Colombo Highlights Audio Tour: Colonial Heritage and Vibrant Markets

Beneath the surface of Colombo lies a city built on the embers of colonial ambition and the whispers of forgotten rebellions. The frantic pulse of the modern capital hides layers of blood, gold, and intrigue that vanish if you only glance at the map.

This self guided audio tour unlocks those buried secrets. Navigate the streets at your own pace to uncover the scandals and shadows most travelers walk right past.

Why did the iconic red and white stripes of the Jami Ul Alfar Mosque hide a desperate wartime secret? What haunting final message was signaled from the Old Colombo Lighthouse before the night fell? How did a simple kite flying contest at Galle Face Green once ignite a major political riot?

Experience the raw drama of a city constantly reinventing itself. Unmask the past and walk through history as it breathes. Begin your descent into the true Colombo now.

• Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes


• Distance: Around 5.7 km (3.5 miles)


• Audio Content: up to 25min


• Meeting Point: Start at Sambodhi Chaithya, only a 6 minute walk from Secretariat Halt Train Station


• Stops: 8 captivating landmarks including Pettah Market, Galle Face Green, Old Colombo Lighthouse

Experience the charm of Colombo like never before. Dive deep into tales of yesteryears, marvel at architectural wonders, and feel the pulse of the city as you navigate through its vibrant streets.

• Professionally narrated audio stories bringing Colombo's history to life


• Interactive map to guide your journey seamlessly


• Opportunities to explore and capture the city's most picturesque spots


• Flexibility to start, pause, and resume the tour at your convenience

• This is a self-guided audio tour on your phone so no in-person guide.


• This tour does not grant you access into any building or site on the tour.


• Locations on the tour are not affiliated with AudaTours.


• You'll need a smartphone with Android 7.0+ or iOS 16+ (iPhone 8 or later).


• You can start the tour at any time (the event time does not matter).


• The tour will be available to you forever so you can explore on any day.


• Bring headphones and make sure your phone is charged!

Once you book the tour, you'll receive an email within 20 minutes containing your unique redemption code and simple instructions to download our app. Enter the code, and you're all set to explore Colombo on your terms.
It doesn't matter which date or time you select, when you redeem the code, the audio tour will be available to you permanently so you can explore on any day.

Explore with confidence. Every AudaTours experience is built from verified historical and geographical sources and reviewed for accuracy before release. Our fact-checking process ensures each story is authentic, insightful, and reliable—so you can discover the world with total peace of mind.

Whether you're a solo traveler, a couple seeking a romantic escapade, a family on an educational outing, or a group of friends eager for adventure, this tour caters to all. It's perfect for those who value flexibility, rich storytelling, and the freedom to explore without constraints.

AudaTours is your ultimate travel companion for immersive audio tours. Discover cities like never before as our app reveals the stories behind the sights. Just plug in your headphones and explore!

With AudaTours, you'll experience:

• Immersive Experiences: Our digital guides bring landmarks to life with captivating stories and historical insights


• Offline Access: Download tours and maps for offline use – perfect for travelers concerned about data usage


• Interactive Maps: Navigate effortlessly with our user-friendly interface showing the optimal route


• Flexibility: Start, pause, and resume tours whenever you want – explore at your own pace


• Multilingual Support: Enjoy tours in your preferred language with our extensive language options

You will visit the following locations:

• 📍  Sambodhi Chaithya (2min)
• ⛰️  Colombo Lighthouse (2min)
• ⛰️  Old Colombo Lighthouse (2min)
• ⛰️  Old Colombo Dutch Hospital (2min)
• 🕌  Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (3min)
• 🏪  Pettah Market (2min)
• ⛰️  Old Parliament Building, Colombo (4min)
• 🌳  Galle Face Green (4min)

Each stop features engaging audio stories that bring the location's history and significance to life.

Above photo: Rehman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.

Above photo: Rehman Abubakr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.

Our tours are available in 30+ languages to ensure you have the best experience:

🇬🇧 English  • 
🇫🇷 French  • 
🇪🇸 Spanish  • 
🇩🇪 German  • 
🇮🇹 Italian  • 
🇵🇹 Portuguese  • 
🇷🇺 Russian  • 
🇯🇵 Japanese  • 
🇨🇳 Chinese  • 
🇳🇱 Dutch  • 
🇧🇷 Portuguese (Brazil)  • 
🇸🇦 Arabic  • 
🇰🇷 Korean  • 
🇸🇪 Swedish  • 
🇩🇰 Danish  • 
🇫🇮 Finnish  • 
🇵🇱 Polish  • 
🇨🇿 Czech  • 
🇭🇺 Hungarian  • 
🇬🇷 Greek  • 
🇹🇷 Turkish  • 
🇮🇳 Hindi  • 
🇦🇱 Albanian  • 
🇪🇹 Amharic  • 
🇦🇲 Armenian  • 
🇧🇩 Bengali  • 
🇧🇦 Bosnian  • 
🇧🇬 Bulgarian  • 
🇲🇲 Burmese  • 
🇪🇸 Catalan  • 
🇭🇷 Croatian  • 
🇪🇪 Estonian  • 
🇬🇪 Georgian  • 
🇮🇳 Gujarati  • 
🇮🇸 Icelandic  • 
🇮🇩 Indonesian  • 
🇮🇳 Kannada  • 
🇰🇿 Kazakh  • 
🇱🇻 Latvian  • 
🇱🇹 Lithuanian  • 
🇲🇰 Macedonian  • 
🇲🇾 Malay  • 
🇮🇳 Malayalam  • 
🇮🇳 Marathi  • 
🇲🇳 Mongolian  • 
🇳🇴 Norwegian  • 
🇮🇷 Persian  • 
🇮🇳 Punjabi  • 
🇷🇴 Romanian  • 
🇷🇸 Serbian  • 
🇸🇰 Slovak  • 
🇸🇮 Slovenian  • 
🇸🇴 Somali  • 
🇰🇪 Swahili  • 
🇵🇭 Tagalog  • 
🇮🇳 Tamil  • 
🇮🇳 Telugu  • 
🇹🇭 Thai  • 
🇺🇦 Ukrainian  • 
🇵🇰 Urdu  • 
🇻🇳 Vietnamese

🎉 Congratulations on reading this far! You've earned yourself a little treat. Use code ILOVEAUDIOTOURS at checkout for 10% off your tour. Because who doesn't love a good discount for being thorough? 😉

Event venue & nearby stays

Sambodhi Chaithya, Sambodhi Chaithya, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

Get the app →