Graz Travel Guide: Best Places to See, Eat, Drink + Stay!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when invited to visit Graz, Austria as I really knew nothing about it – I surely didn’t expect I’d fall in love with it and end up writing a huge Graz travel guide afterwards!

I saw that Graz was Austria’s second largest city, but I wondered why it wasn’t a bigger point on the tourism trail. I had heard about it before, but generally only within the blogging sphere. Little did I know that the answer to these questions would become abundantly clear during my time here, and I would truly understand the hype.

See, Graz is extremely special because it’s somehow still a hidden gem in a continent where tourism tends to take over and exploit cities. It has the vibe of a countryside village within a big city – a place where locals are the vast majority of people in the city center’s streets, and it’s easy to travel sustainably and authentically.

What to Know Before Visiting Graz

Graz is only 2.5 hours from Vienna and is easily accessible via all transportation options. Learn about all the best ways from Vienna to Graz.

Many people wonder if Graz is worth visiting before they plan their trip. Check my article here about all the reasons Graz is ABSOLUTELY worth visiting on your Austria trip.

Quick Guide to Graz Neighborhoods

Graz is bite-sized and easily digestible, but packs a true punch! The old town is incredible; it’s UNESCO protected for its historic medieval buildings and courtyards. This is the most obvious part of Graz to explore and stay in.

But you can’t forget to make it across the river to Lend – the neighborhood that used to be the ‘bad area’ but is now the design and architecture capital of Graz and home to the young, hip, and creative. In Lend, you will find converted bars, restaurants, and fair trade shops selling local clothes and crafts. There’s no chain store to be seen here! It’s also UNESCO-protected as a design city.

In Graz, you also need to know about Gries, which is a bit farther south than Lend and a bit grungier but full of culture and art. Gries is the capital for street art, dance clubs, and an incredible old/new mix of modern coworking spaces and office buildings right next to historic streets, monasteries, and more!

If you can remember the Old Town, Lend, and Gries, you will be doing well in Graz.

Graz Transportation

There are buses, trains, and taxis in Graz to help get you where you need to go! All of the main town is in a FREE tram zone so you won’t have to worry about getting a tram ticket. Outside of that, purchase a ticket for 1h to 24h at many stations, mini marts, tobacco shops, tourist offices, or in the GrazMobil app.

Quick List of Things You Must Do in Graz

• Try chocolate from one of the dozens of chocolate shops
• Drink local wine – preferably on a patio, balcony, or with a nice dinner!
• Try Sturm, the delicious pre-wine drink (if you visit in autumn)
• Try some interesting restaurants with different cuisines
• Climb to amazing views of the city from hilltops to towers
• Admire the architecture from the old town to Lend
• Explore small alleys and arcades to discover hidden courtyards and gardens
• Visit some of the Graz Museums on a few very different topics
• Take a walking tour to learn more about the complex history (Book through Discover Graz)
• Admire the red roofs of the city from above – a clear Mediterranean flair!
• Cross different river bridges over the River Mur and admire the views of town

Graz Travel Guide: Places You MUST Visit in Graz

Here are the places to visit in Graz, from the Old Town to Lend to Gries!

The Graz Clock Tower, Uhrturm

I’ll start with the MOST iconic thing in Graz: the clock tower! The clock tower is delightful because no matter where you walk in Graz, you consistently get views of it down different streets. It may look small and compact from far away, but once you reach it, it’s HUGE!

You may notice that the long and short hands are swapped, and this is apparently because they used to only have one hand on the clock so it could show the hour from far away. When they added the minute hand, it was shorter!

Of course, the clock tower has the best vantage point over the city, as it looks out over the entire thing! But if you want an even better view of the city AND the clock tower, climb up the hill a bit more to the Schlossberg.

Schlossberg Graz

Schlossberg means ‘castle hill,’ so technically, the entire hill overlooking the city is the Schlossberg. But I recommend making it to the remains of the actual castle, which used to be MUCH bigger and covered the entire hill before the Treaty of Vienna stopped aggression between empires and Graz agreed to dismantle the fortification.

You can visit the red stone castle and also check out the bastion that still stands tall atop the hill. There are also quite a few gardens up here with lovely city views.

Tunnels Underneath Schlossberg + Fairytale Train

It’s hard not to come across an opening for the over 6km of tunnels beneath the Schlossberg while exploring the area. You can actually walk/take a little train through some of these tunnels, which connect the top and bottom of the hill underground.

