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Galle Fort in Sri Lanka: DIY walking tour
Galle Fort on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka is the unmissable destination of the region. It is easy and best explored on foot. Here is how Built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch, modified by the British and restored by the Sri Lankans after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the UNESCO World Heritage Site marks Galle Fort Galle as Sri Lanka's most fascinating city. The 36-hectare Galle Fort sits on a promontory surrounded by the Indian Ocean on three sides. It was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 and extensively fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards. As the…
Galle Fort in Sri Lanka: DIY walking tour
Galle Fort on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka is the unmissable destination of the region. It is easy and best explored on foot. Here's how
Built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch, modified by the British and restored by the Sri Lankans after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle Fort marks Galle as Sri Lanka's most fascinating city.
The 36-hectare Galle Fort sits on a promontory surrounded by the Indian Ocean on three sides. It was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 and extensively fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards. When the British arrived in the late 18th century, they added their own touch with the odd lighthouse here and a coat of arms there.
Even after more than 400 years, Galle Fort and its old town have retained their splendid appearance. Today, the Old Town is still full of boutiques, cafes, galleries and hotels, as well as a working courtroom.
It would be easy to spend several days wandering randomly through the ancient walls and streets, stumbling upon one architectural surprise after another. However, if you use our tried-and-tested DIY walking tour below, you'll see a solid cross-section of Galle Fort and its old town in one morning without missing any major landmarks.
Galle Fort Map
GALLE FORT DIY walking tour
Start: Clock TowerDestination: Clock TowerDistance: 3.5 km (2.1 miles) Time: 3-4 hours
- Uhrturm von Galle Fort
Enter Galle Fort through the clock tower. What's impressive is that the tower was built in 1883 and still keeps the correct time! Do your best to ignore the rickshaw drivers who offer overpriced and unnecessary tours.
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- Haupttor
Turn left and follow the inside of the wall towards the main gate built by the British and then on to Sun Bastion.
- Sonnenbastion
Sun Bastion was originally built by the Portuguese in 1620 and called Sao Iago before being renamed Zon (Sun) Bastion by the Dutch in 1667. It offers the best views over the harbor.
- Niederländische reformierte Kirche
Turn inwards onto Church Street and follow the street to the Groote Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church), originally built in 1640. The current structure is about a century newer (built between 1752-55) but still one of the oldest Protestant churches in Sri Lanka.
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- Holländischer Glockenturm
A little further down on the opposite side of Church Street on the corner of Queens Street is the Dutch Belfry or clock tower, built in 1701. Behind it is the Marine Archaeological Museum, which is arguably more interesting and interactive than the more established Maritime Museum below.
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- Allerheiligenkirche
Opposite the bell tower is the impressive All Saints Anglican Church, built between 1868 and 1871. You would be forgiven if you find yourself in a rural village in central England for a moment!
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- Schifffahrtsmuseum
The Maritime Museum on Queens Street is housed in a Dutch warehouse dating from 1671. The small museum is worth a quick look, especially as it houses a huge skeleton of a Bryde's whale. There is also an interesting exhibition about tsunamis.
- Altes Tor
A little further down Queens Street is the Old Gate, which has a beautifully carved British coat of arms on the outside. On the inside of the gate are the initials VOC, which stand for Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company) from 1669.
- Zwart Bastion (Schwarze Bastion)
Follow Queens Street to the outer seafront walls and turn left to Zwart Bastion. It was built by the Portuguese around 1580 and is probably so named because the area was constantly covered in dark smoke emanating from the fires of nearby blacksmiths.
- Hofplatz
From now on, follow the fortress walls, keeping the ocean on your left. As you walk along Hospital Street you will pass Court Square and the giant banyan trees. The courts are still active, so don't be surprised if people are milling around, nervously waiting for their call.
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- Holländisches Krankenhaus
Continue south along Hospital Street, where the columned Dutch Colonial Hospital stands. Built in the 18th century, the hospital treated the many Europeans who became ill on the long journey from Europe to the tropics. Today there are several cafes and shops in the colonnades.
