One day in Colombo

The plan for the day

Times are only a guide. The evening times change with the sunset, so they show today's times.

1. 8:30 AM

   Pettah markets

   Start at the Khan Clock Tower and walk the busy market streets. People sell almost everything here: fruit, spices, cloth, toys and more.

2. 9:30 AM

   Red Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar)

   A 6-minute walk from the clock tower. See the red-and-white stripes from the street, and go in if it is open to visitors.

3. 10:30 AM

   Fort and the Dutch Hospital

   A short tuk-tuk ride (about 200 rupees). See the old Parliament from outside, then have a cold drink at the Dutch Hospital, one of the oldest buildings in Colombo.

4. 12:00 PM

   Lunch

   Rice and curry in a local eating house, or a café at the Dutch Hospital or One Galle Face mall.

5. 1:15 PM

   Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka

   A busy temple full of treasures, and a calm temple on the lake, a 3- to 5-minute walk apart. Or go up the Lotus Tower instead.

6. 2:30 PM

   Rest in the heat

   Go back to your hotel for a rest or a swim, or cool down in One Galle Face mall.

7. 1 hour before sunset

   Galle Face Green

   Walk along the sea, watch the kites and find a place on the sea wall.

8. Sunset

   Watch the sun go down

   The sun sets over the sea, right in front of you.

9. 20 minutes after sunset

   Street food

   Try isso wade (crispy lentil cakes topped with prawns) and a king coconut. Ask the price before you order.

10. 1½ hours after sunset

    City lights, or rest

    If you still have energy, see Colombo lit up from the Lotus Tower. Tickets are sold until 9 PM, or 10 PM at weekends.

Is one day enough for Colombo?

For most visitors, yes. Colombo is a busy working city, not a beach town, and its main sights fit into one full day. The airport is close, so a day here works well at the start or the end of a trip around Sri Lanka.

Be ready for heat, noise and traffic. It is about 30 to 32 °C on most days, and the air is damp. That is why this plan starts early and has a long rest in the middle of the day.

Morning: Pettah and the Red Mosque

Pettah is Colombo’s old market area, next to Fort railway station. Its streets are noisy, crowded and very colourful, and people sell almost everything: fruit and vegetables, spices, cloth, toys, and gold on Sea Street. Go in the morning, from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays many shops are closed.

• Start at the Khan Clock Tower, which marks the entrance to the market streets.
• Walk slowly and enjoy it. Every street feels different.
• Hold your bag in front of you. Pickpockets work in the crowds.

The Red Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar) is a 6-minute walk from the clock tower, on 2nd Cross Street. It was built in 1909, and its red-and-white stripes make it look like a giant cake. Visitors can usually go in between prayer times, with a guide from the mosque, for free. Avoid prayer times, especially on Fridays. Women should cover their hair, arms and legs, and men should wear long trousers.

Late morning: Fort and the Dutch Hospital

Fort is a short tuk-tuk ride away (about 200 rupees), or a 17-minute walk. It was the old colonial centre of the city. Today it is full of banks, offices and government buildings.

• See the old Parliament building from 1930 from outside. Today it is the Presidential Secretariat, a government office.
• Do not take photos of soldiers, guards, security posts or government buildings. Some roads here close for security.
• The Dutch Hospital is one of the oldest buildings in Colombo, from about 1681. Today it has cafés, restaurants and small shops around shady courtyards. It is a good place for a cold drink.

Lunch

You have two easy choices near Fort:

• A local rice and curry: rice with several small curries. It is cheap, filling and a typical Sri Lankan lunch.
• A café or restaurant at the Dutch Hospital, or in One Galle Face mall, with air-conditioning and toilets.

Drink bottled water or king coconut water, and keep drinking all day.

Afternoon: Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka

Take a tuk-tuk to Gangaramaya Temple (about 300 rupees from Fort). It is one of Colombo’s best-known Buddhist temples, by Beira Lake. Inside, crowded rooms are packed with Buddha statues, gifts and treasures from all over Asia. Foreign visitors pay a small entry fee, about 500 rupees ($1.50) in 2026.

Then walk 3 to 5 minutes to Seema Malaka, a small temple that sits on the lake. The famous Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa designed it. It is calm and open to the breeze, a big change from the busy temple. Keep your ticket: one ticket covers both temples.