These tunnels used to be a bomb shelter with a capacity for over 50,000 people, but now they are home to the ‘Fairytale Train’ with different fairytale scenes inside the mountain.

Elevator, Funicular, Stairs, and Slide up the Hill to the Clock Tower and Schlossberg

To get up to the top of the hill, there’s a wonderful number of options. Try a few! I did a total of 3 while here, only because I couldn’t help doing the slide town twice 😉

• Funicular: The funicular (Schlossbergbahn) leaves from right next to the river and costs €2.70. It only takes a few minutes up a very steep track on the side of the mountain.
• Kriegssteig Stairs: The Kriegssteig stairs to the top of the Schlossberg start from Schlossbergplatz and are steep but quick!
• Elevator: The elevator also leaves from Schlossbergplatz. It takes less than 30 seconds to get up to the top of the Schlossberg and costs €1.80.
• Walk: If you find yourself on the other side of the city near the Grazer burg (checking out the double spiral staircase), you can walk up the hill also! Walk through the Paulustor gate to get to the trail.
• To get down: SLIDE! The Schlossberg of Graz is also home to the HIGHEST UNDERGROUND SLIDE in the world! It’s an absolute MUST-DO in Graz. It takes between 35 and 40 seconds to get down; it starts slow but gets faster and is SUCH a fun rush. Highly recommended for €5.

Stadtpark Graz

When Graz was a much smaller city after the castle came down, they planted dozens of trees outside the eastern gates of the city (near Grazer Burg). Today, there are still many forests, and the closest of them is the lovely Stadtpark, Graz’s central park.

Stadtpark is full of grassy knolls, pathways, and leafy trees. It wraps around the old town to the Schlossberg, and is a wonderful place to get lost in nature but still be close to the city.

Herrengasse, Graz’s Main Street

Herrengasse is the main street of Graz and oftentimes the first street you see when you come into town. It’s a wide street with trams zipping down the middle, bordered by colorful buildings with chocolate shops galore, arcades leading to courtyards, and museums too.

There are some pretty incredible buildings along this street, namely the ‘painted house’ (Gemältes Haus) with intricate Renaissance paintings across the entire four-story facade.

Graz Main Square (HauptPlatz)

Graz’s main square is at the base of Herrengasse near the base of the Schlossberg. This large square is where any community gatherings are held. It has a fantastic view of the clock tower, and the buildings around it are spectacular medieval buildings with Renaissance frescos on the facades.

There are also lots of food stands here, and one of them is where Arnold Schwartzenegger himself (he’s from just outside Graz) comes to get his Austrian sausage every time he visits home.

Rathaus (City Hall)

You can’t miss the city hall while in the main square. This massive, historicist old-style German building towers over the main square with many multicolored flags and intricate shapes. It’s one of the biggest and most impressive buildings on the block!

Grazer Burg + Double Spiral Staircase

The Grazer Burg doesn’t look like much to the naked eye… that is, until you are shown one of the most magical staircases in the world! This old castle is now home to some government offices, but the coolest part is still open to the public.

Inside one of the turrets is a unique double spiral staircase that has two separate staircases winding around, briefly meeting in the middle, then going their separate ways again for a few floors to the top. They are known as the ‘stairs of reconciliation’ because even if you go separate ways, you eventually meet back up!

They were designed by an unknown architect before the year 1500, and the only similar staircase is located in Slovakia. This is a MUST-SEE on any Graz Travel Guide!

Farmers Market in the City – Bauernmarkt Kaiser-Josefplatz

One of the coolest things about Graz is that it has multiple farmers’ markets around the city that are open SIX days a week. That’s how much fresh produce is going around in this farming city!

Say goodbye to the once-a-week farmers’ markets that most cities have, and say hello to buying fresh products from the farmer who grew/made them nearly every day of the week.

The main farmers market is in Kaiser Josef Platz right behind the Graz Opera. It’s a huge square that’s just bustling with people every morning (except Sundays). There are also quaint little bars on the outside where you can sit, have a snack and spritz, and watch people go about their shopping.

Farmets Market Lendplatz

I wasn’t kidding when I said there were a lot of farmers’ markets! The ‘Bauernmarkt’ at Lendplatz is smaller than the one above, but only slightly. You can find everything here, from homemade cider and wine to fresh berries and fruits to cheese and meats. This is farm-to-table at its finest!

Murinsel

If you are crossing the river in Graz, you will not miss the beautiful and interesting Murinsel. It’s a silver ‘island’ floating in the middle of the river, which is home to an outdoor theater and an indoor cafe; it also often has art exhibitions going on too.

