9 Interesting Tourist Attractions in Semarang to Visit

Semarang is the largest city in Central Java and one of the most frequently visited cities by tourists. The large number of tourists visiting for travel or business purposes has led the city of Semarang to provide various tourist attractions. Tourist spots in Semarang range from historical buildings to places for capturing interesting photos, attracting many visitors. There are many interesting places in Semarang, including:

Old Town Semarang

The old town is the most popular tourist destination in Central Java. Especially for those who love to hunt for classic photos, this place is where rows of old European-style buildings often become the backdrop for photographers. In the old town, there is a place that is usually crowded with visitors, namely Blenduk Church with its dome-shaped roof. There is also Srigunting Park in front of the church, and visitors can also rent old bicycles to take photos in front of the church.

In addition to its interesting buildings, the old town also has a café called Café Spiegel with a classic building ambiance, making it unique. Other cafés also offer a classic colonial atmosphere such as Tokodeko, Retro Café, and Café Nuris.

Lawang Sewu

Another popular tourist attraction in Semarang is Lawang Sewu. Lawang Sewu is famous as an ancient building that is haunted, as it was once the headquarters of the Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NIS), the company that built the railway line between Semarang and Jogja and Solo. The Lawang Sewu building was constructed in 1904 with a unique shape and its characteristic of having many doors and windows, which is why locals refer to it as Lawang Sewu, meaning a thousand doors.

Lawang Sewu is known to be haunted due to the mystical stories encountered inside the building, such as in the area of the old well, the main door, the standing prison, the underground prison, the squatting prison, and the torture room for prisoners. Various apparitions of Dutch soldiers, kuntilanak, genderuwo, etc., often occur inside the building.

Sam Poo Kong Temple

Semarang is also one of the multi-ethnic cities that has a diversity of tribes. One of them is the Sam Poo Kong Temple, which serves as a place of worship for the Chinese ethnic group in Semarang. This tourist spot was built in 1400 during the arrival of an admiral from China. The Sam Poo Kong Temple, covering an area of 3.2 hectares, is characterized by its dominant red color and is located in the Simongan area of Semarang.

Gedong Songo Temple

Gedong Songo Temple is a building located in Bandungan District, Semarang. This tourist spot is not only historical but also offers stunning views as it is situated on the slopes of Mount Ungaran. In the temple area, there are also natural hot springs. Therefore, Gedong Songo Temple is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Semarang.

This temple consists of nine temple buildings, as its name suggests, gedong songo. Previously, this temple was named gedong pitu because only seven temples were found within it, and then between 1908 and 1911, two more temples were discovered, making it nine. These temples are remnants of the Syailendra dynasty from the 9th century AD.

Ambarawa Pendem Fort

Ambarawa Pendem Fort is a fort built by the Dutch in 1834, previously named Fort Willem I. Although it is over a century old, this fort still stands strong. Usually, tourists visit to capture interesting photos of the ancient building. This fort is located in Ambarawa District, Semarang. One thing to note when visiting this tourist spot is that permission must be requested in advance because it is located in the Ambarawa Class II Prison Complex.

Umbul Sidomukti

If you visit Semarang and do not go to Umbul Sidomukti, it will feel incomplete. This tourist spot is known for its complete facilities and cool atmosphere, located on the slopes of Mount Ungaran at an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level. There are many facilities to enjoy, ranging from natural swimming pools, outbound activities, camping areas, to tourist cottages, or you can also engage in tracking activities around Umbul Sidomukti.

Kayon Pine Forest

Kayon Pine Forest is located on the slopes of Mount Batur, Getasan District, Semarang. This place is suitable for nature lovers, can also be used for camping, and its water source is guaranteed to be clean. The rows of pine trees make this forest resemble a real pine forest like those in Jogja and Bogor. There are pine trees with unique trunk shapes, curving like a natural chair, which is usually used as a favorite photo spot.

Eling Bening Ambarawa

Eling Bening is also one of the tourist spots in Ambarawa with beautiful scenery and several facilities such as swimming pools, restaurants, outbound activities, camping areas, cafés, and meeting rooms. Thus, this tourist spot is suitable for family vacations or holidays with office colleagues.

At this tourist spot, you can enjoy the stunning view of a row of eight mountains, the beauty of Rawa Pening, rice fields, and coffee plantations. In the afternoon, the view becomes even more amazing with the sunset.

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village, previously known as Gunung Brintik Village, was once known as a slum village. Then renovations were carried out, transforming this place into an attractive appearance. Now, this village has become Instagrammable with its colorful backdrop. The influx of tourists has had a positive impact, as the community there seems to take better care of and pay attention to the cleanliness of the environment to prevent the village from becoming slum again.

Thus, here are 9 recommended tourist spots in Semarang that newcomers from other cities might want to explore in Semarang.

Tips Sahabat