Fun things to do in Graz
With a proud history – and proud people, perhaps not without a cause, admittedly – Austria is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe and a place where I always return with much enthusiasm, personally. Today I felt like remembering my sunny days in Austria, but also a particularly rainy, but still happy day in the city of Arnold Schwarzenegger. So let’s embark on a virtual tour of the city and learn about a few fun things to do in Graz!
After Vienna, Graz, the capital city of Styria, is the second largest city in Austria. It is the epitome of a university town: in the 6 universities here, over 44.000 students attend classes, which explains the young and vivacious atmosphere in town.
The architecture is amazing, which has earned Graz a rightful place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The Uhrturm, the clock tower, is the symbol of the city. The Town Hall (or the Rathaus, as the locals call it) is also an important building, as well as the funicular railway which will take you uphill.
From there, you can take the best panoramic pictures over the city. For me, this was the greatest attraction: I was just standing there, above the quiet city, taking pictures of the red rooftops, the Kunsthaus Modern Art Exhibition Hall (which has a very specific aspect) and the Herz-Jesu-Kirche 19th-century church.
Housed in a beautiful building, you should take an hour to visit Landeszeughaus. This armory museum of Graz was built in the year 1642 by Antonio Solar, an architect from Italy to display the arsenal of weapons from the middle-ages. The impressive museum, its 20.000 weapons, sculptures and garden are really worth a look.
The last suggestion I would like to make is to rent a car in Graz, because it is better than to depend on public or group transportation.