It’s a completely unique architectural style, with sweeping silver lines and engineering to make it float on the river no matter the water level. It’s the most fun way to walk across the river, but make sure to stop in for a drink and watch the water rush by at eye level.

When Graz won ‘European culture capital’ back in 2003, there was a lot of excitement and funding to advance the city. This is the year that the Murinsel and the Kunsthaus (below) were born.

Kunsthaus

The Kunsthaus is one of the most identifiable buildings in Graz (after the clock tower, perhaps). Known as the ‘friendly alien’ by locals, this interesting, slightly spherical/amoeba-shaped building with window ‘arms’ on top is Graz’s contemporary art museum.

Kunsthaus was one of the first cultural icons to bring the neighborhood of Lend back to life. It has different exhibits each month and is absolutely worth checking out. Don’t forget to pop up to ‘the needle’ up top for a great view.

Joanneum Quarter of Graz Museums

The Joanneum Quarter is a part of Graz old town that houses four different museums/exhibits central to Graz’s culture and art.

The museums here are the Natural History Museum, the Neue Galerie Graz, the CoSA – Center of Science Activities, and the Styrian State Library.

You can get a 24- or 48-hour pass to this museum quarter alone to see all of this!

Styrian Armory (Landeszeughaus)

The Styrian Armory is one of the most unique places to visit in Graz and an important recommendation on any Graz travel guide. This is THE world’s LARGEST historic armory with thousands of items (over 32,000) on display.

This is a real armory from the 14 and 1500s when Stryians had to be constantly on guard to defend against attacks from Hungarian rebels and the Ottoman Turks. There are SO MANY suits of armor and even horse armor, guns, rifles, knives, swords, more different guns, and long knives I don’t know the names of, and SO MUCH MORE. This will be impressive for any kind of traveler.

Landhaushof Courtyard

This is one of the MOST lovely and picturesque courtyards in the entire city – right next to the armory. You can’t miss the incredible arcade archways and Italian Renaissance style… and yet another beautiful clock tower.

This courtyard is home to some Graz cultural events throughout the year, as well as university and music events too.

Other Graz Courtyards

Graz is not the kind of city you walk around on the main streets. This city beckons you to turn down tiny alleyways, explore arcades, and find your way to exceptionally kept medieval courtyards that still retain all of their style.

There are lots of amazing courtyards to find in Graz – with bars, patio restaurants, and more and all you have to do to find them is get lost!

Generalihof is a a stunning courtyard completely surrounded by 3 stories of medieval archways that used to be aristocratic homes. Now it’s home to cafes, a wine bar (below), and many summer events.

Street Art in Lend and Gries

Graz isn’t all just history, though! Upon crossing the river, we noticed an explosion of more modern and grungy art. There’s tons of street art in Gris and Lend, as well as unique artist boutiques and even an ‘art church’ in Gries in which artists decorated the inside of the church in different styles. Graz is an art city as much as it is architecture!

Lend and Gries aren’t as much suburbs of landmarks as they are suburbs with a vibe. Walking around these parts of town gives a pulse of energetic youth, of creativity and eco-friendliness being the way of life.

Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II

Above the old town you’ll find one of the most spectacular historic buildings in town, in my humble opinion. The Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand has some of the most impressive scenes painted ALL over the ceiling, with intricate frescos adorning each and every one.

History and art buffs along with any regular person will be thoroughly impressed by this mausoleum, an entire massive building just to bury one (very important) man.

Opera House

The Graz Opera is one of the notable historic buildings in town – check if they have anything going on while you’re there for some true Austrian culture!

Old Town Franciscan Church + Courtyard

One of the coolest Graz secrets is that you can actually walk inside the Franciscan church right in the middle of the old town, and it has a magical little grassy courtyard that somehow blocks all the noise from the town. It’s the perfect unique place to have lunch and a hidden Graz travel guide gem!

In this courtyard, you will also notice the distinctly different styles on each floor of the building – medieval, renaissance, and the last one is no style in particular!

Graz Cathedral

Next to the Mausoleum, you’ll find the Graz Cathedral. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when we went inside – the decor is simply incredible. Apparently, in the 15th century, it was made to look like heaven so people would feel good coming inside. I’d bet that they did – and still do!

Glockenspielplatz Dancing Dlock

Try to make it into the old town at 11am, 3pm or 6pm to witness the fun dancing clock in Glockenspielplatz! At these 3 hours each day a spinning and dancing man and woman pop out of two windows in this beautiful clock tower, dancing to the bells.

