Galle Fort Walk with a Local

Meet your guide outside Galle Fort and enter the UNESCO-listed colonial-era fortification, arranged like a small town with maze-like cobbled streets of museums, shops, and restaurants. Your guide has a long family history in Galle, so is well-versed in its history and culture. As you stroll, hear fascinating background on the key landmarks and everyday life in the fort and city. Originating as a port in 1,400 BC, Galle was captured and fortified by the Portuguese in the 1500s. In the 1600s, the Dutch captured the fort, constructing stone ramparts, a church, storm drains, and additional buildings. The British then arrived in 1796, adding further buildings, and in 1938, the Galle Lighthouse. Wander the pretty streets and admire the Dutch-era buildings. View the low, gabled houses, original Dutch street names, and churches, government buildings, and monuments. Then, tour the main museums to see artifacts associated with the fort's and Galle harbor's history. As you explore, break for a Ceylon tea or king coconut milk (both own expense), and stride along the ramparts to Galle Lighthouse, a replica of the beacon first built by the British. Your tour finishes back at the starting point when your guide departs.

• Local guide

• Food and drinks

• Gratuities

• Hotel pickup and drop-off

• Expenses of personal nature