An hour by train from Yogyakarta, Solo (formally Surakarta) was the capital of the Mataram kings and remains one of Java's most important cultural centers. There are two royal palaces here, Solo is a major center for the batik industry, and it has schools for traditional dance, wayang, and gamelan music.
Solo is a notably more relaxed city than Yogya. The attractions and culture are just as good, but there are far fewer tourists to share them with. Jalan Slamet Riyadi is the main street. Most accommodation clusters around the Yos Sudarso and A. Dahlan streets, with the old part of town -- temples, palaces, and markets -- to the east.