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
Duration2 nights
From ViennaRailjet, about 2 h 30
Getting aroundOn foot, tram and funicular
Best timeMay – October and Advent
BringComfortable shoes for the Schlossberg
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for arriving in Graz on Friday night by train from Vienna and returning on Sunday afternoon. No car at any point. Saturday is market day; on Sunday, farmers' markets are closed.
Friday
- 118:00Railjet to Graz
You leave Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling after work. Leave your suitcase at the Weitzer and have dinner at Der Steirer, in the same building, with the kitchen open until 22:30.
Saturday
- 108:30Kaiser-Josef-Platz market
Have breakfast among the farmers' stalls: farmhouse bread, cold cuts and pumpkin-seed oil. Open until 13:00.
- 210:30Guided tour of the old town
An hour and a half on foot from the tourist office on the Herrengasse, in German and English. €17. Book it beforehand.
- 312:15Landeszeughaus
The armoury of the Styrian estates, with about 32,000 pieces. In November and December, at weekends you enter independently from 11:00 to 15:00; the rest of winter, with the 12:30 guided tour in English.
- 413:30Lunch at the Landhauskeller
Round the corner, the old town's classic table. Book.
- 517:00Schlossberg at dusk
Go up on the funicular with a tram ticket and walk down the stairs when the rooftops light up.
Sunday
- 110:00Kunsthaus and Murinsel
Cross the Mur: the blue bubble of the Kunsthaus is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00, and the steel island is next to it.
- 212:30Lunch at the Glöckl Bräu
On the carillon square, Styrian cooking every day from 11:00 to 22:00.
- 314:30Schloss Eggenberg
Tram 1 to the Baroque palace and its park, open from 8:00 to 17:00. The state rooms are open only from spring to autumn.
- 417:00Return to Vienna
Railjet from Graz Hauptbahnhof to Meidling and Wien Hauptbahnhof.
From Vienna, Graz is the city getaway that pays off most: two and a half hours by train over the Semmering and you are in Austria's second city, smaller, with more students, terraces beside the Mur and a cuisine that boasts of being the best in the country. In two nights you see the old town with a guide, the largest armoury in the world, the Schlossberg with its clock tower, the farmers' market and the contemporary Graz of the Kunsthaus, and you still have time to eat well.
How do you get there from Vienna?
By ÖBB Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Wien Meidling, about two and a half hours on the southern line. While the closure of the central S-Bahn section lasts, until the end of October 2027, board at one of those two stations; not at Wien Mitte. From Graz Hauptbahnhof to the centre, a tram in a few minutes. If you are coming directly from Spain, fly to Vienna and take the train at the airport or the main station.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Weitzer | Grieskai, beside the Mur | Large hotel, with a rooftop sauna and dogs allowed |
| Schlossberghotel | At the foot of the Schlossberg | For those who want art, antiques and the funicular at the door |
| Grand Hotel Wiesler | Grieskai, opposite the old town | The grand period hotel, for a treat |
And if you have one more day?
Head south, to Styrian wine country, with its hills of vineyards and its winegrowers' taverns, or stop on the way back at the Semmering, which is on the same railway line.
With children
Graz is small and comfortable: the Schlossberg funicular, the Murinsel and Eggenberg park appeal to children, and the armoury impresses anyone. The Graz Card lets two children under 15 travel free.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
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
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
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
Nights2
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
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
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
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you go in Advent, choose a Saturday in December: on 5, 12 and 19 December 2026 the city's public transport is free.
We'd skip it
Don't do the market on Sunday: farmers' markets close on Sundays and public holidays.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the getaway cost?
With a mid-range hotel, trains, admissions and meals, from about €300 per person for the two nights.
Do I need a car?
No: everything is on foot, by tram and by funicular.
Can it be done in one night?
Yes, dropping Eggenberg and the Kunsthaus, but it is five hours of train there and back.
Which day is not advisable?
Monday, because many Joanneum museums close.