Colombo Shopping

  1. Barefoot

    Designer Barbara Sansoni's beautifully laid-out shop, located in an old villa, is justly popular for its bright hand-loomed textiles, which are fashioned into bedspreads, cushions, serviettes and other household items (or sold by the metre). You'll also find textile-covered notebooks, lamp shades and albums, and a large selection of stylish, simple clothing.

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  2. Bibliomania

    Jam-packed with a random selection of second-hand fiction and a mixed bag of magazines, educational books and more. Most are in English. Prices are often the best in the city.

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  3. Bookland

    Offers the usual range of books about Sri Lanka, plus English titles and magazines.

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  4. Buddhist Book Centre

    Filled with books on Buddhism; about a third of the stock is in English.

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  5. Lake House Bookshop

    Colombo's oldest bookshop has an extensive range of books on Sri Lanka and other subjects, along with foreign and local magazines and newspapers.

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  7. MD Gunasena Bookshop

    Gunasena's ambitious-looking outlet is opposite Majestic City; it carries a decent selection of titles.

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  8. Vijitha Yapa Bookshop

    Stocks a comprehensive collection of foreign and local novels, magazines and pictorial tomes on Sri Lanka. The branch in Crescat Boulevard shopping centre in Kollupitiya, Col 3 is smaller.

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