Nestled in the southern part of Austria and around an hour’s drive from the Slovenian border, Graz is a beautiful city and the second largest behind Vienna.
The city has a rich history and settlements have been present since the early ages. With a city centre full of old architecture influenced by renaissance art, Graz has a certain style and elegance that makes a perfect tourist location in Austria.
There are the top 10 things to do in Graz, Austria :
10) Schloss Eggenberg :
The Eggenberg Palace is an architectural wonder at the edge of the city centre. Standing as a symbol of the once mighty and influential region of Styria, the Palace holds a major historical and cultural place in the city of Graz.
The main palace was commissioned in 1625 by Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg to embody the newly instated Gregorian calendar, this then joins with the medieval castle from the 13th century.
Among things to see are the highly decorated staterooms with the fascinating planetary room full of frescos, the Planetary Garden and the Pavilion.
9) Murinsel (Island in the Mur) :
Commissioned after Graz was voted European Capital of Culture in 2003, this impressive steel entity and artificial island was designed by American artist Vito Acconci. It’s actually a ship anchored in the water, and is connected to the city by footbridges on either side.
This half-shell structure contains an amphitheatre on the outside and a charming café inside, with an “island adventure” in between. The entire island gives off a beautiful blue glow at night.
8) Graz Botanical Gardens :
The exotic architectural design of the greenhouses is a perfect reflection of the extraordinary wealth of plants to be found at the Graz Botanical Gardens, including three climate zones and a diversity of well known and lesser known specimens.
Visitors can enjoy the lovely array of plants here and as there is no entry fee, it makes an ideal attraction.
7) Landeszeughaus or in English The Armory :
Landeszeughaus is one of the world’s biggest historical armoires. The armoury’s purpose was to have weapons ready to defend the province from invaders. Today it contains over 30,000 items of arms and armour and is full of racks of weaponry such as spears and pikes, with shelves full of rifles and pistols.
The historic armour and weapons here are well preserved and visitors can immerse themselves in the extraordinary atmosphere of the armoury, just as it was centuries ago.
6) Herz-Jesu-Kirche :
This remarkable piece of Neogothic architecture is located to the east of Graz city centre. Constructed in the 1800’s, the beautiful exterior of the church is a throwback to gothic designs from earlier centuries and has a contrasting orange and white colour scheme.
Inside this magnificent building the interior is lavishly decorated and one of the most prominent features is a wonderful circular stained glass window that sits above the organ pipes and let’s light fall through onto the congregation seats below.
5) Clock Tower :
Standing on the fabled Schlossberg Hill and being easily visible from many places in Graz, the Clock Tower has stood here for hundreds of years and has become a symbol of Graz and its history.
The tower has a striking design with its bright white walls, large overhanging wooden balcony section and tiled pointed roof that dates back to the 15th century.
4) Adventure Park Graz :
The Graz Adventure Park is situated on the outskirts of the city, the park is easy to reach and will provide the whole family with hours of fun. Some of the features include rope climbing, log sawing, rope bridges, walking trails, high ropes and archery.
3) Joanneumsviertel :
The Joanneumsviertel houses the Neue Galerie Graz, Natural History Museum and the Steiermärkische Landesbibliothek. Browse 65,000 contemporary art exhibits at the Neue Galerie Graz and explore the newly established BRUSEUM featuring the works of the renowned Styrian artist Günter Brus.
Then journey into the world of nature and paleontology at the Natural History Museum for a glimpse into history and earth’s natural wonders. Joanneumsviertel is a must-see mix of art, history, and literature.
2) The Schlossberg :
The Schlossberg is a tree clad hill, and the site of a fortress, in the centre of the city of Graz. The history of the Schlossberg goes back to the 10th century and has been a main point of fortification and defence for the city.
The Schlossberg has a beautiful park with an ornate set of stairs that criss-cross up the side of the hill and is the perfect place to see views of the city.
1) Kunsthaus Graz :
The Kunsthaus Graz or Graz Art Museum was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz. Its exhibition program specialises in contemporary art of the last four decades with a focus on freedom of artistic endeavours.
From the outside, this weird looking building with a bizarre blue shell-like roof canopy, is at complete odds with the white walls and terracotta roofs all around it. However, not only does the Kunsthaus boast a wonderful design, its modern art collection is fantastic and features amazing displays.
So that sums up our top 10 things to do in Graz, we hope you enjoyed
