Mihintale is a single archaeological hilltop with a string of monuments along the climb. The standard visit is to walk up the 1,840 broad granite steps from the base, stopping at the Kantaka Cetiya, the meditation pools, the Ambasthala Dagaba, and the Aradhana Gala viewpoint at the top. Allow two to three hours for the full circuit, longer in the heat. Wear modest dress — the upper terraces are an active Buddhist site, and you must remove shoes before entering them. The path is shaded in places and brutal in the midday sun.