Sri Lanka
Destinations
From ancient cities and sacred temples to tea-covered mountains, national parks and tropical beaches, Sri Lanka offers a remarkable variety of experiences within one island. Explore the places our guests ask for most and where every great itinerary begins.
Things to Do in Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is an ancient Sri Lankan city with extensive archaeological remains and longstanding religious significance. Explore its historic sites and practical travel considerations when preparing a visit to the island's cultural region.
Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years from the 4th century BC, and its sacred city remains a place of pilgrimage. The Sri Maha Bodhi, grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, is among the oldest living trees in the world.
Around it rise the great dagobas – Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya and Abhayagiri – along with bathing pools, moonstones and the rock temple of Isurumuniya.
Why VisitAnuradhapura
- Sri Maha Bodhi sacred tree
- Ruwanwelisaya and the giant stupas
- UNESCO World Heritage sacred city
- Gateway to Wilpattu
Best time to visit
January to April and June to September; Poya (full-moon) days are especially atmospheric.
Suggested length of stay
1–2 nights
Getting there
About 4 hours from Colombo; 1.5 hours from Sigiriya.
ExploreNearby
Wilpattu National Park
Sri Lanka's largest and oldest national park – leopards, sloth bears and elephants around a wilderness of natural lakes called villus.
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Sigiriya
The 5th-century Lion Rock – a sheer 200-metre fortress rising from the plains, crowned by the ruins of a royal citadel and ringed by ancient gardens.
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Dambulla
The Golden Cave Temple – five caves of Buddha statues and vivid ceiling murals beneath a single granite overhang, a place of worship for over two thousand years.
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