Photo by Eugenia Clara @fleetingst… on Unsplash
The 4-day plan, rearranged for 5 days: every place stays and a few more are added, and each day keeps to one part of town.
How much walking? On foot, about 1.4 to 3.5 kilometers a day, and 72.8 kilometers by car or transit in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The old capital of a Javanese sultanate, a district of narrow lanes, old wooden houses and silver workshops. Walk the lanes, look for the old mosque and the royal graves, and watch the silversmiths at work.
Go when Morning, when workshops are open.
Local tip Walk slowly through the lanes and look for the old mosque and the graves. Ask before photographing the craftsmen, and cover your shoulders and knees.
A Dutch fort of the eighteenth century, now a museum of the independence struggle, with dioramas and a quiet courtyard. A cool, indoor stop at the end of the main street.
Go when Midday, out of the sun.
Local tip A quiet indoor stop, with dioramas of the independence struggle. Check ahead on the opening.
A clear, golden chicken soup with noodles, herbs and lime, with fried shallots and a spoon of chilli.
Local tip Squeeze the lime, add the chilli a little at a time, and eat it hot.
The old market of the city, with floors of batik cloth, herbs, snacks and household goods. A noisy, colourful place to learn the patterns and to practise a polite haggle.
Go when Afternoon, when the market is lively.
Local tip Ask the price, smile and offer less. Handmade batik has uneven lines, and printed cloth has an even pattern, so ask which you are holding.
The house and gallery of one of Indonesia's best known painters, who built it himself in an unusual shape. Bold, swirling canvases and a calm garden, a gentle stop in the heat.
Go when Afternoon, for the calm garden.
Local tip Look at the bold, swirling paintings and at the unusual house. A gentle rest after a busy morning.
The long shopping street that runs north from the market, busiest at dusk, with food stalls, street musicians and mats laid out for late suppers. Keep your bag close and walk slowly.
Go when Evening, when the stalls fill the pavement.
Local tip Walk the length once, then sit on a mat for supper. Keep your bag in front of you, and agree the price of a pedicab before you get in.
A white monument at the north end of the city's main axis, which runs south to the palace and on to the sea. The axis is a World Heritage site, and this is a good place to see the streets come alive at dusk.
Go when Dusk, as the street lights come on.
Local tip A small white monument in the middle of a busy junction. Try a glass of charcoal coffee at a stall nearby, a local favorite.
Skewers of chicken or goat grilled over charcoal, with peanut sauce, rice cakes and sweet tea, eaten on a mat at the edge of the street.
Local tip Sit on a mat, agree the price first, and expect to sit for a while.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The sultan's palace, still the home of the sultan, a walled complex of pavilions, courtyards and halls where gamelan music and dance are practised. The guides are often palace staff, and the morning is the best time for the cooler air and the music.
Go when Morning, when the air is cooler and the music plays.
Local tip Cover your shoulders and knees, and ask before photographing people. Check ahead, since parts of the palace close for ceremonies.
The great mosque of the old city, built in the eighteenth century beside the palace square.
Go when Morning, outside the hours of prayer.
Local tip The great mosque of the old city, next to the palace square. Ask before going in, dress modestly and take your shoes off.
The ruins of an eighteenth-century royal pleasure garden, with bathing pools, hidden passages and a round underground mosque. Small studios around it sell and teach batik, and the lanes behind are full of murals and tiny shops.
Go when Late morning, when the light reaches the pools.
Local tip Find the round underground mosque with its crossing stairs, and wander the lanes behind. Choose a batik class that shows you the wax and dye steps and lets you make a piece.
A museum of contemporary art in the west of the city, with changing exhibitions.
Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.
Local tip A museum of contemporary art in the west of the city. Check ahead on the exhibitions.
A museum of Javanese art and craft, with masks, puppets and textiles. Shadow puppet shows, called wayang kulit, are often held in the evening, so check ahead on the programme.
