Cultural Triangle

The ancient capitals: rock fortresses, dagobas, and 2,000 years of kingdoms

Three former capitals, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and the rock fortress at Sigiriya, sit within a couple of hours of each other in the island's dry-zone interior. Anuradhapura's ruins go back over two thousand years; Polonnaruwa's are more compact and easier to walk in a morning; Sigiriya's climb to the summit gardens is the one most people already have in mind before they land. Expect heat and open ground rather than shade, so an early start matters more here than almost anywhere else on the island.