Many dip into the frenetic energy of Colombo just before or after a flight, but there are rich rewards for those that linger a little longer. This city, the largest in the country, is a true blend of Sri Lanka’s overlapping cultures and traditions, with Buddhist temples, towering Hindu shrines, candy-striped mosques and busy markets. Take a walking tour around the Fort area, which was barricaded during the civil war and impressively preserved. The influence of Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers is unmistakable here, and it’s interesting to see how modern city life has filled in around it. Test your haggling skills (and watch how the locals do it) as you shop for spices, stationery and silver in Pettah Market.

You're spoiled for big religious sites here. Not far from Pettah Market, the historic, red and white striped Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque is one of the city’s most recognizable sites. And while you’re in the neighborhood, you may as well pop into the oldest Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Kailasanathar Swami Temple. Then, there’s Gangaramaya Temple, one of the city’s most renowned Buddhist temples, fusing Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture.

In between the sights, there are chilled-out art cafés and local eateries to grab a bite alongside Colomboites, and acclaimed, high-end restaurants with inventive dishes and artisan cocktails, if that’s more your style. For a more casual afternoon, many head to Galle Face Green, where you can watch kites flutter in the sea breeze as the sun sets, perhaps with a plate of kottu in hand from one of the food vendors.

As you whiz home by e-rickshaw at the end of the night, flashes of the Lotus Tower glowing on the skyline, you’ll be glad you gave this city the time it deserves.