Anuradhapura
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 […]
Yapahuwa
Yapahuwa is a fortified rock citadel that briefly served as the island’s royal capital in the 13th century before being abandoned to the jungle. The stairway leading to the main palace platform is decorated with some of the finest decorative stonework of the period, including elaborately carved balustrades and ornamental windows that hint at the […]
Dambulla Cave Temple
The Dambulla Cave Temple is Sri Lanka’s best-preserved cave temple complex that has been a place of sacred pilgrimage for over two thousand years. Five vast caves, carved naturally into a towering rock outcrop, shelter 153 Buddha statues and an array of ancient paintings covering every surface of their interiors in a rich tapestry of […]
Sigiriya
Sigiriya is a 200-metre-high rock fortress that erupts from the surrounding jungle like a declaration of royal ambition. Climbing the ancient stairways to its summit reveals the ruins of King Kassapa’s 5th-century palace and, on a clear day, panoramic views stretching to the horizon in every direction. Halfway up, the famous Sigiriya Frescoes – vivid, […]
Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka between the 11th and 13th centuries and what remains today is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in all of Asia. Visitors can wander among royal palaces, moonstone-flanked stairways, carved Buddha statues and vast monastic complexes that once housed thousands of monks, all set within a UNESCO […]