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Capital of Styria, Austria
Photo: Taxiarchos228, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Graz is the capital of Styria (Steiermark) and the second largest city of Austria. Graz maintains a balance between its illustrious past and modern present and features spectacular architecture from all periods, while the warm and sunny climate influenced by the closeness to the Mediterranean and positioned in a valley makes it a pleasant city to visit most of the year. The City of Graz, Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg, is a world heritage site.
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Schloßberg
The castle perched upon a hill in the middle of the city around which Graz sprang up. The funicular (Schloßbergbahn) (10-day and tourist tram/bus ticket covers the ride), and elevator (Schloßberglift) (€2) will take the effort out of the walk to the top, although to use them would be to miss the wooded paths and some spectacular views. Alternatively, you can climb the 260 steps from Schloßbergplatz to the Graz clock tower.
Uhrturm
On the top of the Schloßberg, the symbol of Graz.
It comes to life with song and rotating dance figures every day at precisely 11:00, 15:00 and 18:00.
Schloss Eggenberg
Early Baroque architecture with lavish state rooms. There is a €2 fee for entering the park surrounding the castle, which they likely will not charge if you say you intend to take the castle tour. The castle guided tour is highly recommended though, as it contains dramatic wall and ceiling paintings, elaborate ceramic stoves, and inlaid wood floors. Eggenberg Castle is closed from 1 January till 23 March.
Graz's newest exhibition place. It's worth a visit, even if you only look at its design from the outside. It's right across the river from Hauptplatz at the Suedtirolerplatz. (You will definitely notice the blue bubble.)
It was built as a temporary project during 2003 for the Cultural Capital of Europe (Graz 2003) celebrations. People liked it enough so it stayed. Designed by the New York artist Vito Acconci, this accessible artificial island in the river, contains a stage for performances and a coffeehouse.
Steiermärkische Landesmuseum Joanneum
(cheaper with euro<26 card)
Contains an amazing collection of arms and armor, from large two-handed swords and maces to the more modern pistols. Originally the local armory was built to readily equip the people in the event of an attack, and so the weapons you'll see here were made for use, not show. English tours are available; inquire early in the day to see what time one will be offered. If you are incredibly enthusiastic about weapons and ask nicely, your guide might treat you to further description of the use and care of the weapons after your tour is completed. Pictures are not allowed, but postcards with pictures of the main pieces can be bought in the gift shop. Be warned, this building gets extremely warm in the summer (especially on the upper floors). Weapons enthusiasts may wish to go early in the day, or you may find your interest waning rapidly as the puddles form around your feet. Note without a guide it is just row upon row of armour with no information at all on any items in any language.
SK Sturm Graz play soccer in Austrian Bundesliga, the top tier. Their home ground Liebenauer or Merkur Arena (capacity 16,000) is two km south of city centre.
It has Hollywood films in English language and with German subtitles. Take tram number 4, 5 or 13 and get out at Finanzamt. If you are at Jakominiplatz it's a five-minute walk there. Alternative films can also be found at the Rechbauerkino, Rechbauerstraße.
A free park festival lasting a day in July. It includes sport worshops, several stages with live music, sport performances, dance performances and much more.
Nice for inexpensive breakfast with many locations in and arount Graz (Jakominiplatz, Sporgasse, Südtiroler Platz, etc.)
Graz's biggest coffee house chain. Locations: Stubenberggasse, Hans-Sachs-Gasse, Dietrichsteinplatz, Schillerplatz, Zinzendorfgasse, etc.
Sausages with mustard, ketchup and/or horseradish are best here. Try "Krainer" or "Käsekrainer", which are very popular sausages in Styria.
They serve excellent and cheap pizza.
There are a lot of Döner Kebab sellers in Graz. Another good one is Pamukale at Dietrichsteinplatz.
Great honest pub.
Nice portions, good flavours, pretty fast. Would recommend.
Same company as Sägewerk.
Same company as Sägewerk.
Location for students and relaxed people. Periodical live music events.
Fast cuisine of breaded chicken. Large portions, very reasonable prices. Other branches are outside the city center at Griesplatz (next to the telecom tower), Heinrichstrasse (near K.F. University), Riesplatz, Bahnhofgürtel (near Hauptbahnhof), Leonhardstrasse (Near University of Music and Dramatic Arts), Citypark and Murpark.
Good portions of classic beer garden food with good beer and a spectacular view above the town.
Restaurant on top of the Schlossberg; great views of the city.
Has really good pasta & pizza for €11-13.
Vegetarian restaurant and take away, menu changes daily, has a buffet, take whatever you want and pay per 100 g. Excellent quality food, cakes and cookies, coffee, tea, wine.
It is possible to sit outdoors and the food is reasonable priced but very tasty! Try the fillet steak or Styrian seasonal specialties!
Very reasonably price good portions of classic local dishes. Simple décor.
(near Opera house and Kaiser-Josef-Platz). Also a location for people to want to drink or eat something after an opera event.
Tratitional Austrian restaurant (try a goulash).
Excellent Vietnamese food.
They offer American and Asian style food for reasonable prices (go for the steaks)
A Spanish bar specialising in Pinchos (northern Spanish skewers), 13 Spanish red and white wines and cava, San Miguel, wide range of sherrys and Spanish brandy.
Offers Styrian specialties and reasonable prices. Nice traditional furniture.
Also has 3 skittle alleys (nine-pin bowling), costing €12 per hour.
Upscale restaurant which features Styrian traditional dishes, which are heavy on the pumpkin and pumpkin seed. White tablecloths and nice lighting complement the excellently prepared food.
The best restaurant in Graz according to Gault & Millau in 2023.
Fine dining, one of the highest rated restaurants in Graz.
Small, wooden bar in the Stadtpark, near Kuenstler Haus (Erzherzog Johann Allee 2) Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, after 22:00 best times after 01:00 in the morning. Cheap beer, a few but very good sandwiches, sells also cigarettes. What's special about this place is that you can see people of all ages and styles. No-one will care who you are or what you look like, it's all about having this one thing in common: having fun here and now without other concerns. Different DJs every night, especially Friday and Saturday everyone dances until very early in the morning! It usually gets very crowded after 01:00 but if you relax and get into the mood, you will always find your space in there.
Trauttmansdorffgasse 3. Bus stop: Line 30 at Palais Trauttmansdorff. Open every day from 17:00 to 02:00 (or later) Where the ex-pats get together in Graz! An authentic style English pub, right in the center of Graz, cozy atmosphere and affordable prices. Premier League football - all the big matches live. English speaking staff. Pub Quiz every Tuesday, live music. Serves home made chili, curry, soup or toasted sandwiches. Free Internet and Darts!
Stadtpark 2. Located in the centre of the municipal park, this is a popular place with students and a lovely outside seating area. Has laid-back electronic music, concerts and live-DJs in summer. Probably the best place to go for a relaxed drink in spring & summer when it's warm. Open daily from 11:00 to 04:00.
Babenbergerstrasse 39. Further out of town, towards the station (just off Keplerstrasse) is a legendary old style "Gasthaus". Complete with local art, old wooden decor and a rambunctious landlady one cannot fail to like, they also feature excellent jazz bands and sessions every Wednesday. Serves basic cold, local dishes and Schilcher wine. This place probably pulls the best pint of Gösser Spezial in the city. The crowd is mixed anyone from about 20–85 years, from roadsweepers to university professors you will find all sorts in this place. The two common languages are drink and music.
Heinrichstr. 56. A student pub.
Mandellstr. 11. very famous cafe dating back to 1885. Popular for a late-night drink after the opera. There is a piano inside for the use of customers. Famous for its excellent scrambled eggs. Open until the early morning hours. Except during the summer months, cabaret and small stage performances organised by the theater promotion group Hin und Wider Hosts a karaoke night on Fridays from 23:00 and occasionally clubbing on Saturday from 23:00.
Glacisstrasse 63, - nice cosy, pub offering Asian, Moroccan, Italian and Styrian food. Open from 11:30 to 01:00.
Very relaxed pub offering different kind of steaks and burgers and a small variety of Mexican/Asian food both in a smokers and non-smokers area. Offers at least 20 pool tables, and several snooker tables.
Stockergasse 2, - nice cosy bar / pub with two floors (usually there more people in the downstairs where smoking is allowed). Good, cheap & big salads. Great food overall. - open till 02:00am.
Elisabethstraße 31 Some kind of bar/pub. If you don't know where to go after 04:where all people and students go who want to stay out till 08:00. Don't go there before 01:00, as it will be empty. Entry Fee usually €3. (Opening times Su-Tu usually till 03:00, W-Sa at least till 06:00, when it's crowded it can be open till 09:00)
Lendplatz Cheap bar offering the local brew Gösser and a nice variety of whiskies. Piere himself will tend bar. Super friendly guy! Fairly close to the redlight part of town if that's your thing.
Has a beautiful, large garden. Venetian / Austrian kitchen, reasonable prices. Inside you'll find one or the other curiosity. Concerts and DJ evenings are held on an irregular basis.
Grieskai 2. Coffee-to-Go, free WLAN access. The best and finest coffee in town!
A nice, café/bar with good cakes and tramezinis and lots of newspapers and magazines.
Small, cozy cafe, with just a few tables. In the afternoons, can become quite crowded with students. Local newspapers and magazines available; average cafe prices for coffee. Food: bagels, small sandwiches, muffins.