Go when Evening, for a shadow puppet show if one is on.
Local tip Check ahead on the evening programme and arrive early for a seat. The show is long, so you can leave when you wish.
Strong black coffee with a piece of hot charcoal dropped in, with rice parcels and grilled snacks.
Local tip Kopi joss is a local habit. Let the charcoal cool a moment before you sip.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A compound of tall ninth-century Hindu temples, with slender towers carved with stories from the epics. It was damaged by earthquakes and has been rebuilt with care. Go in the morning, before the heat.
Go when Morning, before the heat and the groups.
Local tip Go early for the shade of the towers. In the dry months a retelling of the Ramayana is danced on a stage in the evening, so check ahead. Dress modestly.
A pair of Buddhist temples a short drive from Prambanan, with rows of small shrines and stone guardians. Quiet and far fewer visitors than its famous neighbour, and the rice fields are close.
Go when Midday, for a quiet pause.
Local tip A good stop for people who want fewer crowds. Walk among the small shrines, and look at the paddy fields beyond.
Fried fish or chicken with rice, vegetables and sambal, on a terrace over the paddies.
Local tip Wash your hands, and drink bottled water.
The ruins of a palace on a hill above Prambanan, with gates, terraces and bathing pools. Visitors come for the sunset over the temples and the plain, so go in time to find a spot.
Go when Late afternoon, for the sunset over the plain.
Local tip Arrive early to find a spot, and bring water. The ground is uneven, and the paths are partly in the sun.
A bowl of noodles with vegetables and egg, or a plate of grilled fish, after the sun goes down.
Local tip Eat early, since the road back to town is dark.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A large eighth-century Buddhist compound beside Prambanan, with a central temple surrounded by rows of small shrines.
Go when Morning, beside Prambanan, before the heat.
Local tip The large Buddhist compound next to Prambanan, with a central temple ringed by hundreds of small shrines and giant stone guardians. It was damaged by earthquakes, so some parts are roped off.
A small Hindu temple found buried under volcanic ash in the 1960s and dug out, so it sits in a deep pit below the fields. A peaceful, surprising place, with steps going down to the carved stone.
Go when Afternoon, as a pause between larger sights.
Local tip Walk down into the pit to see the carvings up close. A quiet spot, but steps can be slick after rain.
A small Buddhist temple of the eighth century on the road to Prambanan, richly carved.
Go when Afternoon, on the road to Prambanan.
Local tip A small Buddhist temple of the eighth century beside the road. Quick to visit and carved in fine detail.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A ninth-century Buddhist monument of stacked platforms and stupas, with long walls of carved reliefs that tell the Buddha's story. It rises from the plain, and the first light is the reason to start before dawn. Access to the upper levels has been limited in recent years, so check ahead.
Go when Sunrise, for the soft light and the mist.
Local tip Rules on visitor numbers, footwear and guides have changed, so check ahead and book early. Wear a layer and shoes you can take off, and be quiet, since it is a place of worship.
A small Buddhist temple of the same age, between Borobudur and Mendut on a straight line. A compact, carved building in a village garden, quiet and easy to enjoy.
Go when Late morning, on the road back.
Local tip A small and quiet temple. Take your shoes off when asked, and sit for a moment in the garden.
A scoop of rice with vegetables, tempeh, egg and sambal, chosen from the dishes on display.
Local tip Point at what you want. Sambal is hot, so try it on the side.
A Buddhist temple with three large stone figures inside, a seated Buddha and two attendants, calm and worn by age. It is the start of the procession that walks to Borobudur once a year at the festival of Vesak.
Go when Afternoon, with soft light inside.
Local tip Look at the three large figures. Cover your shoulders and knees, and be quiet, since it is still a place of worship.
It covers 5 days in Yogyakarta, planned for may to September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
On foot, about 1.4 to 3.5 kilometers a day, and 72.8 kilometers by car or transit in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
7 days in Bali: Ubud and the south coastAbout 540 km away
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