Nagasaki's principal sights are widely spread, starting in the north with the Peace Park and the gruelling but informative Atomic Bomb Museum . From there it's a tram ride down to Nagasaki Station and a gentle stroll along the slopes of Nishizaka from the 26 Martyrs' Memorial round to Nagasaki's most imposing shrine, Suwa-jinja. The focus of interest in the central district is a row of quiet temples , notably Sofuku-ji, founded by the city's Chinese community, while Chinatown itself consists of a colourful, compact grid of streets. Slightly further west, the former Dutch enclave of Dejima is commemorated with a museum and scale model of the old settlement.

Down in the far south, several European houses have been preserved on the former hilltop concession, now known as Glover Garden , overlooking Nagasaki's magnificent harbour and a colourful Confucian shrine. To round it all off, take a twilight ropeway ride up to the top of Inasa-yama before hitting the bars and clubs of Shianbashi. There's more than enough here to fill two days; if you've only got one to spare, it's probably best to skip the sights along Nishizaka and head straight for Sofuku-ji or Glover Garden.