Book A Tour

To book a tour revealing the secrets and unique spots around Galle Fort or Colombo city, call the author Juliet Coombe on +94 (0) 776838659 or go to 60 Leyn Baan Street and book a tour with Juliet direct.

Walking Tours can be taken daily for an hour and a half early morning or late afternoon.

Cost:
One Hour - $20 US
Half Day - $75 US
Full Day - $150 US
(all prices are per person)

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Galle Face Green to Colombo Fort historic walk

Troops assemble at the pier on the Galle Face Green, right in front of the tall flagpole; salute if you feel like it. This walk takes you right into the birthplace of what is modern day Colombo, and its pulse that is throbbing. Journey across the esplanade from whence the horses once raced, the ladies in Victorian gowns flirted from behind lacy parasols, and when the colonial era was in full swing. Head north and let the breeze of the Indian Ocean run through your hair as the skyscrapers of the modern city beckon. Breathe in the air of freedom that has descended upon this golden isle as before the very ground you walk on was once cordoned off with yellow roadblocks due to the war.

Up ahead on the right of the Green you will notice the magnificent neo-baroque architecture of the Presidential Secretariat, which was once the old Parliament building that was built in 1930. Proceed on the road next to the sea till you get to Echelon Square where once the troops assembled in the mornings. You will notice the Ceylon Continental Hotel (the former Intercontinental Hotel and Sri Lanka’s first five star hotel) gleaming in the sun, and on the left you will see the cannons that once guarded these waters. Almost at the visible end of Chaitya Road is the Colombo Lighthouse built in 1950 and still ushering ships to shore.

After exploring the Lighthouse, come back down the road and turn left onto Janadipathi Mawatha (formerly known as Queen’s Road) and just after the cylindrical Bank of Ceylon building turn right on that road and go into the car park of the building on the left. The Ceylinco building’s car park contains the prison cell of the last King of Ceylon. Just outside the car park on the left side will be a snack bar where you can refill and refresh. Walk on past the World Trade Centre buildings and turn left just there and continue along York Street where almost all the buildings on the left were built during colonial times including the well-known landmark – the imposing red coloured building that houses Millers and Cargills. The road at this point is lined with money exchangers and airline offices just in case you need any of these services.
Keep proceeding straight till you reach the over 170 year old Grand Oriental Hotel which also houses Sri Lanka’s first night club, the Blue Leopard. Admire its classic architecture which hasn’t changed in any way since it first opened in 1837. Head to its restaurant – the Harbour Room for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch and a breathtaking, panoramic view of the harbour - where it all began for this city.