Things to Do & Must-See Attractions in Galle

Built by the Portuguese, the 16th-century Galle Fort occupies a promontory in Sri Lanka’s south-coast city of Galle. Developed into a walled town by the Dutch in the 17th century before the British arrived in 1796, the UNESCO-listed fort boasts cobbled streets and European- and Asian-style buildings enclosed by sea walls.

Rising from Galle Fort’s ramparts on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast, the Galle Lighthouse is one of the UNESCO-protected fort’s most photogenic spots. Built by the British in 1939 to replace an earlier light station, this functioning, 86.9-foot (26.5-meter lighthouse is the island’s oldest and a must-see for fort visitors.