Kandy could be called the cultural capital of Sri Lanka which is situated 116 Km away from Colombo and 465 meters above sea level. It is the last royal capital of Sri Lanka where 2500 years of royal rule ended and proudly stands with golden-roofed Temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa, where the sacred Buddha tooth relic is enshrined. It is situtated in the heart of Kandy city. Kandy is rich with many other historical and stunning places such as Asgiriya Viharaya, Bahirawa Kanda, Royal Palace, and Peradeniya Botanical garden.

The city is also a good source of souvenirs and ideal place to experience many cultural performances. It is the most celebrated cultural city of Sri Lanka. Because Kandy is rich place in cultural diversity, ancient temples, songs, dances, handy crafts and adventure activities.

Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the"Esala Maha Perahera', the pageant of the temple of tooth is held either in July or August each year to parade the golden caskets is a must see itenary.

Dambulla

Dambulla is a part of the Cultural Triangle declared by UNESCO is on the main road from Sigiriya to Kandy about 72Km from Kandy and 148Km to the northeast of Colombo. Dambulla is a world heritage town built around a vast isolated Rock.

Rajamaha Temple of Rangiri Dambulla also known as Golden Rock Temple is one of the most impressive Buddhists temple in the world. There are over 80 caves in the surrounding and some of them have been used by the monks as meditation locations. Temple contains 157 Buddha and Bodhistta images. Ceiling and walls are covered by precious paintings.

The founder of this inspiring place is King Valagamba in the 1 century BC. After his period many improvements and additions have been carried out to the sculptures and paintings over the years by later kings. It is a rare combination of sinhelese busddhist art and a long hsitory. This temple is an ideal location to view evolution of the ancient Sri Lankan arts.

Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket stadium and Rose Quartz Mountain range are other attractions of the Dambulla.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya, the epitome of Sri Lanka's ancient architectural excellence! One of the best preserved city centres in Asia from the first millennium, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning. Sophisticated city planning was at the heart of Sigiriya, this royal citadel of ancient fame from the days of Sri Lanka's memorable past.

The Complex consists of the central rock, rising 200 meters above the surrounding plain, and the two rectangular precincts on the east (90 hectares) and the west (40 hectares), surrounded by two moats and three ramparts.3 km from east to west and 1 km from north to south it displays the grandeur and complexity of urban-planning in 5th century Sri Lanka.

The most significant feature of the Rock would have been the Lion staircase leading to the palace garden on the summit. Based on the ideas described in some of the graffiti, this Lion staircase could be visualised as a gigantic figure towering majestically against the granite cliff, facing north, bright coloured, and awe-inspiring. Through the open mouth of the Lion had led the covered staircase built of bricks and timber and a tiled roof. All that remains now are the two colossal paws and a mass of brick masonry that surround the ancient limestone steps and the cuts and groves on the rock face give an idea of the size and shape of the lion figure.

Though traces of plaster and pigments occur all over this area, there are only two pockets of paintings surviving in the depressions of the rock face, about a 100 meters above the ground level. These paintings represent the earliest surviving examples of a Sri Lanka school of classical realism, already fully evolved by the 5th century, when these paintings had been made.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa is one of the best world heritage sites owned by Sri Lanka which is situated 140Km north-east of Kandy. It was the second capital city of Sinhalese for three centuries.

Polonnaruwa is a fascinating treasure of Sri Lanka with many well preserved ruins of palace and monasteries which easily can make every tourist to impress.

The city had its cultural heyday under the leadership of King Parakramabahu I in the 12th century. There are several groups of monuments left of that culture such as Royal Palace of Parakramabahu and Gal Vihara, a group of very large Buddha-statues which make your breath away with its unbelievable beauty and serene of the Buddha images.Also there are many other ancient places that show the value of the Polonnaruwa such as Watadage (Quadrangle), Latha Mandapaya, Hatadage, Rankoth vehera, Kiri Vehera and Demala Maha Seya. Except those, there are many Shiva Devalas at Polonnaruwa that reflect the popularity of Hinduism.

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura has remained as the royal capital for 119 successive Singhalese kings till the year 1000 AD when it was abandoned and the capital moved to Polonnaruwa. You will see some of the most famous as well as the tallest dagoba of Sri Lanka, remains from palaces, temples, monasteries, ceremonial baths and the temple of the holy Bo-tree. This tree was grown from a sapling of the very tree under which more than 2500 years ago the Buddha found enlightenment.

With the dawn of the second century BC, adventurers from across the Palk Strait had begun to settle down in the northern coast. One such intruder called Elara, became supreme in almost whole of the North and reigned from Anuradhapura. He was later challenged by the ruler Gemunu, son of King Kavantissa. Later this independent ruler, Gemunu of the South met in combat with Elara and the latter was killed. For the first time a single kingdom for the island arose.

Dutugemunu's reign saw the culmination of Buddhism Dutugemunu (161-137 BC) contributed immensely for the religion of Buddhism. Anuradhapura Kingdom lasted one thousand and five hundred years. Despite the intrusions and clashes of South Indian Chola, Pandyan and Pallava, there prevailed stability in the continuity of the Anuradhapura civilisation.