Sri Lanka

A shining land. The pearl of the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. The former Ceylon was known by different names. Renamed in 1972, Sri Lanka means ‘shining land’ in Sanskrit.

The small territory was once disputed and colonised by the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Portugal. The British inherited the passion for tea (the best in the world, they say), the rationality of the Dutch and the surnames of the Portuguese, who arrived in 1505 and baptised the inhabitants of the ‘Kingdom of Ceylon’ as Souza, Silva and Carvalho.

The diverse landscapes range from tropical rainforest and arid plains to plateaus and beaches. Let yourself be enchanted by the temples of the cultural triangle, formed to the north by Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka's former capital) with ruins dating back more than 2,000 years, Polonaruwa to the east and Kandy to the south-west. The nation is famous for its ancient Buddhist ruins, among which is Sigiriya - relics of Sri Lanka's Golden Age - a 5th century citadel.

The tea plantations, the jungle and mountain landscapes, the Yala National Park, the fortress city of Galle and the beaches of the south of the country, as well as the capital Colombo, are more than enough reasons not to postpone another visit to this magnificent country.