Galle itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Galle

1. 01

   Day 1: Fort walk, museums and a sunset on the ramparts

   Start at the Old Gate before the heat builds and walk the ramparts clockwise towards the lighthouse on Utrecht Bastion, with the sea beside you. Drop into the Dutch Reformed Church, then spend an hour at the National Maritime Museum or the Galle National Museum. Have a long lunch in the fort and rest for an hour. In the late afternoon, walk to the clock tower and the Meeran Jumma Mosque (outside, unless the mosque welcomes you in), browse the Old Dutch Hospital precinct, and finish with sunset on the ramparts beside the cricket ground.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Dutch Reformed Church (Groote Kerk)	15 to 30 minutes	Easy	Morning, when it is cooler
   National Maritime Museum	45 to 75 minutes	Easy	Midday, when the ramparts are hot
   Galle National Museum	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Midday or when it rains
   Meeran Jumma Mosque	10 to 20 minutes	Easy	Late afternoon, avoiding prayer times

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Galle

1. 01

   Day 1: The fort at an easy pace

   Follow the one-day fort route but slow it down: ramparts in the early morning, the church and one museum before lunch, a proper rest, then the Old Dutch Hospital and clock tower in the late afternoon.

2. 02

   Day 2: Unawatuna and Rumassala

   Take a tuk-tuk or taxi to Unawatuna in the morning. Walk the main beach, then go on to the Japanese Peace Pagoda on Rumassala for the view back towards the fort. Return for lunch and a rest, and use the evening for a stroll in the fort or, if there is a match, a look at the stadium from the ramparts.

Plan 03

3 days in Galle

1. 01

   Day 1: Ramparts, lighthouse and church

   Walk the ramparts, see the lighthouse from outside, and visit the Dutch Reformed Church. Keep the afternoon free for the fort's lanes and shops.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Dutch Reformed Church (Groote Kerk)	15 to 30 minutes	Easy	Morning, when it is cooler

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Museums and the Old Dutch Hospital

   Do the Maritime Museum and the Galle National Museum in the morning, when they are cooler. After lunch, visit the Old Dutch Hospital precinct and the clock tower, then take the sunset walk by the cricket ground.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Galle National Museum	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Midday or when it rains

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

3. 03

   Day 3: Coast day trip

   Drive along the coast with a hired car and driver: Unawatuna and the Peace Pagoda, then Koggala for the lake and its stilt fishermen, or north to Hikkaduwa if you prefer the beach. Be back by late afternoon for a last walk in the fort.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Galle trip for parents and children

• Walk the ramparts early morning or after about 4 pm. There is almost no shade, and the stone is hot underfoot at midday.
• The fort is flat, but the ramparts have steps at several points. Pick the stretch from the Old Gate to the lighthouse and turn back when tired.
• Book a fort guesthouse with a ground-floor room or a lift; many old buildings have steep stairs.
• Take travel insurance. Galle National Hospital (formerly Karapitiya Teaching Hospital) is a large public hospital in the city, and private clinics are available, but older travellers should carry their medicines and prescriptions.
• Carry water, a hat and sunscreen. The humidity is high all year, and monsoon showers can arrive suddenly.
• For Unawatuna and Rumassala, hire a tuk-tuk for the day rather than walking the road in the heat.

Galle with elderly parents: the full guide →