Things to do in Graz
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Landhauskeller
What started as a spit-and-sawdust pub in the 16th century evolved into an atmospheric, high-quality restaurant serving specialities like its four different sorts of Tafelspitz (prime broiled beef). Flowers, coats of arms and medieval-style murals pack a historical punch, and in the summer outside tables look onto the stunning Landhaus courtyard.
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Aiola Upstairs
Ask any local where to find the best outdoor dining experience in Graz, and they’ll probably say Aiola. Whether it’s king prawns with pasta or corn-fed chicken, this wonderful restaurant on Schlossberg has great views, delicious international flavours, a superb wine list, spot-on cocktails and very chilled music.
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Prunkräume
The dominating theme of the 24 Prunkräume in the Schloss Eggenberg is astronomy and mythology. The Planet Hall, which is a riot of white stuccowork and baroque frescoes, is one highlight; the frescoes portray the seven planets (all that were then discovered), the four elements and the 12 signs of the zodiac.
Most rooms are devoted to one theme, including a Chinese room and a games room. Guided tours are conducted in German every hour on the hour, though an English translation is possible (enquire in advance).
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Schlossbergbahn
Rising to 473m, Schlossberg is the site of the original fortress that gave Graz its name. Its wooded slopes can be reached by a number of paths, with the funicular Schlossbergbahn from Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai, or by Glass Lift from Schlossbergplatz. Even Napoleon was hard-pressed to raze this fortress, but raze it he did. The whole area was later landscaped and today an open-air theatre, a great restaurant-bar and a small Garrison Museum are the legacy.
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Kunsthaus
Start your walk from the tourist office on Herrengasse and enormous on the bank of the On the bank of the Mur River is the Kunsthaus7. Designed by British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, this world-class contemporary art space is a bold creation which looks something like a space-age sea slug. Exhibitions change every three to four months, and tours cover not only the exhibitions but also the building.
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The Tourist Office
The Tourist Office offers a guided walking tour in German and English at 14:30 daily from April to October and at 14:30 Saturday from November to March. Also ask about its regular theme tours in town and weekend day trips outside Graz, or pick up its nifty multimedia (and multilingual) guide to sights, using a handheld computer (around €8.50/8.50 two/four hours).
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Frida & Fred
The creation of FriDa & FreD, Graz’s first museum devoted to children, makes it even better. This small but fun-packed museum is aimed at kids up to the age of 12, and hosts workshops, exhibitions and theatre. Like any good children’s museum, it has loads of hands-on tasks and interactive displays.
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Opernhaus
Graz is an important cultural centre, hosting musical events throughout the year. One of the main venues in town is the Opernhaus. Performance details and tickets (no commission) are available at Theaterservice Graz. The Opernhauscloses in August and there are discounts for students.
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Edegger-Tax
This modern café is perfectly complemented by its 1569 bakery (open 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, to noon Saturday) next door. Apart from the yummy goodies baked on the premises, its stunning wood-carved façade is reason enough to drop by; note the small doors in the frontage, concealing ingenious hiding places.
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Alte Galerie
The Alte Galerie is the best among the museums housed within the Schloss, with exquisite paintings and sculpture dating from the Romanesque period through to the late baroque. The palace houses three other collections, which can be visited with admission to the Alte Galerie or Schloss itself.
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Schauspielhaus
Graz is an important cultural centre, hosting musical events throughout the year. One of the two main venues in town is the Schauspielhaus. Performance details and tickets (no commission) are available at Theaterservice Graz. The Schauspielhaus closes in August and there are discounts for students.
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Burg
Southeast of Schlossberg is the city’s 15th-century Burg, now housing government offices. At the far end of the courtyard, on the left under the arch, is an ingenious double staircase (1499) – the steps diverge and converge as they spiral.
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Schlossberg Cave Railway
The Schlossberg Cave Railway, the longest grotto railway in Europe, is another highlight for the little ’uns. The trip, taking about 20 minutes, winds its way around fairy-tale scenes through tunnels once used as a safe haven from the allied bombings during WWII.
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Stern
During the day and early evening Stern is a fine restaurant with a focus on salads, wok and pasta dishes served at outdoor tables on Kameliterplatz; when the sun sets, its cellar-like interior morphs into a bar, featuring DJs every Friday and Saturday, and live acts on Sunday.
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Dom Im Berg
The tunnels under Schlossberg were once used as air-raid shelters. Today, some of them have been refashioned into a large art-clubbing venue. The sound system and light show are the best in Graz, so it’s no surprise the place is often full when it hosts clubbing events.
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Yamamoto
Yamamoto is refreshingly authentic in an age when Chinese restaurants are reinventing themselves as lucrative sushi bars; it’s Japanese owned and run, and gets its sushi delivered throughout the week, so it’s always fresh and, like the noodle dishes, delicious.
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Stadtpfarrkirche
The stained glass window of the Stadtpfarrkirche, southeast of the Landeszeughaus, is an interesting anomaly: the fourth panel from the bottom on the right (left of the high altar) clearly shows Hitler and Mussolini looking on as Christ is scourged.
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Uhrturm
Perched on the southern edge of Schlossberg is the city's emblem, the Uhrturm. In what must have been a good deal for Europe's modernising midget, the townsfolk paid Napoleon a ransom of 2987 florins and 11 farthings to spare the clock tower during the 1809 invasion.
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Pierre’s Café-Bar
Pierre’s charms appeal mostly to rolling stones who have gathered a coat of moss. Minimalism meets 40-somethings with greying pony tails who watch Led Zeppelin or Shania Twain clips on the large screen; it’s perfect if you like classic rock.
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iku
Inside the surrealistic Kunsthaus, this sleek bar and restaurant does one vegetarian and one meat dish for lunch, and has a small evening menu offering the likes of beef medallions in red wine and basil sauce. A DJ takes the floor from 10pm Saturday.
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Exil
It’s a laid-back alternative bar with outdoor seating and a couple of turntables for Friday and Saturday nights when sounds are spun; it’s against the grain – empty when everywhere else is full, and buzzing when quiet elsewhere.
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Rathaus
Hauptplatz, the main square from 1160, is dominated by another Renaissance gem, the Rathaus from 1550. The fountain in the centre is a monument to Johann, with four women at his feet representing Styria's main rivers - the Mur, Enns, Drau and Sann.
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Iohan
This very stylish restaurant and bar with a Gothic vaulted ceiling is one place where you can find a seasonal salad incorporating tongue of veal and asparagus. But it’s also perfect for chilling out at the bar and taking entree-like snacks.
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Mausoleum of Ferdinand II
Construction by Italian architect Pietro de Pomis began in 1614, but the mausoleum was completed after Pomis’ death by Pietro Valnegro, while Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach chipped in with the exuberant stuccowork and frescoes inside.
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Auschlössl
Auschlössl is another small café on the edge of a park, but this time on the other side of town. It’s perfect for an evening drink or a coffee break after an exhausting visit to FriDa & FreD. It often hosts art exhibitions.
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