The Schlossberg and the clock tower
1 h 30All ages; pushchair-friendly, via the liftDog-friendlyAll year
Viewpoint · 1 h 30 · free on foot · funicular with a tram ticket · the hill above the old town and its Uhrturm
From ViennaRailjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling, about 2 h 30
Stay2 nights
Guided tourEvery day at 10:30, €17
Best timeMay – October and Advent
What to do
What to do in Graz
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Guided walking tour of Graz old town
1 h 30Adults and teenagers; children aged 6 to 15 have their own fareAll year; no tour on 25 December
Guided tour · 1 h 30 · €17 · daily at 10:30 from the tourist office, in German and English
From €17
Book
Landeszeughaus, the largest historic armoury in the world
1 hTeenagers and adults; children find it impressiveAll year; from 1 November to 6 January, guided tour only except on certain days
Museum · 1 h · about 32,000 weapons and suits of armour from the 15th to 18th centuries · in winter, with a guided tour
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Graz, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Graz
All year. From May to October the city lives outdoors and the state rooms at Eggenberg are open. In November and December the Advent markets and the ice nativity scene arrive, and transport is free on Saturdays 5, 12 and 19 December 2026; the Landeszeughaus can then be seen on a guided tour or at weekends from 11:00 to 15:00.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Graz your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
By train from Vienna and on foot around Graz
Graz is a car-free getaway: the Railjet drops you at the station in two and a half hours, the old town is covered on foot and the tram reaches Eggenberg. With the Graz Card you have transport and admissions.
120–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Weitzer, beside the Mur…
- Getting aroundRailjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or…
- Where to eatGlöckl Bräu, every day
- ServicesTourist Information, on the Herrengasse
Where to stay
- Hotel Weitzer, beside the Mur, with a dog if needed
- Schlossberghotel, at the foot of the funicular
Getting around
- Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling
- Tram 1 to Eggenberg; funicular to the Schlossberg with a zone 1 ticket
Where to eat
- Glöckl Bräu, every day
- Der Steirer, Styrian tapas
- Landhauskeller, Monday to Saturday
Services
- Tourist Information, on the Herrengasse
- Schlossbergbahn
Two relaxed nights beside the Mur
Graz lends itself to a refined getaway without Vienna prices: a hotel with history beside the river, dinner booked at the old town's classic table and the Schlossberg at dusk.
From €250per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayGrand Hotel Wiesler, the grand…
- Getting aroundOn foot and by tram…
- Where to eatLandhauskeller, with a booking
- ServicesGuided tour from the tourist…
Where to stay
- Grand Hotel Wiesler, the grand hotel on the Grieskai
- Schlossberghotel, art and antiques at the foot of the rock
Getting around
- On foot and by tram; the Wiesler's electric Vespa
- Funicular to the Schlossberg
Where to eat
- Landhauskeller, with a booking
- Der Steirer, for the Styrian tapas
Services
- Guided tour from the tourist office
- Graz Card
Fly to Vienna and take the Railjet to Graz
From Spain the usual way is to fly to Vienna-Schwechat (VIE), which has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, and continue by train: from the airport to Wien Hauptbahnhof and from there the Railjet on the southern line, about two and a half hours to Graz. Graz has its own airport (GRZ), with few routes and normally no direct flights from Spain.
- Getting thereVienna-Schwechat (VIE): buses or train…
- Getting aroundOn foot around the old…
- Where to stayHotel Weitzer, a few minutes…
- ServicesTrain from Vienna
Getting there
- Vienna-Schwechat (VIE): buses or train to Wien Hauptbahnhof
- Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling to Graz, about 2 h 30
- Graz (GRZ), if you find a connection
Getting around
- On foot around the old town; tram to Eggenberg
- Funicular to the Schlossberg
Where to stay
- Hotel Weitzer, a few minutes by tram from the station
- Grand Hotel Wiesler, opposite the old town
Services
- Train from Vienna
- Tourist Information
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Graz for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A funicular, a river and a mountain in the middle of the city
Graz is comfortable with children: it is small and flat down below, and the Schlossberg is a park with a funicular, a lift and viewpoints. The Landeszeughaus impresses anyone who has seen a film about knights. The Graz Card lets two children under 15 travel free.
- What works bestThe Schlossberg funicular and the…
- Where to stayHotel Weitzer, with rooms of…
- Where to eatGlöckl Bräu, kitchen without a…
- Bear in mindFarmers' markets close on Sundays…
What works best
- The Schlossberg funicular and the clock tower
- The Murinsel, for crossing the river on a steel island
- The park of Schloss Eggenberg, open all year
- The Advent markets and the ice nativity scene
Where to stay
- Hotel Weitzer, with rooms of various sizes and the Augarten next door
- Grand Hotel Wiesler, in the centre
Where to eat
- Glöckl Bräu, kitchen without a break from 11:00 to 22:00
- Der Steirer, tapas to share
Bear in mind
- Farmers' markets close on Sundays and public holidays
- In winter, the Landeszeughaus is seen with a guided tour
What to do as a family
Armour, contemporary art and a student city
Graz hooks teenagers more than many museum cities: it is a university city, with a buzz in the street, and it has two sights unlike any other, the armoury with 32,000 pieces and the blue bubble of the Kunsthaus.
