The Galle-Face Esplanade

Better known to Colombo residents as the Galle Face Green, the Esplanade took its name from its location - running parallel to the ocean, it is beneath the south-facing rampart (the 'Galle Face') of the Fort of Colombo. It was originally cleared by the Dutch to give the cannons of the Fort a clear line of fire.

This mile-long palm-lined stretch in the heart of the city is its largest and most elegant promenade, with a number of small food stalls and a small stretch of beach. Once used by the British army as a parade ground - and an execution place for mutinous soldiers - it is today home to families and children playing sports and flying kites, health enthusiasts taking their daily evening walks, and local and international concerts. Around the corner from Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques.