Building it up: Galle’s British and Dutch colonial architecture exhibit similar order and symmetry. The Dutch, adept in masonry, favoured stone and brick over the British wooden bungalows. Their architectural adaptations are visible in tropical locations featuring broad eaves, internal courtyards, and colonnaded verandas for ventilation and shade. The Dutch’s gambrel roof, concealing living space to avoid building taxes on multiple stories, is a sneaky story in itself.
Epic Cure for Hunger: This ancient fort city anchors a gastronomic hub teeming with a diverse array of top-tier dining establishments, laid-back pizzerias, and quaint cafes dotting its historic narrow cobblestone streets. In tandem, intimate family-owned eateries proudly present time-honoured recipes safeguarded and shared across generations. Further enriching the scene, an emerging collection of bars and cosy taverns are shaping Galle into a focal point of the island’s dynamic cocktail culture.
Renowned throughout Asia, Dharshan Munidasa’s Ministry of Crab stands as a culinary icon. At The Tuna & The Crab in Galle Fort’s Old Dutch Hospital, this chef-entrepreneur seamlessly blends his Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage. Try the fresh sashimi and tekka maki at the sushi bar, accompanied by dishes like Mud crab okonomiyaki and sirloin from the teppan grill, all prepared with the day’s catch.
Main Stays: Leaning on tree-lined Church Street, the hotel Amangalla’s noteworthy veranda and magnificent Great Hall, or ‘Zaal’ as it was known in Dutch times, welcomes guests much as they did from 1683. Offering views of the fort and harbour on one side and the hotel’s opulent gardens and swimming pool on the other, the lofty-ceilinged bedrooms with traditional furniture radiate a feel of peace. The British built Galle light house in 1848. It is an allegory guiding travellers’ hearts into the 16th century.