Kandy is Sri Lanka's second largest city located in the mountainous center of the island. Overall Kandy is a great place to experience Sri Lankan culture and cuisine surrounded by a beautiful natural environment. It was the last capital of the Sinhala kings whose patronage flourished for more than 2,500 years until the occupation of Sri Lanka by the British in 1815. Due to its long and rich history there are many interesting sites worth a visit.
It is considered as the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. A cooler climate and smaller size make it much more pleasant and accessible than Colombo. The city has a compact downtown area surrounded by a beautiful tropical rain forest hill country on all sides with exotic animals such as monkeys running around in the wild. The downtown area is a major shopping destination where all kinds of goods imaginable can be purchased. There are also numerous bakeries, offering delicious local treats all over downtown.
