Verandahs & Courtyards: Architecture Tour
Nine days of buildings and gardens, from ancient stupas and Dutch forts to the tropical modernism of Geoffrey Bawa.
- Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
- Route: Sri Lanka
- Travel style: Architecture & Design
- Best time: Year Round
- Page last updated: 14 October 2026
Overview
Sri Lanka's buildings tell the island's story: monumental Buddhist stupas, timber temples in Kandy, Dutch and British fortified towns, and the tropical modernist houses and hotels of Geoffrey Bawa, whose verandahs, courtyards and gardens shaped a whole way of building in the tropics.
This journey follows those layers in order, with a guide who can read them and time for photographs and sketching. It suits architects, designers and anyone who likes to see how a place is built.
Price
Price: on request. Request a quotation with your dates, group size and preferences.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Day 1: Arrival and Negombo
Meet your driver-guide at Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to Negombo, where a Portuguese and Dutch past still shows in the streets and churches.
Places: Negombo
Day 2: Day 2: Negombo to Kandalama
Drive to Anuradhapura to see the monumental dagobas, built in brick and plaster over two thousand years ago. Continue to Dambulla and the Kandalama area, where Geoffrey Bawa's hotel is set into the cliff above a lake.
Places: Anuradhapura, Kandalama, Dambulla
Day 3: Day 3: Dambulla and Sigiriya
Visit the Dambulla cave temples with their painted ceilings, then Sigiriya's rock fortress and its ancient, symmetrical water gardens, among the oldest landscaped gardens in the region.
Places: Dambulla, Sigiriya
Day 4: Day 4: Polonnaruwa to Kandy
Explore the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa and its brick and stone temples, then continue through Matale to Kandy, stopping at the Aluvihare cave temple on the way.
Places: Polonnaruwa, Matale, Kandy
Day 5: Day 5: Kandy
Study the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the timber architecture of the Kandyan kingdom, then visit Embekke Devale, known for its carved wooden pillars.
Places: Kandy, Embekke
Day 6: Day 6: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Climb into the hill country and see how the British built a little England in the tropics: Tudor-style buildings, a red-brick post office, clubs and bungalows among tea estates.
Places: Nuwara Eliya
Day 7: Day 7: Nuwara Eliya to Galle
Travel down to the south coast to Galle. Settle in and watch the fort's ramparts glow at sunset.
Places: Galle
Day 8: Day 8: Galle to Bentota and Colombo
Walk Galle Fort's lanes, its Dutch church and lighthouse in the morning. Drive north to Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa's country estate near Bentota, then on to Colombo to look at its colonial-era Fort district in the evening.
Places: Galle, Bentota, Colombo
Day 9: Day 9: Departure
Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your departure flight.
Places: Colombo, Airport
Package Inclusions
- Accommodation at selected hotels on the specified meal plan
- Private transportation throughout the tour
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- English-speaking chauffeur / guide
- Meet & greet assistance at the airport
- Sightseeing as per the itinerary
- All transfers and transportation mentioned in the itinerary
- Highway tolls, parking fees and driver-related expenses
- Fuel charges
- Government taxes and service charges applicable to included services
- Complimentary bottled drinking water during transfers and sightseeing
- All services specifically mentioned under the package inclusions
- 24/7 assistance from our local team during the tour
Package Excludes
- International Air Tickets
- Sri Lanka Visa / ETA Fees
- Entrance Fees to Attractions
- Optional Excursions & Activities
- Lunches, Beverages & Personal Meals
- Personal Expenses (shopping, laundry, telephone, minibar, tips, etc.)
- Airport / Hotel Porterage
- Travel Insurance
- Camera & Video Charges / Permits, where applicable
- Alcoholic Beverages & Other Drinks
- Early Check-in / Late Check-out, unless specifically mentioned
- Expenses arising from delays, natural disasters, closures, disturbances, or circumstances beyond our control
- Chauffeur-Guide Tips / Gratuities
- Any Services Not Mentioned in the Package Inclusions
General Booking Conditions
These conditions apply to every booking made through Figo Holidays. They cover booking and confirmation, prices and inclusions, payment terms, amendments to bookings, cancellation by the client, cancellation or changes by Figo Holidays and more.
Experiences
- The great stupas of Anuradhapura
- Sigiriya's ancient water gardens and rock fortress
- Kandalama, the cliff-hugging hotel designed by Geoffrey Bawa near Dambulla
- Timber carvings at Embekke Devale near Kandy
- Galle Fort: Dutch ramparts, church and lighthouse
- Lunuganga, Bawa's country house and garden near Bentota
Plan this trip
Send an enquiry or message us on WhatsApp from the page to adjust dates, hotels and pace. All journeys can be tailored.