Stand at the Tugu Muda roundabout in the late afternoon and Lawang Sewu fills your view, its white walls and rows of tall arched windows catching the low light. Walk a few minutes north and the streets narrow into the Old Town, where Dutch colonial buildings stand in various states of repair and a bric-a-brac market sets up in the cooler hours.
Semarang suits travellers who like their cities layered: a port with a Chinese quarter, an Arab quarter and a colonial core, all within reach of hills and a reservoir to the south. It rewards slow walking and short taxi hops rather than a checklist.
1. Lawang Sewu
Lawang Sewu means "a thousand doors" in Javanese, and while it probably does not have that many, it has plenty. Built in 1907 as the headquarters of the Dutch East Indies railway company, it later served as a jail and torture centre under the Dutch, then as the Japanese army's headquarters in Semarang during World War II. The attic, with its twin water towers, was used by the military as a badminton court. It is reputed to be haunted.
Tour guides are available at the building's entrance. The flashlight tours of the basement, with its system of small pools of water used to keep it cool, are a fun scare. The building sits right on the Tugu Muda roundabout, so you can walk into the Old Town afterwards.
2. Old Town (Kota Lama, Oudstadt)
Northern Semarang holds many old Dutch colonial buildings on the site of the former walled city. The wall is gone but the buildings remain, and the whole area is atmospheric for a wander. The rundown nature is part of its charm, and the city council is working to bring it back to life; the number of cafes and restaurants is slowly growing, which gives the area life at night as well.
Early morning or late afternoon offers the coolest parts of the day and the best light for photography. A semi-permanent bric-a-brac market is most active during these cooler hours. During certain high tides the area is flooded, though the flooding is slowly dropping in number and intensity.
3. Sam Poo Kong Temple
This temple was built to honour the Muslim Chinese admiral Cheng Ho of the Ming Dynasty, who visited Semarang in the early 15th century, and was extensively renovated in 2006 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of that visit. The complex is one of the major temples for certain Chinese religions, notably Kong Hu Chu (Confucianism), and includes a long stone mural depicting major events of Cheng Ho's time here, plus several temples each with its own style.
You can burn an envelope in a special prayer oven or ask a soothsayer to read fortune-telling sticks. The temple area is open to visitors for an additional fee; otherwise you can see much of it from behind a chain, though the mural is behind the temples. Only those seeking to pray may actually enter the temples. In the entry area there are stores selling Chinese art and objects, including giant candles, and a place to eat.
4. Gereja Blenduk (GPIB Immanuel)
The name means "domed church". Built in 1753, it is the oldest church in Semarang and stands at the heart of the Old Town. It has a baroque organ, a rarity in Indonesia.
Pair it with Taman Srigunting, the small shady square right beside it, for a sit-down after walking the Old Town.
5. Simpang Lima
A large square and shopping district at the heart of Semarang. At night you can eat, drink or just wander around, and you can take a ride on the decorated bicycles known as "gowes".
On Sunday mornings this is the venue for Semarang's Car Free Day, which actually runs a couple of hours only, when families gather for cycling, roller-blading, basketball or simply eating at their favourite food stall.
6. Watugong Buddhist Temple (Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong)
A popular Buddhist site featuring the 45m Pagoda Avalokitesvara with seven tiers, the tallest in Indonesia. Various shrines are relevant to the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, and development started in the 1950s.
Any taxi driver will know it, or you can take the TransJateng rapid transit bus from the centre of town in the direction of Bawen.
7. Grand Mosque of Central Java (Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah)
On the east side of the city, this is the place to go if you want to see a big mosque. Presumably non-Muslims can take the lift up to the top of the minaret for a scenic view of the city too.
It is open daily from 04:00 to 22:00, so it fits easily into a morning or an evening slot.
8. Gua Kreo (Kreo Cave)
A modest cave formation surrounded by a man-made lake with a resident band of long-tailed macaques. It can get crowded on the weekend, but you may have it all to yourself on a weekday.
Near the cave is Waduk Jatibarang, or Jatibarang reservoir, with a beautiful sight. Any taxi driver will know the place. It is open daily 06:00–18:00.
9. Taman Budaya Raden Saleh (Raden Saleh Cultural park)
A park and cultural centre with theatre and dance performances and the occasional art exhibition in the four buildings in the complex. It used to be the site of Semarang's zoo.
It suits family recreation, or simply watching artists practise for their performances.
10. Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery
A modern gallery offering a selection of contemporary art in revolving exhibitions, with a strong focus on Asian artists in general and Indonesian artists in particular. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–16:30.
It sits on Jl Taman Srigunting, so you can fold it into a walk through the Old Town.
11. Kampung Pelangi Kalisari
A multi-coloured rainbow village focused on sustainable initiatives. Near the village there is a Kalisari floral market and a promising outlook in the wood construction library that won Architizer A+ Awards 2020 and became the winner of ArchDaily building of the year 2021, named Microlibrary Warak Kayu.
Combine the village with the floral market and the library in a single visit.
12. Layur Old Mosque (Masjid Layur)
Commonly called the Masjid Menara, this old mosque in the Kampung Melayu area was founded around 1802 and built by Arab traders. Its minaret is the icon of the mosque.
It sits on Jalan Layur in Dadapsari, within reach of the Old Town area.
13. Port of Tanjung Emas (Pelabuhan Tanjung Mas)
A busy, important port during the Dutch occupation, from the 17th century to 1945. Of special interest is the lighthouse built in 1884.
Come for the lighthouse and the working-port atmosphere rather than a formal sightseeing circuit.
14. Taman Tabanas Gombel
Before you get into the hilly area named Bukit Sari, you will see this park on your left. Stop by, drink tea and see Semarang from the hill.
The view is beautiful in the daytime and a very special romantic view during the nighttime.
15. Gondoriyo Waterfall (Curug Gondoriyo)
A waterfall in Ngaliyan with lights at night, open 08:00–24:00. It makes an easy evening stop if you are already on that side of the city.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Lawang Sewu on the Tugu Muda roundabout, joining a guided tour and, if you are in the mood, a flashlight tour of the basement. Then walk north into the Old Town while the light is still cool, taking in Gereja Blenduk and pausing at Taman Srigunting.
Afternoon: Continue through the Old Town's streets and stop at Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery on Jl Taman Srigunting before it closes at 16:30. If time allows, head to Sam Poo Kong Temple to see the stone mural and the prayer oven.
Evening: Go to Simpang Lima for food, drink and a wander, or take a ride on the decorated bicycles. If you would rather end with a view, head up to Taman Tabanas Gombel for tea and the night-time panorama over the city.
When is the best time of day to walk the Old Town?
Early morning or late afternoon offers the coolest parts of the day and the best light for photography. The bric-a-brac market there is also most active during these cooler hours.
Can non-Muslims visit the Grand Mosque of Central Java?
Yes. Presumably non-Muslims can take the lift up to the top of the minaret for a scenic view of the city. The mosque is open daily from 04:00 to 22:00.
Is Gua Kreo crowded?
It can get crowded on the weekend, but you may have it all to yourself on a weekday. It is open daily 06:00–18:00.
How do I get to Watugong Buddhist Temple?
Any taxi driver will know it, or you can take the TransJateng rapid transit bus from the centre of town in the direction of Bawen.
Pick the sights that match your pace, check the opening times above, and start mapping your days around the Old Town and the Tugu Muda roundabout.