Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History - Hotels
- Beaches of Sri Lanka
- Galle
- Kandy
- Nuwara Eliya & the Tea Country
- Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage
- Polonnaruwa & Anuradhapura
- Sigiriya & Dambulla
- Yala National Park
Polonnaruwa & Anuradhapura
Another World Heritage Site and the second capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa dates back to the 11th & 12th Centuries. In its heyday, the city was fortified with three concentric walls, which housed beautiful parks, gardens and a Royal Palace. Having been built slightly more recently than Anuradhapura, the ruins at Polonnaruwa have survived in much better condition and the king's Audience Hall, Lotus Baths, temples and carvings are quite remarkable to see.
Anuradhapura was the island's first capital and dates back to the 3rd Century BC. It was from here that the Sinhalese Kings ruled for over 1000 years. Despite occasional invasions from India, the city thrived and expanded to produce a vast, sprawling and complex city comprising of temples, palaces, tanks (reservoirs) and formal gardens and parklands. On account of its age, some of the ruins are not in great condition, but it is a truly awe-inspiring city to visit.
Our preferred hotels close to Polonnaruwa & Anuradhapura include:
Elephant Corridor
Vil Uyana
Cinnamon Lodge
Heritance Kandalama
Deer Park Hotel
