Semarang

Gereja Blenduk at dawn and Lawang Sewu after dark over two days

Two days cover Semarang's coast and hills. Be in Kota Lama by 07:00 to see the domed Gereja Blenduk of 1753 in soft light, cross to Pecinan and the Tay Kak Sie temple on Gang Lombok, and save Lawang Sewu, the old railway headquarters, for an evening tour after dark.

Day one, morning. Be in Kota Lama by 07:00, when the light is soft and the domed Gereja Blenduk, dating from 1753, has the square to itself. Walk the restored streets past old trading offices and cafes, then cross the Berok bridge to Pecinan. Klenteng Tay Kak Sie on Gang Lombok is the most important of Chinatown's temples, set by the river with a replica of Zheng He's ship.

Afternoon. Shelter from the heat at Sam Poo Kong in Simongan, a red temple complex built around a cave where the Ming admiral is said to have rested. In late afternoon, ride up to the Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah, whose huge courtyard umbrellas open like the ones in Medina; take the lift up the Al-Husna tower for the view.

Evening. If it is Friday to Sunday, eat at Pasar Semawis in Chinatown. On other nights, head to Simpang Lima.

Day two, morning. Visit Lawang Sewu on the Tugu Muda roundabout, the 1907 railway headquarters with its many doors and stained glass. Then wander along Jalan Pandanaran to buy snacks.

Afternoon. Head south to Pagoda Avalokitesvara at Watugong, a seven-storey pagoda, or to Kampung Pelangi, a hillside village painted in rainbow colours.

Evening. Go back to Lawang Sewu, whose grounds stay open into the evening, or watch the city lights from Gombel hill.

Lumpia on Gang Lombok, bandeng presto and tahu gimbal

Semarang's food mixes Javanese, Chinese and Arab influences, often sweet, savoury and fishy at once. Start with lumpia semarang, spring rolls of bamboo shoots, egg and prawn, at the stalls on Gang Lombok, then try bandeng presto, pressure-cooked milkfish with soft bones, and tahu gimbal, tofu and prawn fritters in peanut sauce.

Semarang's food is a north-coast mix of Javanese, Chinese and Arab influences, and much of it is sweet, savoury and fishy at the same time.

Start with lumpia semarang, spring rolls filled with bamboo shoots, egg and prawn or chicken, eaten fried or fresh with a thick sweet sauce, spring onion and pickled cucumber. The stalls along Gang Lombok by the Tay Kak Sie temple have been making them for generations. Bandeng presto, milkfish pressure-cooked until even the bones are soft, is the city's other famous product; the shops on Jalan Pandanaran sell it vacuum-packed alongside wingko babat, a chewy coconut cake.

For a proper meal, try tahu gimbal, fried tofu with crisp shrimp fritters, cabbage and bean sprouts in peanut sauce, or nasi ayam, rice with chicken, egg and a mild coconut gravy, often eaten late at night. Soto semarang is a light clear broth with rice, chicken and plenty of garlic. Adventurous eaters should look for babat gongso, tripe stir-fried in a sweet and spicy sauce, and mie kopyok, noodles in garlic soup with rice cakes and crackers.

The best way to sample many dishes at once is Pasar Semawis, Chinatown's weekend night market. Simpang Lima's stalls are the place for a late supper on weekdays.

Gedong Songo, Ambarawa and the Dugderan fair

Some of Semarang's best trips lie an hour or two inland, where the air cools. Gedong Songo is a group of 8th-century Hindu temples at about 1,200 m on Mount Ungaran, and Ambarawa has a railway museum. Dugderan, the city's biggest festival, falls just before Ramadan, so its date moves earlier each year.

Some of the best of Semarang lies an hour or two inland, where the hills climb toward the volcanoes and the air finally cools.

Gedong Songo, on the slopes of Mount Ungaran above Bandungan, is a group of small 8th-century Hindu temples spread across a hillside at around 1,200 m. Allow two hours to walk between them; horses are available for the steepest stretches. Nearby hot springs make a good end to the visit. On the way, the Ambarawa Railway Museum keeps a collection of old steam locomotives in a 19th-century station and runs occasional heritage train trips.

To the north-east, Demak, with one of Java's oldest mosques, and the woodcarving town of Jepara are easy day trips. Jepara is also the port for boats to the Karimunjawa islands.

Timing matters. Highs stay around 31-34C all year, so rain is the deciding factor. July and August average under 50 mm a month, ideal for hill trips, while January and February bring over 350 mm and slippery paths at Gedong Songo. Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh are celebrated in Pecinan, and each year, in July or August, a procession carries Zheng He's statue from Tay Kak Sie to Sam Poo Kong (27 July in 2025, 15 August in 2026).