Kandy a city that looks good even when it’s raining

Some days Kandy’s skies seem permanently washed out, with stubborn mist clinging to the hills surrounding the city’s beautiful lake. Gentle hill-country breezes force the mist to gently part, revealing colonial time heritage of beautiful and colorful houses. In the center of town, tuk tuk whizz along the narrow streets, waving the soft silk sarees worn by local women.

Here’s a city that looks good even when it’s raining. When it rains the city seems to be crossed by silver ribbons illuminated by the glare of light on the wet asphalt, and when the rain stops and the clouds thin the cobalt blue skies reveal a city of magnificent architecture that jealously preserves the traces of its long history, colonial architecture merges with the typically local architectural style. The original rooftops, colorful facades and impressive temple structures have made of Kandy a sacred and wonderful place in the heart of Sri Lanka.

In Kandy you breathe history and culture and sacredness, none more impressive than the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism’s most sacred shrines. The city is renowned for the great Kandy Esala Perahera festival (held annually in July/August), but its vibrant cultural life and attractions more than justify a visit at any time of year.