Traveljunkieindonesia.com – Surakarta, often called Solo and less commonly Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. As well as visitors to its two beautiful palaces, Solo attracts many students and scholars to its academies of music and dance.
The city is an excellent place to see traditional performing arts, and traditional crafts, especially batik, are also well represented, as Solo is a major textile centre.
So, here are 16 Things to Do in Solo with tagline the Spirit of Java:
1. Street Food
Indulging in Solo’s Street Food should on be everyone’s list of things to do. Roaming hawkers pack the streets at night advertising their wares by screeching, striking buffalo bells or clattering cutlery. Of the plethora of dishes on offer, try nasi gudeg (unripe jackfruit served with rice, chicken and spices), nasi liwet (a local speciality incorporating rice cooked in coconut milk and eaten with a host of side dishes) or srabi (mini rice puddings served on a crispy pancake with banana, jackfruit or chocolate topping). In Sriwedari, I found the best ice juice in the world.
2. Bicycle Tours
Bicycle Tours to sites outside the city limits are a perennial favourite in Solo. A full-day tour takes you through beautiful countryside to 15 destinations, including stops to watch batik production, gamelan making, and tofu, arak (colourless, distilled palm wine) and rice-cracker processing. Warung Baru, Istana Griya, Mama Homestay, Westerners and Miki tours all offer such tours.
3. Istana Mangkunegaran
Dating back to 1757, the Istana Mangkunegaran is in good condition and is rewarding to visit. Technically a puri (palace) rather than a kraton (a kraton is occupied by the first ruling house), this is the home of the second house of Solo. It was founded after a bitter struggle against Pakubuwono II launched by his nephew Raden Mas Said (an ancestor of Madam Tien Suharto, the late wife of the former president). Also offers decent guided tours (in English). Members of the aristocratic family still live at the back of the palace.
4. Kasunan Palace
Built in 1745. Marble statues, Royal Heirlooms, Ancient weapons, precious antiques. See “The Tower Of The Universe” – meeting place of The Goddess of the Sea.
5. Sriwedari Park
Inspired by a mythical park in heaven, originally for the royal family Sriwedari park was founded by Sunan Paku Buwono X in 1899 and staging puppet people here are originally exclusive to the palace, was named group MURI wayang puppet group of people Sriwedari as the oldest in the archipelago. In here, I found the best ice juice in the world.
6. Balaikambang Park
Built in 1921 by KGPAA Mangkunegara VII, the garden area of ??10 hectares has been revitalized and now is one of the best public space in Solo, visitors can picnic, biking, or visit the amphitheater with a capacity of 400 people. One of its main object is a statue of a woman who surrounded the fountain.
7. Museum Radya Pustaka
Various antiquarian with great historical value displayed in the oldest museum in Indonesia. We can find ancient literature Ronggowarsito, dozens of stone and bronze statues of Hindu and Buddhist era, a collection of wayang beber, and a sinister figure named Kyai Rajamala monsters.
8. Museum of Ancient Batik Danar Hadi
This is the best place to learn the history of national batik. Standing in the complex Ndalem Wuryaningratan, Danar Hadi Batik Museum is a museum owned by Santosa Doelllah presented with 700 luxurious rooms of ancient batik cloth from a total of 10 thousand collections.
9. Jurug Park
On the western bank of the Bengawan Solo River, this park is accessible from Terminal Tirtonadi Solo using public transportation for 30 minutes. The collection of various flora and fauna from domestic and abroad. This park also has a small artificial lake with boats for rent. Facilities for camping and swimming, plus a restaurant and motorcycle circuit.
10. Cengklik Sunset
I took a stroll in the reservoir, and I just sat on the warm boat, under the exotic and sexy sky. Silenced by the sunset. An expanse of natural scenery with a vast reservoir set in two pieces of the mountain that is Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu. Cengklik Reservoir is located in the Ngargorejo village, Boyolali regency was built in the Dutch period. I’m feeling very relaxed and inspired by the experience. I like to keep things balanced.
11. Sukuh Temple
On the western slope of Mount Lawu, the 15th century Hindu temple of the erotic. Pyramid- shaped with carvings of love, reproduction and lessons for life. Sukuh temple is one of the Best Sites in the World That Celebrate Sex & Sexuality
12. Cetho Temple
15th century temple high on the western slope of Mount Lawu. Approached through tea gardens and forests, up fourteen terraces and high into the clouds.
13. Batik Shopping
Solo is known as Indonesia’s main textile center. Exquisite traditional batik from the factories direct, modern shops and the famous Pasar Klewer “Hanging Market”, where mingling with the locals and bargaining is all part of the experience.
14. Flea Market Shopping
On Jalan Diponegoro, the bargain paradise of Pasar Triwindu. Bric-a-brac, porcelain puppets, batik, buttons, buckles and genuine antiques wait to be discovered in a colorful, lively market.
15. Gold Shopping
Jalan Coyudan is dedicated to this precious metal.
16. Antique Shopping
Triwindu antique market, near the Mangkunegaran Palace, offers a wide variety of rarities – porcelain and ceramic ware, candelabra, bronze and lamps of all sizes, Solo’s famous wooden puppets and endless bric-a-brac. The end price at Triwindu depends greatly on one’s bargaining expertise.
17. Spa
Dedicated to the essential experiences of wellbeing, skin nourishment and the pleasure of body and soul. Uniquely prepared traditional flower water and oils are made from the renowned as well as magical scents and essences from Java Island which is called “Sacred Water”. The source for refreshing & rejuvenating which will sooth you from head to toe. Treat yourself with Spa services — full body and facial treatments, foot massages, manicure & pedicure and the Spa signature treatment : pure volcanic mud baths followed by one hour therapeutic full body massages then traditional Indonesian floral baths perfumed with essential oils.
18. Sangiran Museum
Excavation in the area began in the year 1934, when renowned anthropologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald began examining the site. Excavations revealed fossils of some of the first known human ancestors, Pithecanthropus erectus, also dubbed as the “Java Man”. Excavations in the area continued till 1941 and during these years, 50 fossils of Meganthropus palaeo and Pithecanthropus erectus/Homo erectus were discovered. All these fossils add up to almost half of all the world’s known hominid fossils.
Happy Green Travels!
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