Anuradhapura is a sacred, sprawling metropolis that flourished for over a thousand years and still stands as one of the most significant Buddhist cities in the world. At its heart is the Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig tree grown from a cutting of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Anuradhapura is best experienced in the early morning, when the mist softens the ruins and the air carries the faint scent of incense and frangipani.