- What works bestThe Landeszeughaus, four floors of…
- Where to stayHotel Weitzer, beside the river
- Where to eatDer Steirer, Styrian tapas
- Bear in mindThe public English-language guided tour…
What works best
- The Landeszeughaus, four floors of armour and weapons
- The Kunsthaus and the Murinsel
- Climbing the Schlossberg on foot by the stairs and coming down in the lift
- The English-language guided tour of the old town
Where to stay
- Hotel Weitzer, beside the river
- Schlossberghotel, for a different kind of night
Where to eat
- Der Steirer, Styrian tapas
- Glöckl Bräu, schnitzel and Backhendl
Bear in mind
- The public English-language guided tour leaves from the Herrengasse
- The Burg's double staircase takes a minute to see: combine it with the cathedral
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay without a carin styleif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Weitzer
Why we like it: Large hotel beside the Mur, a bridge from the old town, with 201 rooms, a café, a Styrian restaurant, a sauna and a rooftop gym. Dogs allowed.
From €105
View details
Grand Hotel Wiesler
Why we like it: Grand period hotel on the banks of the Mur, opposite the old town, with 102 rooms in seven categories, contemporary art, a restaurant and a garage.
Schlossberghotel
Why we like it: Hotel with more than 500 years of history at the foot of the Schlossberg rock, beside the funicular, decorated with contemporary art and antiques, with apartments.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Graz
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Glöckl Bräu
What to order: a Backhendl with potato salad and pumpkin-seed oil, and a beer.
Every day 10:30 to 23:00 · Kitchen 11:00 to 22:00
Der Steirer
What to order: the Styrian tapas, such as the pumpkin dumplings with nut butter or the tafelspitz jelly with Kernöl vinaigrette.
Every day 11:00 to 24:00 · Kitchen 11:30 to 22:30
Landhauskeller
What to order: the seasonal menu or a Styrian classic from the menu.
Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 1:00 · Sunday closed
Nearby
Near Graz
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
47.63° N · 15.83° E
Semmering
Car-freeBy carBy plane
47.72° N · 15.81° E
The Rax and Reichenau
By carCar-freeBy plane
47.77° N · 15.32° E
Mariazell
Car-freeBy carBy plane
47.79° N · 15.91° E
Puchberg and the Schneeberg
Car-freeBy carBy plane
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the guided tour
Places are limited and fill up in Advent.
- 2Go up by funicular, walk down
The zone 1 tram ticket is valid for the Schlossbergbahn.
- 3On Sundays, no market
The producers' markets do not open on Sundays or public holidays.
Eggenberg's interior in winter
The state rooms are unheated and close in winter; the park is open.
Graz is Austria's second city and the capital of Styria, and it is what Vienna is not: smaller, younger, with plenty of students, riverside terraces and fewer groups. The old town, with its red roofs and Renaissance courtyards, can be explored on foot in a morning; above it is the Schlossberg, a hill with the clock tower that is the symbol of the city. On the other side of the Mur, contemporary architecture: the Kunsthaus, a blue bubble, and the Murinsel, a steel island in the middle of the river. And the food is very good: Graz boasts of being the country's culinary capital, with pumpkin oil, producers' markets and the taverns that have always been there.
How to get there from Vienna
By train, in about two and a half hours: Railjets leave Wien Hauptbahnhof and Wien Meidling on the southern line, crossing the Semmering. While the closure of the central stretch of the S-Bahn lasts, until the end of October 2027, board at one of those two stations. From Graz Hauptbahnhof to the centre there is a tram in a few minutes. By car it is about 200 km on the A2; in the city you will not need one and parking in the centre is expensive. From Vienna airport, the easiest way is to go to Wien Hauptbahnhof and take the train there.
What to see in two days
On the first day, start at the Hauptplatz and take the guided tour of the old town, which leaves daily at 10:30 from the Herrengasse. Then go into the Landeszeughaus, the largest surviving historic armoury, with about 32,000 pieces. In the afternoon, go up the Schlossberg by funicular and walk down the steps at dusk, when the rooftops light up. Near the cathedral you have the mausoleum of Ferdinand II and the double staircase of the Burg.
On the second day, shop at the Kaiser-Josef-Platz market and cross the Mur to the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel. In the afternoon, tram 1 takes you to Schloss Eggenberg, a Baroque palace with a large park. In November and December, swap the afternoon for the Advent markets and the ice nativity scene.
Where to eat and sleep
For traditional Styrian cooking, the Glöckl Bräu is open every day on the Glockenspielplatz; Der Steirer does Styrian tapas and the Sunday roast; the Landhauskeller is the classic table of the old town, closed on Sundays. To sleep, beside the Mur, the Hotel Weitzer admits dogs and has a rooftop sauna; the Grand Hotel Wiesler is the grand period hotel on the Grieskai, and the Schlossberghotel clings to the rock of the Schlossberg.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Vienna to Graz?
By Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling, about two and a half hours. By car, about 200 km on the A2.
How many days do you need?
Two nights for the city without rushing; one if you only want the old town and the Schlossberg.
Are there guided tours in Spanish?
The public ones from the tourist office are in German and English; the 10:30 one runs every day.
How do you get up the Schlossberg?
On foot up the steps, on the Schlossbergbahn funicular, with a zone 1 tram ticket, or in the lift dug into the rock.
What should you eat in Graz?
Anything made with pumpkin seed oil, Backhendl and Styrian purple beans; and at the markets, cold cuts and farm cheese.
Is it worth it in December?
Yes: Advent markets, the ice nativity scene and, on Saturdays 5, 12 and 19, free transport.