The Galle Fort located 4 hours south of Colombo is the corner stone of the southwest coast and the cultural accompaniment to Galle's stunning beachfront villas and boutique hotels. Set within the fort ramparts which were built in the 16th century by the Portuguese, this labyrinth of tiny streets, lined with old merchant houses, government buildings and now luxury boutique hotels is by far the hippest destination in Sri Lanka. Just as the Moorish, Iberian, Dutch and British colonials created the historic fabric of the Galle Fort, nowadays its diverse community of Muslims, Christians, artists, writers and ex-pats create a cosmopolitan atmosphere quite unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. |