Solo is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. It is well known for its cultural heritage and its participation in Indonesia’s history. As a vacation place, Solo is a really good place to go to.

Here’s why you need to go to Solo.

1. You’re A Food Traveler

If you are a food traveler, food blogger, culinary adventurer, or you just enjoy good food, you’d love this place. Solo is a heaven for food lover in Indonesia. It has lots of traditional food which would enrich your food tasting experience. You can find many restaurants, cafe, hawker food centers and many street food in this city, from traditional to international food.

Galabo

Here’s my recommendation. You can go to GALABO, a very well known hawker center in Solo, where many traditional food sellers are gathered in an open space spot. In this place you will be able to try as many food as you would love to, and be entertained with traditional music performances.

Yes, you can go to Windu Djenar Antiques Marketplace in Ngarsopuro. A well known place to go to if you want to buy some artworks. If you’re good enough you can haggle the prices to the lowest but if you can’t, well… it’s cheap anyway. In this marketplace you can find lots of arts shops selling from furnitures,wayang (puppets), keris (traditional daggers) and so much more.

You found it hard to find this place? Ask the nearest local people, they will show you how to get there. By the way, if they don’t understand what you’re talking about, you may ask about Pasar Triwindu. All the same.

3. You’re Fashion Conscious

You must have heard about Batik. Batik is one of Indonesian’s traditional art of painting and coloring cloths. You can find many different Batik patterns in many cities in Indonesia, but Solo is already well known for its Batik Solo. The best thing is, you can enjoy Solo Batik Carnival and Solo Batik Fashion Festival which will be held in Solo occasionally. You can check out their events calendar to know when the Batik Fashion would be held next year.

Since Batik is very well known in Solo, you can not only buy Batik here. You can also visit their Batik Museum, and the Kampung Batik. You can see how Batik is made, and maybe if you’re interested you can take a short course to make your own Batik.

4. You’re A Backpacker

Why? Because everything in Solo is very cheap. You can enter a museum for less than USD 2, and eat for less than USD 3, and take a becak (traditional cab) or walk (because the government facilitate the pedestrians with walking street in protocols streets), and also find affordable hotels, motels and also home stay and guest houses. You will have hundreds of options of cheap accommodations here in Solo, so you don’t have to worry about how much you will spend here.

If you need guidance, you don’t have to be afraid. You don’t need to take a city tour as well since you can find a Tourist Information Center in Jalan Slamet Riyadi, the main street in Solo. Backpacking in Solo is really fun too, because there’s actually lots of places to go.

5. You’re Enjoying Performing Arts

You can download the Calendar of Cultural Events in the government’s official website. You’ll find that in Solo there are lots of performing arts held every weeks. Not only the regular events, like shadow puppets in every weekends and traditional dance every other weeks, but also the events that is held occasionally like SIEM (Solo International Ethnic Music) Festival, and SIPA (Solo International Performing Arts) Festival.

Not only performing arts, but the cultural events like the traditional parades, the people celebration on the city square, and many more events you can enjoy in Solo.

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