A day in Solo, the other royal city

Jogja’s gentler sister city: two royal palaces, the largest batik market in Java, antique stalls, and a breakfast of rice cooked in coconut milk.

Area

Beyond Jogja

Start from

Tugu station, Yogyakarta

Distance

about 60 km east

Time needed

1 day

Best season

All year

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Commuter train from Jogja to Solo, then becak and ride-hailing

Tickets & rules

Tickets for the palaces and the batik museum; modest dress in the palaces

Why go

Surakarta, known to everyone as Solo, is Yogyakarta’s twin and old rival, the other heir of the Mataram kingdom. It is less visited by foreign travellers, slower and in some ways more traditional, and it makes an excellent day trip by train.

Solo has two royal courts. The Kasunanan palace is the larger and older one, with a white tower and a museum of court objects. Pura Mangkunegaran, a smaller princely court, is one of the most beautiful palaces in Java, with an enormous open pendopo hall and a collection of masks, jewellery and dance costumes. Morning dance rehearsals are sometimes open to visitors.

And then there is batik. Pasar Klewer, by the palace, is a huge market full of batik cloth; the Danar Hadi museum shows a superb private collection; and in the old merchant quarter of Laweyan, walled mansions of batik traders hide workshops where you can watch the process.

The story

After the Mataram kingdom moved its capital several times, the court settled in Surakarta in the 1740s. In 1755, the Treaty of Giyanti split the realm: the Susuhunan remained in Surakarta, while his rival founded Yogyakarta. Two years later another agreement created the smaller Mangkunegaran principality within Surakarta. Ever since, the two cities have competed in art, dance and batik, each convinced its own style is the more refined.

Solo batik is known for its soft, earthy colours, particularly the warm brown and creamy yellow called sogan. The Danar Hadi museum explains how batik absorbed influences from China, India, the Arab world and Europe, from Dutch fairy-tale motifs to Chinese phoenixes, especially in the coastal styles.

Laweyan was the batik merchants’ district from at least the sixteenth century. In the early twentieth century, wealthy traders there founded an association, Sarekat Dagang Islam, to protect their interests, and it is often mentioned as one of the early organisations of Indonesia’s national awakening. Their high-walled houses mix Javanese, European and Islamic styles.

Solo is also known for its food: nasi liwet, rice cooked in coconut milk with chicken and a savoury custard of coconut cream, eaten at night or for breakfast; serabi, small pancakes cooked over charcoal; and timlo, a clear soup. Locals say Solo food is gentler and less sweet than Jogja’s.

Getting there

The KRL commuter train runs frequently between Yogyakarta and Solo, taking about 70 minutes. It leaves from Tugu station and arrives at Solo Balapan; pay with a contactless transit card or through the operator’s app. Long-distance trains on the same route are slightly faster.

In Solo, becak and ride-hailing cars connect the sights, and the centre around the palaces is walkable.

A suggested plan

1. 7:00Train from Tugu station to Solo Balapan.
2. 8:30Breakfast of nasi liwet or serabi.
3. 9:30Pura Mangkunegaran, then the Kasunanan palace and its museum.
4. 12:00Pasar Klewer for batik, then lunch nearby.
5. 14:00Danar Hadi batik museum and the walled lanes of Laweyan.
6. 16:30Pasar Triwindu antique market, then the train back to Jogja.

Where to stay

A day trip is easy, but Solo is pleasant for a night, with a lively night market for food and calmer streets than Jogja.

Good to know

• Check the palaces’ opening hours; some close early or on certain days for ceremonies.
• At Pasar Klewer, ask about hand-drawn, stamped or printed batik before you bargain.
• Combine with a visit to Sukuh or Cetho, the strange terraced temples on Mount Lawu, if you stay the night.