Auburn Silver
As one of Indonesia's lesser known holiday hubs Solo is home to come of the country's finest highlights. From historic palaces to illustrious museums here are the area's best attractions.
Tipped to be one of the city's most recognizable landmarks the Kasunanan Palace lies on its namesake street in Solo. Frequented by locals and tourists alike the coveted historic point of interest was built by none other than King Paku Buwono II as early as 1745. Having served as the residence of the Javanese monarch in its heyday the Kasunanan Palace is regarded one of the best preserved examples of Javanese architecture. As the most expansive royal residence in all of Solo the venue is open to visitors from 9am to 2pm daily, except on Fridays visitors based in a conveniently located Solo hotel such as Alila Solo will have convenient access to the palace.
Affectionately known as the House of Danar Hadi by locals the Museum Batik Danar Hadi is another must-experience highlight in Solo for first time visitors. Renowned as the largest batik museum in the entire county the institution is home to a whopping 10,000 pieces of batik belonging to collector and connoisseur Santosa Doellah, the curator and owner of Museum Batik Danar Hadi. Showcasing the various types of Batik fabric crafted in the country through the annals of time the venue also highlights the influence colonization and other cultures has on the batik motifs and styles. A classic example of this is the "Little Red Riding Hood" batik" style which traces its ancestry to Dutch occupation of Indonesia. A batik workshop is also part of the landscape while a boutique is also located next to the museum. Visitors can enjoy colonial inspired food and snacks at the Soga Cafe.
Also known as the Palace of Surakarta the Keraton Complex is another noteworthy attraction in Solo. As a historic premises the venue harks back to Solo's glory days as a Central Javanese administrative hub. The clock tower in the complex's foreground known as Panggung Songgobuwono is equally captivating.
Known by many names including Balekambang Park, Sriwedari Park and Taman Balekambang this public space is one of the most popular recreational hubs in Solo. Offering visitors and locals a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city the park equipped with a kiddies playground and Javanese restaurants also plays host to wayang kulit puppet shows and traditional dance performances such as wayang wong dance items.
As an architectural and cultural anomaly in Solo the Tien Kok Sie Temple is perhaps the best known Chinese religious edifice in Solo. Also known as Klenteng Tien Kok Sie the Chinese temple located close to Pasar Gede serves as an indicator of Solo's multicultural historic legacy.
Also known as the Solo Grand Mosque Masjid Agung Surakarta is another must visit hotspot for culture buffs touring the city while the newly built Sahasra Adhi Pura is the area's finest Hindu temple to date. Containing replicas of 50 sacred world heritage sites the Hindu shrine is also a centre for the practice of Kundalini yoga.
