Galle is a historical City which also possesses much natural beauty and attraction. Located 115 km south of the Colombo City, this beach resort is the largest city in south with lot of historical values. Galle was an International Port until the Colombo Port was developed in the 19th century. Galle Harbour was frequented by Chinese sailors and Arabians before the Portuguese occupied Galle in the 16th century. The Dutch captured Galle in 1640 and handed it over to the British in 1796.  

The main attraction in Galle is the Galle Fort which is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. This 90 acre living heritage was initially built by Portuguese in the 16th century and that was called "Swart Bastion" (Black Port). By 1640 the town was annexed by the Dutch in a battle with Portuguese and they considerably expanded and improved the fortress according to an architectural style that was unique to the Dutch. In 1796 the British took control of the City and they used Galle as an administrative centre. In 1971 Galle Fort was declared as a protected Archeological Monument and in 1988 it was inscribed by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites.

The Rummassala Hill, wide expanses of golden beach, the Bounavista coral reef, the Natural harbor and the Dutch Fort highlight the beauty of the town. The attractions close by the city like Koggala Lake, Rainforests like Kottawa, Kanneliya and Yagirala, stilt fishermen in Koggala will add more values to your stay in Galle.

On 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Boxing Day Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone.