Thing to do
1. Pettah Market
Colombo's oldest trading district, a dense grid of bazaars and market halls just east of Fort, best explored on foot on a weekday morning.
View details — Pettah MarketThing to do
2. Old Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct
A Dutch colonial hospital in Colombo Fort, recorded in 1681 and reopened in 2011 as a precinct of restaurants and shops.
View details — Old Dutch Hospital Shopping PrecinctThing to do
3. Mount Lavinia Beach
A sandy beach on Colombo's southern edge beside the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel, reached by the coastal railway and known for sunsets and seafood.
View details — Mount Lavinia BeachThing to do
4. Arcade Independence Square
Restored 1889 colonial buildings beside Independence Square, reopened in 2014 with more than 40 shops and services and a boutique cinema.
View details — Arcade Independence SquareThing to do
5. Barefoot
Barbara Sansoni's design shop, founded in 1964, selling handwoven Sri Lankan textiles alongside a bookshop, gallery and garden café on Galle Road.
View details — Barefoot