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- Leuchtturmstrand
If the heat of the day is getting to you, join the locals for a quick swim at Galle's best beach.
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- Leuchtturm
At the southeast corner of the fort is the 18 meter high lighthouse built by the British. The lighthouse, built in 1938, is still in use today.
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- Meeran-Jumma-Masjid-Moschee
Continue following the fort walls along Rampart Street, where the Meeran Jumma Masjid Mosque is on the right side of the street. Galle is home to a vibrant Muslim community who gather here en masse for Friday prayers. Consider visiting Mama’s Galle Fort Restaurant for a delicious plate of rice and curry for lunch.
- Flaggenfelsenbastion
At the southernmost end of the fortress is the Flag Rock Bastion, where you can see the submerged rocks that have claimed dozens of ships over the centuries. It's also the best place to watch the sunset and watch fearless locals jump from the rocks into the choppy waters.
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- Triton-Bastion
Continue north along the ramparts on the western edge to Triton Bastion, a quieter spot to watch the sunset.
- Sri Sudharmalaya buddhistischer Tempel
From the Triton Bastion, step off the wall and walk down Pedlar Street and consider a quick stop for an ice cream at Pedlar’s Inn Gelateria. Turn north onto Parawa Street and then west back to Rampart Street, where you will see the compact pagoda of the Sri Sudharmalaya Buddhist temple.
alt="Galle-Fort-Shri-Sudharmalaya-Buddhist-Temple">Atlas & Boots
- Neptun-Bastion
Return to the ramparts at Neptune Bastion, where the surf is noticeably gentler, and head north.
- Bastion Clippenburg
Another quieter viewing point is the Clippenburg Bastion, where if you're lucky you might see the odd sea turtle in the waters below. There are still remains of the equipment from the Lloyd’s Signal Station (owned by the Lloyd’s Company) that was installed here.
- Aeolus-Bastion
Continue north across the grassy plains where, until recently, Galle's modern army was based. Today there isn't much to see and most of the area is cordoned off. However, outside the wall is the tomb of the Muslim saint Dathini Ziryam.
- Sternenbastion
In the northwest corner of Galle Fort is Star Bastion, where the fortifications were used as slave quarters and prison. There are still a few cannons here.
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- Mondbastion
Follow the wall back east where Moon Bastion offers great views of the international cricket stadium to the north as well as modern Galle. End your tour here above the Galle Fort Clock Tower.
GALLE FORT: The essentials
What: A DIY walking tour of Galle Fort.
Where: We stayed at South Lake Resort in Koggala, which is 23km east of Galle and provides a tranquil and charming base from which to visit Galle Fort. The hotel features a range of spacious rooms with lake or garden views and is just minutes from the beach, where local fishermen sit on stilts in the sea.
The restaurant offers a selection of international cuisine – although the local fare was by far the tastiest!
Other activities in the area include surfing in Kathaluwa and sailing on Koggala Lake. Of course, you could also just lounge on the beach instead or indulge in a treatment at Spa Oya, just a boat ride away from the hotel.
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Atlas & Boots
When: The best time to visit Galle, Koggala and the southern coast of Sri Lanka is December to April when there is little rain.
How: You can reach Galle by rail from Colombo or Koggala and other major bases (check timetable here). There are several daily services from Colombo that take between two and three hours - LKR 340/180/100 for 1st/2nd/3rd. Class.
There are also several bus services from Colombo and other major destinations, but the train is a far more pleasant experience. Many opt for a private transfer from Galle due to the construction of the expressway connecting the two cities. The drive from Colombo is just two hours and from the airport 2.5 hours.
You can reach Galle from Koggala either by a 20-minute train ride or a 30-minute bus ride. We recommend taking the less stressful and more pleasant train.
South Lake Resort is a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from the train station (1km).
Depending on your onward destination, different bus lines are available. It's worth noting that we found bus travel in Sri Lanka quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it's always worth negotiating a discount as these are usually excessive (e.g. if it says LKR 15,000, ask for 11,000).
Many tourists choose to hire a driver for the entire trip. This costs approximately $45 per day (including days you don't use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.
Most international flights land at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.
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