The buildings surrounding it are all adorned with intricate trimmings and even shimmering gold scenes that are also worth stopping to look at.

Explore Old Town

This is less a point of interest and more one of the most important things to do in Graz. If I haven’t made it clear already, getting lost in Old Town is one of the most magical parts of this Graz travel guide.

Look closely at intricate facades, find hidden courtyards, and wander down colorful streets. You never know what you might find!

Outside Of Graz

Although larger in size, Graz is a city that is well-connected to nature. There are fun things to do in every direction, from hiking to visiting countless wineries to visiting farms for local products or restaurants.

I will have to save most of the Graz day trips for another post, but here are some of the most notable activities outside the city for this Graz Travel Guide.

Austrian Open Air Museum Stubing

The Austrian Open Air Museum is an incredible display of restored Austrian Mediaval Houses all in one place. The houses sit outside just as they would have hundreds of years ago, and all have recreations or exhibits of what would have gone on there.

Through the 97 houses and exhibits, you can learn how they made rope, how they chopped wood, what homes would look like, how they cooked, slept, how they made furniture/clothes, and so much more!

Eggenberg Palace

Eggenberg Palace is an incredible and massive palace complex reachable via tram from the city. It’s a historic palace in the baroque style with acres of gardens surrounding it and multiple museums within it also.

Go Hiking/Walking in Nature

You can do this in pretty much every direction outside of Graz – there are beautiful hills and forests all around the city. Some notable places to walk and hike are:

• Hilmteich: This is only a 25-minute walk or 20 minute tram from town and has a lovely lake and walking trails galore.
• Pfaffenkogel – this is a jutting mountain just north of Graz that has a big looped trail and is also popular for climbing.

Wine Tasting

There are lots of places to go wine tasting outside of Graz, but the best region is south of the city in regions like Vulkanland or Gamlitz.

Things to Eat in Graz 

Here are some of the more typical Graz dishes to keep your eyes out for:

• Backhendl – Styria’s take on fried chicken. Yum.
• Tafelspitz – ‘the emperor’s favorite meal’ with boiled beef, potatoes, creamed spinach, marrow, horseradish, and more.
• Schnitzel – do I need to explain this one? As Austrian as you can get!
• Cordon Bleu – ham and cheese wrapped in chicken and breaded. Also yum.
• Pumpkin in fall – This region produces LOTS of pumpkins and therefore pumpkin products and restaurant specials. Keep your eyes out for this!
• Veal, Venison, and Beef dishes and ragouts – There’s also a season for game meats around Graz, so keep your eyes out for dishes like this in restaurants.
• Hotdogs from the main square like Arnold – fancy something quick and iconic? Grab a sausage from the main square, HauptPlatz.
• Chocolate, especially the local chocolate brand, Zotter 

Graz Food Travel Guide: Where to Eat

Here is my Graz Travel Guide for FOOD! We ate at some fantastic places and heard of even more. There’s so much good food in Graz you could be eating out for a year and still not try it all!

Der Steirer Restaurant

Der Steirer is an incredible restaurant slash stocked wine shop that has daily specials and serves lots of classic Styrian dishes. This is a great place to try local wine and dishes like Backhendl, Tafelspitz, meat fritters, and more.

Stammtisch am Paulustor

A newer high-end restaurant on the Graz scene, Stammtisch am Paulustor, is tucked into a corner up a long street in old town that you might miss if you weren’t looking.

When you first look in, you might think you’ve found a furniture/indoor design shop, but trust that it is also a trendy restaurant and bar! This restaurant serves all kinds of local and seasonal products presented in extraordinary ways. The service is also fantastic.

Hummel

Hummel is a local female-owned low-waste restaurant serving exquisite takes on ‘Levantic Food’ which encompasses cuisines from the Mediterranean to Greece to Israel.

The interior and decor are so cozy and cute, and the food is simply incredible. Get the mezze platter to try 10+ amazing small dishes to share – you won’t be sorry you did.

Deli Frankowitsch

Loated in old town, this deli is a Graz institution and the perfect idea for a local lunch.

Die Scherbe

This is another trendy spot in Lend that has a cool, almost warehouse-y vibe to it. They serve creative concoctions of both food and drink, with twists from Austrian to Asian to Indian. This place encompasses the vibe of Lend really well, and the food is top-notch.

Kunsthauscafe

As if the Kunsthaus wasn’t already cool enough, it has a trendy cafe on the ground floor. Stop by for some food or drinks before or after checking out the museum.

