Central Java (Jawa Tengah in bahasa Indonesian) is the island's cultural, geographic, and historic heartland. Universities, Dance schools, pottery, handicrafts, textiles and carving, give to the region a rich culture and interesting shopping. This is also the place of the famous Javanese temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. But they are not the only ones to be noted, Dieng plateau and Candi Sukuh are worth a visit.

Performing arts is still widely practised, and traditional dance dramas (Wayang Orang) or shadow puppets (Wayang Kulit) performances are easy to find. Mountains cross the entire central portion of the province. The cool slopes contain numerous hill ressorts (Tawangmangu, Kaliurang, Sarangan)

The Central Javanese cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (also refered as Solo, the city old name) are centres of classical Javanese culture. The ancient arts have been encouraged by the royal families of these two sultanates under whose patronage the performing arts and others aspects of Javanese culture have flourished.

Yogyakarta has managed to maintain its charm and attractions, and is relatively untouched by the modern world. Its pace of life is unhurried, its people remain courteous in an increasingly pressured society, and it is proudly conscious of its artistic traditions which are maintained and which still dominate the life of the city. There are numerous music and dance schools, brilliant choreographers, drama and poetry workshops, folk theatre and wayang troupes, artists excelling in the plastic arts.