Graz walking tour & city guide

Old town and Schlossberg

The Schlossberg, a hill in the center, is topped by the Clock Tower, the symbol of Graz, whose hour and minute hands are reversed. You can climb, take a funicular or a glass elevator to the top. The Hauptplatz and the Herrengasse are lined with painted Renaissance and baroque facades.

Modern Graz

The Kunsthaus, nicknamed the 'Friendly Alien', is a blue bubble-shaped art museum by the river. The Murinsel is an artificial island of steel and glass floating in the Mur. Eggenberg Palace, on the edge of the city, has peacocks in its gardens.

A day in Graz

Climb the Schlossberg to the clock tower, then walk the old town's red rooftops. Cross the Mur to the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel island.

In the evening, try Styrian food with pumpkin seed oil.

Good to know

Graz is a student city with a relaxed atmosphere. The trams are easy to use.

The Styrian wine region is close.

A green city

Graz is Austria's second-largest city and a UNESCO City of Design. The old town is one of the best-preserved in Central Europe, with courtyards, Renaissance arcades and a maze of narrow lanes. Food plays a big role here: the farmers' markets on Kaiser-Josef-Platz and Lendplatz sell Styrian produce, and pumpkin seed oil, dark green and nutty, is used on salads and even ice cream. Day trips to the vineyards of southern Styria are easy.