Mariahilferstraße 24
Jakominiplatz
Bürgergasse 5
Cuba-style cocktail bar. Serves tapas and has Latin-live music on Sunday. Offers free salsa dancing classes every Monday. Cocktails are around €6.
Inside the hotel "Erzherzog Johann", serves excellent cocktails for an international crowd.
A relativly posh, large bar split between an inner courtyard and a small seating area inside. Creative, modern cocktails, good quality.
Good cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere.
A popular dance & alternative live music club with two floors. Has live music, live DJs, rock, hip-hop, drum & bass, techno depending on the event. Entrance fees are around €8; often free entrance till 23:00. (usually €1 student discount). They have two floors, mostly there is different music on each floor and you have to pay separate. You reach the small 2nd floor via the door close to the park. The bigger dancehall (1st floor) has its entrance on the street.
A club with two floors. Has Live-DJs, Rock, Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass, Techno depending on the event. Usually open between We and So. Also popular with younger people.
This is a big hall in Schlossberg. There are few events, but it is a really good place to dance - most events are clubbings.You reach it with the tunnel or lift going up Schlossberg.
Mondscheingasse 9, 8010 Graz, has weekly concerts (punk, rock, indy.)
Griesgasse 31, 8020 Graz, a small club and venue to support musicians, has every Thursday, Friday & Saturday concerts.
Bahnhofgürtel 55a, youth center and concert hall, hosts several concerts every week. (metal, rock.)
A self-organized, non-commercial and non-profit association, offering a venue for small concerts and other events.
Youthhostel Graz
Safe but not very nice neighbourhood.
Quite nice bars around (Die Scherbe, PPC).
Walking distance from the main train station, ideal for travellers. Great breakfast for €8 per day. 10-min walk into the city center, or three stops with the tram. Try to get a room facing away from the street, as Annenstrasse can be quite busy during the day.
Annenstrasse 43 (near main train station). €70/92 (single/double).
Design hotel opened in 2022.
Budget design hotel opened in 2022.
Kirchplatz 9 on the eastern edge of Graz, (take Tramway 1 to the final stop at Mariatrost), 3911120, bestwestern.com/content/best-western/en_US/booking-path/hotel-details.89123.html. Quite a distance from the city center but has semi rural surroundings.
Liebenauer Hauptstraße 103
On the Kaiser-Franz-Josef Kai, 8070-0.
Schlögelgasse 14 (take tram 3 or 6 to Dietrichsteinplatz). €120/€200 (single/double).
Hotel outside town at airport and close to the motorway A9.
The most important shopping street in Graz. It connects the main square (Hauptplatz) with Jakominiplatz.
Named after the demolished hotel that used to occupy the site.
Just stroll around from "Suedtirolerplatz" behind the Kunsthaus, have a coffee in the "Cafe Central" and advance to Mariahilferstraße with little designshops, 1970s retro furniture and custum made t-shirts and many more to discover
Shopping mall on south-western edge of central Graz. "Lazarettgürtel 55"
A huge build shopping complex just outside the city limits. Take tram 5 to Puntigam and from there take bus 78. Although the centre lies outside of Graz it's still Zone 101, meaning that you will not have to buy an additional public transport ticket.
It's a lot smaller than the Shopping City Seiersberg, but it's also nearer to the centre. Take tram 5 to Puntigam and then bus number 64.
Only mayor shopping centre in the east of Graz. Only shopping centre in Graz to have direct access by tram. Take tram 4 to end of line in Liebenau.
By train
Trains from Vienna run twice an hour and take 2 hr 40 min via Semmering. Sit on the left for this scenic route; returning from Graz to Vienna, sit on the right.
By car
The A9, runs north–south through Graz, mostly via the 6 mi Plabutsch tunnel. The A2, just south of the city, runs east–west. Vienna (Wien) is 127 mi up the A2 to the east.
By bus
Graz does not have a dedicated bus terminal. Private and public operators all operate from separate terminals:
By tram
All tram tickets can be bought inside the tram. Graz has an excellent tram service running through the Jakominiplatz where the different routes meet and you can change trams.
By bus
Graz also has an excellent city bus network taking in the parts of Graz not serviced by trams. Many buses go through Jakominiplatz, Hauptbahnhof and Geidorfplatz.
By bicycle
Graz is a city of cyclists, featuring an excellent network of cyclepaths. Due to this using a bike to get around (at least the central areas of Graz) is one of the best choices.
By taxi
Taxis are available 24 hr a day. You can hail one on the street, go to a taxi rank or order one by phone.
By car
If you can avoid it, just avoid it. Graz has areas with an inscrutable one-way system which makes it easy to get lost.
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Feldkirchen bei Graz · International · GRZ
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