July 1 - A group of Saudi journalists left Riyadh for Colombo this week on a familiarisation tour.
The programme was organised by the Sri Lankan embassy in coordination with the country's tourism promotion bureau and Sri Lankan Airlines, to attract more tourists from Saudi Arabia, according to Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad.
There has been a significant increase in Saudi tourists visiting Sri Lanka. In 2009, 7,900 visited the island. "This is expected to increase this year," Jawad added. "With the end of the ethnic conflict, more people like to visit the island since peace has been restored in all parts of the country."
As part of their programme, the five journalists will visit famous landmarks including those in the north central part of the country, which boasts a rich history dating back thousands of years.
This is one of the largest galleries in Europe, housing the finest art. It contains more than 700 paintings from the golden ages of German, Flemish, Dutch, French, Italian and Spanish painting. Timings: Daily except Monday 10.00 – 17.00, Tuesday 10.00 – 20.00 Admission: €5 adults €3.50 students and seniors Free for children 15 and under Additional admission during...
The Madrassa of Sultan Hassan Mosque is a masterpiece of Mamluk architecture and one of the largest in the world. It was commissioned in 1356AD by Sultan Hassan bin Mohammad bin Qalaoun for the purpose of establishing a school and mosque that would cater to the four branches of Sunni Islam: Shafi, maliki, Hanafi, and Hanbali. Sharia el-Qal'a, Islamic Cairo Opening hours: Daily 8:00 a.m...
Built in the 17th century for housing working class immigrants, Jordaan is now an upscale district of Amsterdam. The district has emerged as a posh and happening place for art aficionados with the opening of many art galleries, especially those for modern art. For those who want to browse through specialty shops and restaurants, Jordaan is the perfect place. The area also has many small and intere...
The famous Danish author, Karen Blixen, who wrote under the pseudo name Isak Dinesen lived here. She is the author of ‘Out of Africa.’ Her house was originally in the coffee plantations in the countryside, but now with the growth of the city, it is just in the outer region of Nairobi and has been converted into a museum. It has many of her famous books and paintings of African life. It is the high...