Colombo is the bustling capital city of Sri Lanka and is a hub for visiting beaches in the south of the island. Its history involves successive rulings by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, and it was a major port on the east-west trade routes during that era. This ancient heritage reflects on the city today in terms of its architecture consisting of colonial buildings as well as high rise sky scrapers and shopping malls. The cosmopolitan side of Colombo includes stylish theatres, cinemas, restaurants, cafes, museums and galleries.