
Galle has a good population of Muslims and there are quite a few mosques around the city. The most prominent mosque in Galle is the Meera Mosque also known as the Galle Fort Mosque or the Jama Al-Khairat Mosque. The mosque is located inside the Galle Fort. The other mosques in the city are Ya Hussain Masjid, Shekh Yusuf Sahib Valiyullah Mosque and the Baddare Mosque.