Viharamahadevi Park

Viharamahadevi Park is Colombo's main city park and the green centre of Cinnamon Gardens. It lies in front of the colonial-era Town Hall and was originally named Victoria Park after Queen Victoria. The ground has had a varied life: it was used for first-class cricket from 1927 to 1995, and during the Second World War it was occupied by the British Army, with the Australian 17th Brigade based there. It was restored and reopened to the public in 1951 and renamed Viharamahadevi Park on 18 July 1958.

A large Buddha statue now stands where the statue of Queen Victoria once did, and the park is laid out around lawns, shady trees and a series of water fountains. Families come for the children's play area and the mini zoo, and there is a small artificial lake with Muscovy ducks. An old BAC Jet Provost aircraft is also on display. The Open Air Stadium hosts concerts and public events, while the Cenotaph War Memorial and the Colombo Public Library stand at the western end of the park.

The park works best as a pause between sights rather than a destination in its own right. Early morning and late afternoon are the cooler times for a walk, and it is worth checking what is on at the Open Air Stadium during your stay. The park's history as a wartime army base and a first-class cricket ground is a reminder of how central this space has been to the city for a century.

The colonial-era Town Hall makes a good photograph from the park, and Paradise Road Café across the road looks over it if you want a coffee with a view. Allow 30 minutes to an hour for a relaxed walk, longer if children want time in the play area and at the mini zoo.

The National Museum is on the park's southern edge, so the two are easily combined, and Gangaramaya Temple and the Seema Malakaya are a short tuk-tuk ride to the west. Independence Memorial Hall and Arcade Independence Square lie a little further south, giving you a full and walkable day of Colombo's main sights.