Graz, Austria: Essential Travel Insights & Local Trends

Graz Airport (GRZ), often searched as the Austria Graz airport, is located about 9 kilometers south of the city center in Feldkirchen. It's the nearest airport to Graz, Austria, by a wide margin – Vienna is about two hours away, and Salzburg is a three-hour drive. A flight to Graz typically lands here via Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, or Lufthansa, with routes to Germany and a bunch of seasonal leisure destinations. From the terminal, the S5 regional train is the fastest transfer-free option, reaching Graz Hauptbahnhof in about 12 minutes. Alternatively, Bus 630 takes you to the Puntigam transport hub, where you can easily switch to Tram Line 5 to ride straight into the historic center

Car hire at Graz airport is worth booking if you want total freedom to explore the Styrian countryside – especially the rolling wine roads south of the city. A car also makes it incredibly easy to reach the Bärenschützklamm gorge, a stunning narrow canyon with wooden walkways and waterfalls north of town. While the gorge is accessible by regional train, having your own wheels lets you ignore the timetables and match a morning hike with a wider drive through the region. Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, and Avis all run counters at Thalerhof, and car rental in Graz, Austria, rarely means a long wait even during peak season. For luxury car rental in Graz, Sixt's premium fleet includes SUVs and convertibles if you want to arrive in style. Forget about the car for the Old Town itself, though – its narrow one-way streets and limited parking make walking or taking the tram the easier option once you're downtown.

Attractions in Graz, Austria, group closely around the old town, so a first visit rarely needs much walking between stops. Start your town discovery at Hauptplatz, the main square, then ride the Schlossbergbahn funicular up to the iconic Uhrturm clock tower for a sweeping view over the terracotta rooftops below. A short walk away, Kunsthaus Graz – nicknamed "The Friendly Alien" – is among the strangest things to see in Graz. The museum looks like a giant, smooth blue blob, with strange, pipe-like windows on the roof, surrounded by traditional buildings with red roofs, which blends art, architecture, and public space in a historic setting. Don't forget to visit Landeszeughaus, the world's largest historic armoury, stacked floor to ceiling with medieval weapons and suits of armor once used to defend the city. Cross the glassy Mur River to Eggenberg Palace, a UNESCO-listed Baroque palace with 365 windows, one for each day of the year, and exotic peacocks wandering its gardens.

The best things to do in Graz go beyond sightseeing into actual activity. Rent a bike and follow the Mur River cycle path out past Murinsel, the floating steel island with a café stranded mid-river. For genuinely distinctive things to do in Graz, take a quick bus connection out to Thalersee lake for a pedal boat ride, or detour to the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum housed in his childhood home nearby. Wine lovers should head south along the Styrian Wine Road for a tasting among the sun-soaked vineyards, and chocolate lovers shouldn't miss Zotter's chocolate factory, where the tour ends with unlimited tastings. For something more active, hike or take the cable car up Schöckl, Graz's local peak, for views stretching well beyond the city limits. Whether you want to explore Graz's top attractions or find the best things to do in Graz before you arrive, KubikTrip helps you find and compare the right local experiences instantly.

Graz's food is all about Styrian specialties you won't find anywhere else in Austria. Order Backhendl, chicken cut into pieces, breaded, and deep-fried until piping hot, golden, and juicy inside. Der Steirer is the best restaurant in Graz for it, praised by food critics for keeping the dish properly crisp. Pair it with cool, tangy Käferbohnensalat, a scarlet-bean salad dressed in the region's real specialty: Steirisches Kürbiskernöl, a dark, nutty pumpkin seed oil protected by EU origin status and drizzled over nearly everything, salads included. To try a traditional bowl of warm, savory Sterz (a rustic cornmeal or buckwheat porridge often served with roasted meats), head to a classic old-town tavern like Altsteirische Schmankerlstube instead of the upscale fine-dining venues. Finish with Kaiserschmarrn, a warm, torn, caramelized pancake dusted with sugar, at any traditional Wirtshaus in the old town, or a chilled slice of Apfelstrudel at Café Schwalbennest, a cozy, bright-red corner building with a terrace looking directly out over the lively Franciscan square and its historic church.

The best hotels in Graz range from centuries-old grandeur to something simple by the station. Hotel Weitzer, five minutes from the old town on the riverbank, is consistently named among the best hotels in Graz and ranks among the top dog-friendly hotels in Graz, alongside Grand Hôtel Wiesler Graz, a spa property with a rooftop terrace over the Mur river. For spa hotels in Graz specifically, Schlossberghotel combines wellness facilities with rooms built right against the hillside itself. If you prefer cheap hotels in Graz, JUFA Hotel or B&B Hotel Graz-Hbf near the station keep costs down without straying far from the center. For an early flight, the Amedia Airport Graz hotel, about 300 meters from the terminal, saves the transfer entirely. From luxury spa hotels in the old town to a simple stay by the airport, KubikTrip helps you compare and book the right hotel in Graz in minutes.

Graz sees real seasonal swings rather than one steady climate year-round, thanks to its moderately continental climate: cold winters, warm summers, and clear transitions between them. Summer, from June through August, brings warm days in the mid-to-high 20s°C, though temperatures occasionally climb higher before thunderstorms roll in from the surrounding hills. Winter in Graz is cold, with temperatures often dropping below freezing and regular snowfall. Its location east of the Alps means the city can experience long periods of wintry weather. Spring and autumn are mild but unpredictable, so it is worth checking the current weather in Graz (Austria) before you visit, no matter the month. Have both a light jacket and something warmer on hand – Graz's weather shifts quickly between sun and sudden rain even within a single day.