Old Town

Kota Lama, Oudstadt

Northern Semarang has many old Dutch colonial buildings. This was where the old walled city was located. The wall is no longer there, but many of the buildings remain. While there are a number specific points of interest, the whole area is atmospheric and interesting for a wander. Early morning or late afternoon offers the coolest parts of the day and the best light for photography. The rundown nature is part of its charm, but the City Council is making concerted efforts to bring it back to life. The numbers of cafes and restaurants is slowly growing. This helps to give life to the area at night also, and there is a semi-permanent bric-a-brac market that is most active during these cooler hours. During certain high tides, the area is flooded. Tackling it is also part of the government's plan, and the flooding is slowly dropping in terms of number and intensity of incidents.

• market