Kota Lama — the Old Town — is a small grid of streets that preserves more intact Dutch colonial architecture than almost anywhere else in Indonesia. The area was the commercial heart of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) trading post established in the 17th century and retains its warehouse-lined canals, narrow cobbled lanes, and European facades in varying states of restoration and decay.
At its center stands the Blenduk Church, and from there the streets radiate outward through old trading houses, some beautifully restored as cafes and galleries, others still in their original crumbling state. The contrast is part of the atmosphere — gentrification has been slow and incomplete, which gives the quarter a more authentic feel than similar districts in Surabaya or Jakarta.
Kota Lama is best explored on foot in the early morning, before the heat peaks. The weekend sees more cafes and vendors, and several of the restored buildings host art exhibitions and music events. Night tours with local guides are also popular, since much of the quarter's history involves flood management, colonial commerce, and the ghost stories that naturally accumulate in old empty buildings.