Tribeka Coffee 

Brunch lover like me? You’re in luck. Tribeka is a cool cafe with different coffee options and lots of delicious breakfast bagels too. Good morning!

Aiola Upstairs

For another high-end food option in Graz with a winning view, check out Aiola Terrace Upstairs on the Schlossberg – right above the clock tower.

If you can snag a reservation here, they have a variety of amazingly presented delicious dishes. But if you’re in a rush, grab a glass of wine on the patio and watch the world go by.

Things to Drink in Graz

• Try many new kinds of spritzers, ideally on a rooftop or patio 
• Local wines: many whites are produced here like muscateller, sauvignon blanc, riesling
• Styrian beers
• Try apple cider wine from the farmers markets
• Kardamint (a cardamom mint spirit) in a spritzer or with sparkling wine 
• Local fresh fruit and vegetable juices 
• Local schnapps from the farmers market or farm shops

Graz Drinks Travel Guide: Where to Drink

Here’s the Graz Travel Guide for drinks – the best places to enjoy a spritz with a view or some local products in a lovely atmosphere.

Kastner + Ohler Rooftop Bar

If you visit one bar in Graz, make it this one! And yes, it’s actually inside/on the roof of a department store in old town. Head into the store past all the perfumes and makeup to the elevator at the back, and take it to the top.

This rooftop bar might be as close as you can get to the clock tower without reaching out to touch it. It provides a fabulous view of the Schlossberg and Uhturm, as well as the main square and street of Herrengasse. They have all kinds of drinks, but their list of 10+ spritzers is the most impressive. I loved the lavender one!

Klapotetz Weinbar

For a local courtyard wine bar in a historic courtyard, wind your way through some small streets and arcades to Klapotetz Weinbar. This is in the Generalihof courtyard which has stunning archways that used to be aristocratic homes. It’s a low-key spot year-round, but you can find events and concerts buzzing in this courtyard in the summer.

Pink Elephant

Pink Elephant is a trendy Mexican restaurant with cool whimsical art inside. It’s always bumping great melodic techno music. This is THE place to come in Graz for cocktails; if you arrive before 10 p.m., the patio is a great option.

They also serve some riffs of Mexican classics here too if you’re in the mood for something different to eat!

Landhauskeller 

This authentic bar in Old Town seems like the place to be after dark in Graz on the weekend. They offer live music and drink specials to a crowd that lines up to get in the door! Make sure to arrive early if you want to get in.

Bunker Club

I was so shocked when I walked past a nameless door in Gries with dozens of stickers on it and a sheet of paper denoting the opening times of a club: 22:00 to 08:00. I didn’t pin Graz to be the kind of place you can party all night, but I guess there’s a little of something for everyone!

This club has a rock and roll stage upstairs and, apparently, a techno room downstairs. I’ll have to check it out properly next time.

Graz Hotels Guide: Where to Stay 

Graz has quite a few locally-owned unique and boutique hotels, some that even focus on sustainability. Here are some of the best:

Hotel Gollner 

Hotel Gollner is where I stayed, and I absolutely loved it! This unique 4-star hotel has a few different wings – one has older, more rustic rooms with wood trimmings, and the other newer wing is completely wheelchair accessible and offers spacious modern rooms like the photo above.

There is also a rooftop terrace with views of the rose garden, Schlossberg, and more. The service is excellent, as is the food. Oh, and there’s a 24h bar!

Das Weitzer Hotel with Die Scherer Resto 

Das Weitzer is one of the most eye-catching hotels in Graz because of the teeming gardens and hanging vines it has all around it. It’s located on the border of Lend and Gries, right on the river on a bridge to old town with a perfect clock tower view. The location is ideal!

This is a 4-star hotel for those who enjoy a more luxe stay. One of Graz’s best restaurants that I recommended above, Der Steirer, is located downstairs.

Hotel Daniel

Hotel Daniel is a super cute and trendy unique & boutique hotel directly next to the train station in Graz. The train station location has many advantages, and this hotel has amazing spaces, rooftop patios, Vespas/bicycles for rent, and modern rooms.

That’s about it for this massive, comprehensive Graz Travel Guide for now! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments, and I’ll be sure to get back to you and look even deeper on my next visit 🙂

If you love off-the-beaten-path destinations in Austria (and Europe) check this out:

• Vorarlberg Destinations + Places to See in the Austrian Alps

Thank you to Visit Graz for hosting me and sponsoring this Graz content. All words published on Adventures & Sunsets are always completely my own – I had the best time in Graz and I hope you do too!