Graz is a city many people skip on the way between Vienna and Salzburg, but that's a real shame to miss. The entire old town of Graz is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — from the castle ruins on a high hill and a centuries-old clock tower to a spaceship-shaped art museum that caused a global stir. It's also the liveliest city in Austria after Vienna, with more than fifty thousand university students who keep the cafe streets and riverside markets relaxed and buzzing all year round.
#1 Schlossberg and Clock Tower
The heart of Graz is a large rocky hill that was once a medieval fortress. The castle was destroyed by Napoleon in 1809, but the Uhrturm clock tower, built in the 16th century, survived because the people of Graz pooled their money to ransom it. You can reach the top by panorama lift, by stairs, or by funicular. Once at the summit you get a 360-degree view of the orange-red rooftops of the old town and the Styrian Alps that no other spot in Graz can match.
- The panorama lift is free going up but costs 2.20 euros going down, or you can walk down the stairs for free — save money by taking the lift up and the stairs down.
- The Uhrturm clock tower has a quirk to watch for: the short hand shows the minutes and the long hand shows the hours, the reverse of an ordinary clock.
- At the top of the hill there's a free public park open all year, perfect for an evening picnic with a view.
#2 Graz Old Town (Altstadt)
The old town of Graz was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 for its Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic architecture, among the most completely preserved in Central Europe. The highlights are Hauptplatz, the main square with a farmers' market every morning; Herrengasse, the main shopping street lined with historic buildings; and the Landhaus, a Renaissance-era government building that is one of the most beautiful in Austria. Wandering without a map is half the fun.
- The Kaiser-Josef-Markt farmers' market is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 6am to 1pm, with local fruit and vegetables and Styrian souvenirs to buy.
- The Landhaus (government building) has a very beautiful inner courtyard, free to visit during office hours, and rarely makes the guidebooks.
- Avoid Sundays if you want to shop or eat at local restaurants, since many places are closed.
#3 Kunsthaus Graz
A contemporary art museum famous worldwide for both its content and its looks. Designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier and built in 2003, the blue organic-shaped building that locals affectionately call the Friendly Alien stands tall among the historic buildings around it. Inside, it hosts a rotation of high-level international art exhibitions, showing how bold architecture can sit alongside old heritage beautifully.
- Admission is 15 euros, and the Graz Card includes the permanent and temporary exhibitions; check the exhibition schedule ahead of time at kunsthausgraz.at.
- Go up to the rooftop deck to see the building from different angles and the view of the Mur river, free after buying a ticket.
- The museum's bookshop and gift shop have more worthwhile local design products than the usual shops in town.
#4 Murinsel
An artificial island designed by Vito Acconci, built for Graz European Capital of Culture 2003. The steel and glass structure shaped like a conch shell in the middle of the water is a cafe, an open-air event venue, and a playground. You reach it by transparent bridges from both banks. At night, when the lights illuminate the structure and reflect off the water, it's gorgeous — a symbol of Graz's design courage that architects from around the world come to admire.
- The island cafe is open all through spring and summer at reasonable prices, perfect for sitting with a coffee and watching the river.
- The best photos are from the Kunsthausbrucke bridge on the north side, early in the morning before the sun gets harsh.
- Check the schedule of public events on the island ahead of time at murinsel.at — there are concerts and markets often.
#5 Eggenberg Palace
The grandest Baroque palace in Styria, built in 1635 and added as part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Graz in 2010. The numbers in its architecture reflect the solar calendar: 365 windows, 24 state rooms, 4 towers. The vast European garden has deer and peacocks roaming freely. The Museum of Styrian history is inside, including archaeology and natural history collections worth seeing.
- The State Rooms tour can only be done with a guide; tours leave every hour from 10am and cost 17 euros including the garden.
- The Schlosspark deer garden is free to enter and excellent for a picnic, with deer and peacocks walking close enough to photograph.
- Come before summer (April-May) when there are fewer visitors, the tours aren't crowded, and the flower gardens are at their best.
#6 Graz Opera House and Lend District
The Graz Opera House, built in 1899, is the second most important opera building in Austria after Vienna, designed in a grand neo-Baroque style. Behind the opera house is the Lend district, which is becoming the new heart of Graz, full of international restaurants, craft beer bars, the Kaiser-Josef-Markt fresh-food market, and independent art galleries. The atmosphere is completely different from the old town — lively and very much its own thing.
- Opera tickets start at 12 euros for the upper-tier seats; book ahead at oper-graz.com, and the program covers both opera and ballet.
- The Kaiser-Josef-Markt market in the Lend district is open Monday-Saturday from 6am to 1pm, with the best local Styrian fresh food in the city.
- The bars and restaurants in the Lend district are busiest after 8pm on Thursday-Saturday — other days are quieter.
Where to stay in Graz for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Graz — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Hotel Feichtinger Graz
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Grand Hôtel Wiesler Graz
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Hotel Daniel Graz
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Zur Steirerstub'n
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Tours, tickets & activities in Graz
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Graz — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
Graz is at its most beautiful from April to June, when the flowers bloom, the farmers' markets are in full swing, and the temperature is just right — or in December, when the Christmas market on Hauptplatz lights up beautifully. Plan at least 2-3 days to walk the whole city without rushing.