The Galle City Guides answer the questions every visitor brings: where to find rice and curry that locals rate, when to walk the Fort walls before the heat sets in, which south-coast beaches suit swimmers, surfers or small children, and where the evening goes once the Fort bars quieten down. Each guide is a short, opinionated list with the reason to go, what to order or look for and one practical tip for every place, and it opens in your browser as soon as you pay.
About the Galle City Guides
- 133 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Galle guides
Food guide
24 places
Fort classics in old Dutch houses, rice and curry served the local way, gelato and proper coffee for the hot hours and seafood along the coast towards Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa and Ahangama.
Things to do guide
21 places
The ramparts, lighthouse and bastions in a sensible order, churches, a mosque and a temple inside the walls, four small museums and the hills and beaches nearby.
Family guide
23 places
Sheltered beaches and a first surf lesson, turtles, lake boats and a tea estate, six ideas for rainy days and food that children actually eat.
Nightlife guide
21 places
Sunset spots on and around the Fort walls, cocktails in colonial buildings, Unawatuna beach bars and a few late bites.
Day trips guide
21 places
Beaches a short ride from the Fort, more along the coastal railway, turtle projects, river safaris and rainforest, plus temples and tea.
Budget guide
23 places
Free sights inside the Fort, free views and beaches, cheap museums and markets, meals under €5 and how to get around for very little.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Star Bastion
North-west corner, Galle Fort
A calm corner of the ramparts looking over the harbour, the town and the cricket ground, with a 3D map of the Fort by the entrance. Far quieter than the lighthouse end. From the things to do guide.
Isle of Gelato
Pedlar’s Street, Galle Fort
Cold relief on a hot afternoon, with vegan flavours, caramelised cashews in the Nutty Professor and an air-conditioned room upstairs. Coffee is on the menu now too. From the food guide.
Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project
Kosgoda, north-west of Galle by train
A small non-profit hatchery where the staff talk you through each turtle species in the tanks. Stay until dusk and you can often watch baby turtles go into the sea for an extra donation. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Galle
Day one: walk the Fort with the things to do guide, from Star Bastion to the lighthouse, stop for rice and curry from the food guide, then watch the sun go down from the walls with the nightlife guide. Day two: follow the coast by train or tuk-tuk with the day trips guide, to Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa or Mirissa, and let the budget guide keep lunch cheap. For a rainy or slow day, the family and budget guides point you to the Maritime Archaeology Museum, the folk museum in Koggala, a gelato and an unhurried coffee inside the Fort.
Questions about the Galle guides
What do the Galle City Guides include?
Six guides covering 133 places: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. For each place you get why it is worth it, the area, opening notes and a practical tip.
How do I receive the guides once I have paid?
The links show up on your order page as soon as payment goes through and in your confirmation email. They open in the browser of any phone or laptop, without an app or an account.
Can I use the Galle guides without internet?
Yes. Open each guide once while online and it keeps working offline afterwards, along with your ticks and notes. Map links need a data connection.
Which languages are available?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
How much do the Galle guides cost?
One guide costs €4.99, two cost €8.99, four cost €15.99 and the full set of six costs €19.99.
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