Interesting Places in Solo
Kraton Kasunanan (Kasunanan Palace)
Kraton Kasunanan was founded by Pakubuwono II in 1675. This palace functions as the center of Javanese culture. It is opened daily for visitors. Some part of its building collects the Javanese Kingdom ancient relics like kereta kencana, keris, and wayang kuli. The visitors are allowed to see the collection with complete explanation from nice guide
Puro Mangkunegaran (Mangkunegaran Palace)
Puro Mangkunegaran was founded by Raden Mas Said or was known as Pangeran Sambernyowo in 1757. Besides as a symbol centre of Javanese culture, here the visitors are able to se a museum for keeping ancient relics like dancing ornamentation made from pure gold, mask from various districts and gamelan.
Danar Hadi Batik Museum
Solo is known as one of center of batik industry. Batik is the traditional textile of Java which is made through special process in dyeing, coloring, and motif. The long history of batik can be seen in Danar Hadi Batik Museum. This is located just an opposite of Hotel Dana. A wide range of batik design, from time to time, and from west to east region such as Europe, China, India and Arab are displayed. The visitors are also able to experience the process of batik making besides do shopping inside.
Kampoeng Batik Laweyan (Laweyan Batik Village)
Kampoeng Batik Laweyan is an old village with an old Dutch architectural buildings located in the southern part of the city. It can be reached easily with taxy or becak, Most of batik industries is Solo are located here. The tradition of batik business has long history in this village from the Dutch colony era of 19th -20th century until nowadays.
Walking through its narrow alley which is typical of kampoeng in Indonesia will surely impress the visitors. Besides sight seeing and shopping, the visitors can take a short hour of batik course and they can take home their creation as souvenir. It will be a wonderful journey to visit house to house in the village. Here the bargaining is possible and the visitors can get a good price.
Kampoeng Batik Kaoeman (Kaoeman Batik Village)
Kampoeng Batik Kauman is another batik village besides Laweyan. It is located behind the Solo Great Mosque near Klewer Market. There are a lot of houses functioned as a shop in this village can be visited, which display various of Batiks motif with various prices. The visitors are advised to do bargain for a good prices.
Open Air Restaurants complex of GALABO (Gladak Langen Bogan)
Gladag Langen Bogan of Solo or abbreviated as Galabo c is a complex of outdoor restaurant located in east Gladag, the central of the city of Surakarta. Originally this area functions as normal road in the morning and is changed as a long open air restaurants with length of 200 m approximately in the evening. Normally it is opened at 6 pm to 10 pm. Here various kinds of foods and drinks can be enjoyed. Most of them are food with typical Javanese tastes such as sate, Javanese noodle, fried rice, timlo soup, Lumpia, various juices and drink with traditional taste. There are 75 kiosks available. The price is mostly affordable and much lower compared with the similar dish in restaurant or hotels.
Sriwedari Park
Sriwedari Park is a tourist place for offering the traditional show named "Wayang Orang" every night. This is located just an opposite Hotel Dana in Jalan Slamet Riyadi. This place is also equipped
with game zone facility for kids. Here the visitors can enjoy various kind of live music, which performed every night. They are dangdut, campur sari, keroncong, koes plus etc.
Near Sriwedari Park, there is Pujasari (Sarwo Asri Kompleks) that provides many kinds of foods and handicraft from Solo.
Pasar Klewer (Klewer Market)
Located at the west gate of Karaton's North Square, this old market selling all kinds of fabrics predominantly batik. Other traditional fabrics are lurik (hand-woven striped cotton cloth) and tenun ikat. There are hundreds of shops jammed along narrow passageways. The visitors must be prepared to bargain. Batik cloths and garments, handwoven fabrics, traditional and local jewelry, leather puppets, basketry, , brassware and other decorative items, and all kinds of antiques are local specialties.
Tawangmangu
Tawangmangu is located 40 km east of Solo, this recreational resort offers fresh weather; scenic views, swimming pools, bungalow style hotels and restaurants. It lies on the slopes of Mt., Lawu, at an elevation of 1300 m above sea level. Tawangmangu has all kind of facilities, hotel, camping ground, forest tourism, etc. the climate is fresh and one can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Other features include nearby temples, a national park and 40m in high waterfall of Grojogan Sewu. It is a 100 M high waterfall; the pool at the bottom has very chilly water.
