Mie Ayam, Solo, Central Java, Indonesia

Taken on: 29th April, 2010. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See travelfishery's page of Flickr

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Often overshadowed by its bigger neighbour Yogyakarta, Solo has the same deep connection to the fascinating culture and history of Central Java, but also offers up its own charms. Quieter and more traditional than its rival, the city still manages to attract a significant number of foreign and domestic tourists thanks to its palaces, cuisine, arts and beautiful surrounds.

Until 1744, Solo, also known as Surakarta, was just a small village. However, that year it was chosen by the then king of the Islamic Mataram kingdom, Pakubuwono II, as a more auspicious place for his court, which was packed up and literally lugged in a procession from nearby Kartasura after conflicts with Dutch and Chinese.

Despite the move, the kingdom suffered continued setbacks and was divided and further weakened by the Dutch into two separate sultanates, one in Read our complete Solo travel guide

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