Visiting Solo Surakarta City

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Tourism of Indonesia

Ready to Go to Solo Surakarta City

Planning to go on a tour or travelling, we definitely want a smooth trip, comfortable accommodation, cheap hotels, good food, cheap plane tickets, close to everywhere, and can rent a motorbike or car.

Attraction

In Solo Surakarta City, there is natural beauty and unique culture of the local community. There are many uniqueness, starting from the village (desa), sub-district (kecamatan), district (kabupaten) and provincial levels.

In Indonesia, each province has different and interesting characteristics. Each province has a different and unique culture and lifestyle.

Surakarta also known colloquially as Solo, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 46 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and west, and Sukoharjo Regency to the south. On the eastern side of Solo lies Solo River (Bengawan Solo).

Solo or Surakarta is known throughout Indonesia as a strong upholder of Javanese culture. A visit here is a chance to connect with and take in the sights and sounds of ancient Javanese culture.

We will need at least a few days to explore the city to wander around and discover all the vibrant old markets, busy street life and ancient buildings.

Historically, Solo has been a center of power in Central Java. In 1745 the Mataram court was transferred here from Kota Gede, and, since then, the city has built on its reputation as a cultural hub.

From Solonese dance, wayang puppetry through to hand-crafted batik Solo remains a city that prides itself on its artistic traditions of elegance and refinement. Today, Solo is part of the province of Central Java.

While you are here pay a visit to the many cultural attractions of the city such as the two keratons or palaces, of the Sunan of Surakarta and the Prince of Mangkunegara. Take a load off your feet and ride a pushcart along the maze of white palace walls.

Absorb yourself in history with a becak ride through the old city.

Known as the city that never sleeps, there is always something going on in Solo. Warung’s operate almost around the clock so there is no danger of going hungry.

With a population of over 550,000 people, Solo is a densely populated city. But while people may live close together there are no high rise buildings, so this city has a community atmosphere that is difficult to find in any other city in Indonesia.

Compared to Java’s other ‘court’ city, Yogyakarta, fewer travelers journey to Solo. Come here and explore the refined and aristocratic Javanese traditions that you won’t find anywhere else.

Keraton Surakarta also called the Kasunanan was built in 1745 and is a must see for any visitor to Solo.  As you enter the grounds you will be immediately transported to a place where tradition governs daily life.

While most of the woodwork in the keraton of Yogya is colored green, the dominating color in the court of Solo is sky blue. This is a unique cultural attraction not to be missed.

Visitors to the palace are requested to wear a samir or red and gold ribbon around their neck as a mark of respect. Walking through the palace, stop and look at the huge mirror whose inscription invites the visitor to examine their soul before being received by the King.

The government is taking good care of the preservation of nature and maintaining the condition of the forest.

The environment is also well maintained.

Activity

Visiting Solo Surakarta City, we will witness routine community activities in unique traditional cultures. And there are special dishes and food as part of culinary tours that are delicious and yummy.

You will see areas such as the keputren an area reserved for the Sunan’s (Kings) daughters and wives where the only man permitted to enter is the Sunan himself.

Unfortunately a fire in 1985 has meant that some sections of the palace have been rebuilt. A new pavilion now stands following ancient descriptions, dominated by bold red and gold colors.

The Mangkunegaran palace or Pura Mangkunegaran is the other royal palace of Solo. Set within lush gardens and European fountains, this palace was founded by a dissident prince, who in the 18th century, was awarded a portion of the Sunan’s (King’s) fiefdom to ensure he remained loyal to the Sunan.

To symbolize the junior rank of the Mangkunegaran, the palace is set south of the Kasunanan palace.

The Mesjid Ageng or Grand Mosque is a magnificently large mosque in a unique design that blends Middle East and traditional Javanese architecture.

Originally built in 1750, the mosque has become bigger and more majestic as Sunans have made their own additions and renovations over the years.

This remains a place of active worship and is still used for royal ceremonies and festivals such as the Sekaten. Visitors are welcome outside of prayer times but are required to dress respectfully, remove their shoes, and wash before entering.

For visitors traveling with children, take in the fun and excitement of the Sriwedari Amusement Park

with rides and entertainment sure to impress the young ones. The onsite theatre puts on nightly cultural shows including wayang kulit (shadow puppet performance) and wayang orang (live theater).

In this place there are also regular events or activities held every year, both national and international.

Accessibility

The journey to Solo Surakarta City is now very easy. We can enter through various modes of transportation.

Access to go to Solo Surakarta City:

Solo has a large airport, the Surakarta – Adi Sumarmo Wiryokusumo International Airport, which has daily flights traveling from most major cities throughout Indonesia.

International flights also fly from here to Malaysia and Singapore. AirAisa flies from Kuala Lumpur to Solo and SilkAir from Singapore.

Domestic airlines that fly in and out of Solo include Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Sriwijaya Air.

The train goes regularly between Solo and Jakarta and the trip takes between 11-12 hours. The train continues to Surabaya.

Night buses travel from Jakarta to Solo and take around 12 hours.

From Yogyakarta, you can travel to Solo by express minibus which takes around one hour. The cheaper but more crowded public buses also travel by this route.

The handiest way to get around Solo is by becak.

The compact size of the city means walking is an option however the streets are crowded and noisy and not well paved.

Bicycles are a good option for those who are willing to brave the traffic and can be rented from tourist offices in town.

For a more traditional experience, try renting a horse drawn carriage.

Taxis are available though they can be difficult to find away from the main tourist areas.

Rental cars are available for hire and can be organized through some of the bigger hotels in Solo.

The condition of the infrastructure is getting better. Starting from highways, airports, trails, ports, bridges, stairs, even some places can be reached by toll roads.

We can visit by plane, car, ship, bus, motorcycle and bicycle. At some point, we can take the train. We can also walk freely.

Amenity

In Solo Surakarta City, as technology getting better. We can easily find locations for mini markets, shops (warung kedai), Money Changer, ATMs, Bank BRI BCA BNI Mandiri, BTPN Bank Nagari BJB, supermarkets, and restaurants. So we will not starve or lack the necessary items.

If you are sick and need help, you can also visit clinics, drugstore pharmacies (apotek), practice doctors, hospitals, and health centers (puskesmas).

In this place we can also look for places of worship such as mosques, churches, and others.

Accommodation

Finding place to stay in Solo Surakarta City is very easy. We can stay at home stays, hotels, inns, hostels and other places.

To get lodging at a cheap and definitely comfortable price, please see below:
Booking.com

Experience and Reviews

There are already many visitors have visited Solo Surakarta City, there are many interesting stories that are told. Like feeling satisfied, happy, wanting to come again, sleep well, and almost no one is disappointed or complains to come here.

So, visitors will find out on how to find the best hotels, where is exactly located, why it is amazing, how much is the fare and rate, who are the people, whom to ask, and when is the best time to visit.

We can visit these tourist attractions from Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Redep, Tanjung Selor, Tapak Tuan, Tarakan, Tarutung, Tasikmalaya, Muara Bungo, Muara Enim, Muara Teweh, Muaro Sijunjung, Muntilan, Nabire, Negara, Nganjuk,

That’s all the information we provided, hopefully useful.

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