A view from inside

Galle Fort temple

Before sunrise, grab your sarong and swimmers and follow the swirling beams of the old city lighthouse to the ancient citadel’s hidden beach on Galle Fort’s Hospital Street. Walk across the ramparts’ historic walls and down some steps across a pebbly sandy beach and wade into the sea as the twinkling stars vanish into pinks, reds, purples and gold.

Good swimmers can continue onto one of the famous rock formations marking the entrance way to this ancient port city of Galle founded by the Portuguese, taking care not to mistakenly step on the Leatherback or Green turtles that look just like rocks. Here you can swim in a place where octopuses dance as the sun rises and fire red rock lobsters momentarily pop their heads up.

Eranga, the local fishing aficionado who organises marine tours lives on Hospital Street and has taken to turning fresh fruit into the most deliciously healthy early morning drinks with fruit carving flourishes. His shop that overlooks the city walls is an Aladdin’s cave of beautiful hand made things, antiques and paintings, some of which decorate his juice bar like the huge sun dial that brings a smile to everyone’s face.

Peddle power is back with fish being delivered and weighed at the door much to the delight of the Fort cats

Here, you can sit next door in front of the cricketer Kumar Sangakkara’s house. If you fancy going snorkelling with an expert you can pay Eranga located at 35, Hospital Street a small fee to hire the kit and a little bit more if you want him to show you the many secrets of the ocean.

Grab a snack before taking a circular walk of this beautifully restored historic city wall and discover colonial cannons, caves where people lived until very recently and the huge quarry overlooked by the army camp, where the stone for the walls was taken and from here enjoy on full moon days the fort’s Buddhist temple.

At this peaceful spot, you can come off the fort walls and have a go at the area’s most popular Galle Fort cooking class with Sanju in a delightful garden courtyard at the back of the popular Elita fish restaurant on Lighthouse Street. Sanju loves teaching the many spicy secrets of making a delicious rice and curry banquet, under a cool canopy next to her family spice shop Chilli Dragon, run by her husband Asker and son. Book a group class or join others and make new friends while slicing onions, chilli, garlic and pulling curry leaves off a stem freshly picked from their spice garden.

Liya is crazy about Galle Fort and the shop he runs on Hospital Street

After feasting on delicious beetroot curry, sizzling prawns or fish, coconut sambol, green beans, and spicy potatoes, while learning how each ingredient is used medicinally, you can also buy some of the homemade ingredients.

As it gets hot, enjoy a homemade ice cream from Dairy King at the other end of Church Street – a 10-minute walk through the old quarter of the city. Here, you can combine a hot pink faluda with passion fruit or vegan coconut ice cream, chocolate, spicy chai and many others.

Of course, no experience of the fort is complete without seeing the historic sites like the Maritime Museum, Dutch Reformed Church and warehouses that look like upside down wooden boats on account of being built not by architects but boat builders, who brought the traders here in the first place. If you like Chinese historic pottery then the National Museum is a must, and for something quirky and free, the Historical Mansions on Leyn Baan Street, with its coral and shell well, is a must see and fun place to buy jewellery. For a behind-the-scenes making of jewellery, try Ibrahim’s on Church Street.

When the heat starts to get to you, enjoy afternoon tea at the Amangalla hotel, also on Church Street. Pair it with the king of special brews, Herman Teas’ White Tea from Handunugoda. Another top spot for fine dining is Aqua Forte or for something a little more casual and equally fun Aqua Forno on 53 Church Street.

Coral and shell: A Fort courtyard

As the day cools down, experience the many amazing boutique shops in the Fort, including the highly amusing Stick No Bills Poster shop on Pedlar Street and the many local artists at Galle Fort Gallery, at 60 Leyn Baan Street, where you can take mask making classes and half-day water colour classes.

Another favourite among visitors along with Barefoot, is Orchid House for fabulous artisan products made from around the island, including rubbish turned into stunning table wear. Says Yameen, the owner of this lively shop with quirky tea pots, highly polished coconut wear, children’s toys and clothes, “The secret to success is working with the many talented island people and making one’s shop a showcase for the truly gifted.”

Antic on New Lanes and 42, Hospital Street, is both as a great place to stay, also known for their rough stone contemporary pieces by London designer Irfan, who has blended this with their arty room styles reflective of the many gemstone colours. These quirky bedrooms marry history with contemporary art and furniture like a hammock in one room that gives a whole new meaning to chilling out.

Over the weekends, check out the lively Court Square weekend artisan market, where stalls from all over the area bring the many talents of the region together.

Join a drawing class and capture a detail of Fort life. Pix by Juliet Coombe

The Galle Fort Hotel with its Palladio forced perspective theatrical colonnaded courtyard, on which the Grand Apartment Suite sits, celebrates the work of Count de Mauny. Other architectural gems are the secret tunnels in the Black Fort that brought the African slaves, who hand built the walls. Then there’s my favourite clothes shop – Crazy run by Liyaudeen Saliy opposite the 1938 Lighthouse, also a great spot to enjoy sunsets. Enjoy snacking on street food on the rampart walls as the sun turns into a red fireball and vanishes into the sea; you will hear the call to prayer from the mosque just around the corner; church bells tolling on religious days and Buddhist chants mixing with the sound of the kottu roti choppers on New Lanes.

Combine this with a Sri Lankan sweet milk tea or a juice, next door, at another popular local foodie spot. For many, this is a lovely time to see the rest of the historic walls to work up an appetite for dinner at the Pasta Factory 6/1 Leyn Baan Cross Street near Mango House where handmade pasta is cooked by the amazing chef trained by an Italian maestro. Afterwards, head to Star Beans at the Dutch Hospital second floor for a nightcap overlooking the ancient harbour and watch the boats coming in.

On the surface this city seems backward, still using typewriters to type law reports, cuttlefish bone to make jewellery, shells to restore its ancient walls and drinking tea out of coconut shells. Dig deeper and you will find the ancient wisdom of King Solomon who many claim once traded here in spices, gemstones and peacock feathers and a way of thinking that is quite different from the West.

A deeply religious and spiritual spot far from the madness of the modern world, which can easily be reached by bus, train and even ox cart.