3 Weeks in Sri Lanka - Day 18: Galle

Galle is one of Sri Lanka's most captivating towns. The old town within the fort is the best preserved colonial townscape in the entire country and, thanks to a decade or so of serious gentrification, only one in every five or six buildings sits derelict. The others have been refurbished to their former glory and some of the wealthiest families from the capital now call these grand homes their weekend beach homes. We were lucky to share in Galle's renaissance by staying in one of its oldest Dutch homes. Our room had timber beams and the mattress definitely felt like it's been lying here since the 1600s! Bad sleep aside, Galle is a compelling place and the allure comes from its rich history. It has successively been conquered by Portuguese, Dutch, British and, now, tourists. All in all, it was a great final stop on our circuit of Sri Lanka and, standing by the lighthouse, a good place to say farewell as we prepare to return to Colombo for our flight home.