Housed in the old City Hall building from 1710, the Jakarta History Museum traces the city’s past from its colonial days to modern times. Inside, you’ll find furniture, maps, paintings, and ceramics from across Indonesia and Europe. Wander through the creaky wooden floors and heavy teak furniture for a sense of what life was like during the Dutch era.

Tucked into the Akamas Peninsula’s rugged coastline, the Baths of Aphrodite — a mossy grotto where water trickles into a shallow pool — feels more like a quiet woodland chapel than a grand spa. According to legend, this was where the goddess bathed and first locked eyes with Adonis. The site’s magic lies in its simplicity: a single ancient fig tree drapes shade over the spring, its roots tangled in the rocks like something from a Pre-Raphaelite painting. More than just a photo stop, the baths anchor the Aphrodite Natural Trail, a network of walking routes through the peninsula’s botanical gardens and coastal cliffs. The easiest (200 metres) path winds past oleanders and carob trees to a babbling stream, while longer hikes like the 5-kilometre Adonis Trail reveal sea views and hidden coves. Practicalities are well managed: a car park, clean toilets, and a no-frills café sit near the entrance, while the Archaeological Museum of Marion-Arsinoe (15 minutes’ drive) adds context for mythology buffs. Come early to beat the coach tours; dawn light through the fig leaves makes the grotto glow.

The successful festival 'Nine Weeks of Baroque' in 2015 brought many cultural events to the Baroque sights in the Pilsen region, and the city now continues with a regular feast. Check out whether it is happening during your stay, and you will experience these sights in their most beautiful state.