Sri Lanka’s medieval capital at the peak of its artistic achievement, Polonnaruwa left behind a concentration of monuments whose elegance is still staggering: the Gal Vihara rock sculptures carved from a single granite face, the immaculate Vatadage circular relic house, and a reservoir landscape that made this civilisation possible and still holds water today. The flat terrain makes it ideal for a cycling exploration timed for the quieter early morning hours.