Have you ever thought of visiting Austria’s second-largest city? Graz for most people is known to be a shopping destination full of discounts and great prices, alongside being one of the best cities to get your university education. Learn where to eat, stay, and what to do in this Graz Travel Guide!
Graz is more than universities and shopping, it has a deep history in Austria, with hints of Italy Renaissance for its courtyards and baroque palaces.
The atmosphere is a lot different than in Vienna, being more relaxed and youthful than Vienna’s business and elegance because of Vienna’s history and culture that it had developed over the hundreds of years.
It is important to note that since Graz is such a university type city it has been awarded the European Capital of Culture in 2003, and since then it has been able to remain true to that honor and develop its culture even more.
German, but you can easily hear a lot of Italian, French. Of course English is always in play.
The main currency of Austria are Euros, so you can easily get them almost anywhere in Europe.
You won’t have any problems paying with cards here, almost like Vienna, it is very advanced technologically. I would as always recommend that you bring some cash because you never know what will happen.
It is mostly like Vienna, but Graz is especially beautiful during spring and summer.
When it comes to food, Graz is not the cheapest city that you will visit. You can find some fast food stands and burger shops but most prices range from 10 to 25 Euros in mid-range restaurants.
Graz isn’t the biggest city even if it is the second-largest city in all of Austria, but it is very similar to Vienna for its easy traveling around the city.
You can easily explore the whole of Graz on foot and visit all the main attractions that are in the city, or in the “worst” case scenario you can rent an Uber which is available in Austria to get you a lift to any destination of your choosing. If you wish to explore any of the countrysides of Graz or even Vienna I recommend that you rent a car and just drive, but keep in mind that rent a car is pretty pricey.
roomz Graz is the cheapest one of the hotels that I will showcase here, but do not let the price fool you, it has modern equipped rooms with all the things that you need and it is located only 15 minutes walking from the city center. Check out roomz Graz.
Location: Conrad-von-Hötzendorf-Straße 96, 8010 Graz, Austria
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: 72 €
Hotel Gollner has both apartments and rooms that are filled with modern appliances and things such as free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, and more. It is also located just two minutes from the Opera House, and everything is within walking distance of the hotel. Check out Hotel Gollner.
Location: Schlögelgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: 106 €
Travelers that want to be located in the center of the city center and easily access all the main attractions and sightseeings, this is the hotel for you. The hotel offers stylish rooms with modern appliances and amazing staff that is there for anything that you need or want. Check out the amazing Hotel Weitzer.
Location: Grieskai 12-14, 8020 Graz, Austria
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: 85 €
Augarten Art Hotel is a hotel that was designed and built by one of the most famous Austrian architects Gunther Domenig. This is a 4-star hotel with superior not only outer design but also inside of the hotel is as beautiful as it gets. All rooms are beautifully decorated with unique artwork on their walls. Check out Augarten Art Hotel.
Location: Schönaugasse 53, 8010 Graz, Austria
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: 94 €
If you are visiting Graz in August then I highly recommend that you visit the Long Table. It is basically an outdoor restaurant that sits 750 people served a gourmet meal cooked by more than 30 of the city’s best chefs. It is an experience that you won’t forget easily and most definitely not soon.
Location: Old Town of Graz, Graz, Austria
Date: August 22
Price Range: €€€
When I mentioned above fast-food stands this is what I meant, Würstelstands is a sausage stand that you can find all over the Graz streets, and it is one of the oldest traditional dishes in all of Austria. You can easily find sausage for about 3 Euros.
Location: All over Graz
Price range: €
A luxury restaurant located on the Schlossberg, with the remains of the beautiful castle around it. The feeling is amazing and the food is even better. If you are looking for a romantic dinner head over there when the sunset is about to go down and enjoy the magic.
Location: Schloßberg 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
Price range: €€
This coffee spot is located on the biggest shopping mall in Graz, Freiblick Tagescafe is almost always packed, but you can find that one table sometimes that people do not see. If you are going to Graz in Spring or Summer there is a terrace on which you can enjoy the sun and sip your coffee, but there is also an indoor glass space where you can just relax after a full day of walking.
Location: Sackstraße 7-13, 8010 Graz, Austria
Price range: €
The clock tower is one of the main and most attractive attractions in Graz, located on a hill that you can get to by cart car (2.5 Euros per person) or by stairs. I recommend the stairs since you will get the full experience, but it is a lot quicker and easier by cart car.
Clock tower first took its shape in 1560 as a fortified medieval tower as we see it today. The fun fact is that the bell that is ringing was made by Michael Sylvester Funck in 1712, it is still working but it has been operated electronically since the middle of the 20th century.
If you are looking to find the landmark of Graz, you have found it. It is the Art Museum of Graz or as locals know it Kunsthaus Graz. Most people say that it resembles a spaceship with its structure.
The Kunsthaus Graz hosts a lot of exhibitions all year round, so you will probably see an exhibition of some sort if you are visiting it.
The entrance fee is:
Almost every tourist tour starts at the main square of the city, and Graz is no exception. Hauptplatz connects the whole city in one square with all the trams, food stalls and people. You will easily notice where are the people gather when it is time to meet.
The most impressive building and the most known one is the Townhall, which is located in the center of the square, where you just have to stop and admire how beautiful it is.
Island located in the middle of the river? Check. The city of Graz built it all the way in 2003 when it was the Europan Capital of Culture, the little island floats in the middle of the river and has a beautiful small cafe inside it. Even if it is not the main attraction of Graz, you won’t see that kind of building a lot in Europe if not the world.
Discover More:
Get a gift in your mail
Subscribe to TheSworld and receive 2 free Lightroom presets in your inbox