At both temples, cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes and hat. Do not pose for photos with your back to a Buddha statue. The stone floors get hot in the sun, so walk in the shade.

Or go up the Lotus Tower

The Lotus Tower is the tallest tower in Sri Lanka, 351.5 metres high. From the top you can see the whole city, the port and the sea. Foreign visitors pay $20 (children $10). Book a time slot online first, and bring your passport.

Rest in the hottest hours

From about 2:30 to 4:30 PM, take a break. Go back to your hotel for a rest or a swim. Or sit in a café in One Galle Face mall, which is cool and right next to Galle Face Green.

Evening: sunset and street food at Galle Face Green

Galle Face Green is a long seafront lawn in the middle of Colombo. It is free and open to everyone. Arrive about an hour before sunset, when it starts to cool down and families come out to fly kites.

• Find a place on the sea wall and watch the sun go down over the sea.
• After sunset, try the street food: isso wade, spicy mango and a fresh king coconut. Kottu (chopped flatbread fried with vegetables, egg or meat) is sold in shops all over Colombo.
• Ask the price before you order, and carry small notes.
• Do not swim. The waves and currents are strong, and people have drowned here.

Read more in our Galle Face Green guide and our street food guide.

Getting between the stops

Ride times depend on traffic. The prices are for a tuk-tuk with a meter; app prices are similar but change with demand. Our guide to getting around Colombo explains the meter, the apps and how to avoid paying too much.

If it rains

Rain in Colombo often comes as a heavy shower in the afternoon or evening. October, November and May are the wettest months. On a wet day, swap in places with a roof:

• Colombo National Museum (closed on Mondays): Sri Lanka’s biggest museum, in a grand white building from 1877. It is open from 9 AM to 6 PM. Last tickets are sold at about 5 PM (3 PM for the combined ticket with the Natural History Museum). The museum’s website lists $5 for foreign adults and $3 for children.
• Lotus Tower: its viewing deck is outdoors, so skip it in heavy rain or thunder. In thick cloud you will not see much, so look at the sky before you book a time.
• Gangaramaya Temple: most of its rooms have a roof.
• Dutch Hospital and One Galle Face mall: cafés, shops and food, all under cover.

If the rain stops before sunset, still go to Galle Face Green. After rain the air is clearer and the sky can be beautiful.

With children

Colombo can be hot, loud and crowded for small children, so plan less and rest more.

• Pettah: skip it with small children, or keep it short and hold hands. The Red Mosque is fun to look at from the street.
• Lotus Tower: children usually enjoy the lift and the view. Children aged 3 to 10 pay $10, and children under 3 go free.
• Viharamahadevi Park: big old trees, wide lawns and a children’s play area.
• Port City: a free walk by the water to the big white arch bridge. Port City publishes no visiting hours, but map listings (October 2026) say the bridge area closes at about 5:30 PM and the beach at about 6 PM.
• Galle Face Green: buy a kite and fly it on the lawn. Hold small children’s hands near the sea wall and the road, and never let them go in the sea.
• Breaks: One Galle Face mall is cool and has toilets for shoppers, and it is just across the road from the green.

Tuk-tuks have no seatbelts. With babies or toddlers, a car from PickMe or Uber is easier and safer.

Only have half a day?

Choose one of these:

• Afternoon (the best choice): start at about 3 PM at Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka. Then walk 20 minutes to Galle Face Green for the sunset and street food.
• Morning: Pettah and the Red Mosque at 8:30 AM, then Fort and the Dutch Hospital, and lunch.

Or see the main sights in about 4 hours on a tuk-tuk city tour.

Entry tickets

October 2026 prices. They can change, so check at the ticket office or official website before you go.

Before you go

• Mondays: the National Museum is closed.
• Sundays: many shops in Pettah are closed.
• Poya days: every full moon day is a public holiday. Temples are very busy, and shops and bars do not sell alcohol. Dates: 24 November and 23 December 2026, then 22 January, 20 February and 22 March 2027.
• Bring: water, a hat, sun cream, a light scarf to cover up, and small notes for tuk-tuks and food.
• Wear: light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and shoes you can slip off at temples.

For more places near the green, with maps and walking times, see things to do near Galle Face.