Another UNESCO world heritage site is the fortress of Sigiriya and is one of the most popular places to visit in Sri Lanka. On top of the Lion’s Rock is a palace built by one of the ancient Kings of Sri Lanka. During your climb you will see well preserved frescoes engraved into the rock a Lion’s Paw which is the entrance to the palace.Once you reach the top you have a breathtaking view of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla) as well as the remnants of the ancient Palace.

This historical city was the first capital of Sri Lanka and was founded by a King’s minister during the 4th century B.C. The Sri Maha Bodhi is the most popular historical Sri Lanka tourist attraction here. Additionally, the city is home to magnificient Dagobas such as Ruwanweli, Lankarama, Jetavana, Abhayagiri, and Mirisaweti. An ancient Temple known for its beautiful stone carvings is the Isurumuniya while the Samadhi Buddha Statue is an exhibit of excellent sculpture work.

Polonnaruwa is the second largest kingdom of Sri Lanka. Till today, this ancient city is known as one of the best planned archealogical relic sites in the country that stood as testimony against the discipline and greatness of the first rulers of the kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka. The popular Sri Lanka tourist attractions here are the Lankathilaka Temple and a massive stone statue of Lord Buddha. Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 CE to reunite the country once more under a local leader.

Dambulla should be on your list of places to visit in Sri Lanka as it is an important location for Buddhist pilgrimages and tourists. It is home to the largest cave complex in the country. Enclosed within a 160m high rock, the cave temple consists of several statues and paintings that depict the religion of Buddhism in a very basic level and can awe a viewer at first sight. With 153 Buddha statues in this cave complex, it is named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Kandy remains a legendary city in the list of places to visit in Sri Lanka. At present, it has developed into a busy yet romantic city that revolves around a picturesque lake. The kingdom of Kandy was attacked several times in the past by the Portuguese and the Dutch. Yet they held onto their independence strongly while other cities around the island were accepting defeat to the invading Europeans. This enduring position during colonial turbulence resulted in the city preserving several ancient traditions until they too surrendered to the British in 1815.

Also known as the “city of lights”, Nuwara Eliya is a beautiful town located on a large, green valley amidst the hills. Stationed at over 6000 feet above sea level, not only is the town blessed with the chilliest climate in all of Sri Lanka, it is also an unmatchable sight of mountains, meadows and greenery. Developed in the 19th century British era, the city has a feel of an English country town. Gregory Lake Situated at the heart of the town is the 90 hectare Lake Gregory built by a British Governor in the 19th century.

This small town is used as a base for plenty of trekking expeditions. A taste of the breathtaking scenery of Ella could be had, where you seem to be standing at the edge of the world, and everything around you seems to disappear at your feet. Another fine view is from the Ambiente Hotel, where the wide doorway, opens out to the mountains, creating a dramatic cinematic like experience, on entry. Some of the places you could see in Ella are the Ella Gap, Ravana Ella Falls, Little Adam's Peak and Bambaragala Peak among the other many varied pleasant walks with stunning scenery.

Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rainforest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge Kitulgala is also a base for white-water rafting, which starts a few kilometres upstream.