GRAZ: clock tower, River Mur, Church towers, Imperial Court Bakery, opera, theatre and festivals, Kunsthaus, Styria region, Generalihof, concerts, jazz concert, boutiques, eating, shopping, car rental tourist guide, taxi, nightlife, bars, restaurants, food, cuisene, recipe, red roofs, Schlossberg, valley

A splendid clock tower, Graz’s emblem, keeps watch from the tree-clothed Schlossberg hill that’s crowned by 16th-century ramparts. In the valley below, the River Mur fast-flows along its stony bed. Between the two lies an Old Town of immense charm. Church towers punctuate red roofs, narrow streets, winding alleys, grand squares and hidden courtyards. The architecture is a pleasing mix of prettily painted buildings in marzipan colours, fancy gables, ornate palaces, Gothic windows and Baroque façades.


The City
The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but Graz, Austria’s second largest city and capital of the Styria region, is no museum piece. Innovative modern architecture slips seamlessly into its medieval fabric. The extra-terrestrial-like Kunsthaus, and the shell-shaped Island in the Mur, both opened to celebrate Graz’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2003, reflect this university city’s forward-looking attitude. Narrow passageways lead to arcaded inner courtyards – there are around 50 of them. A spectacular one, the Generalihof, hosts open air jazz concerts. While Graz is billed as Austria’s jazz capital, it’s famed too for its opera, theatre and festivals. Traditional coffee houses are still the place to relax, write postcards and read the paper. Don’t miss the splendid Imperial Court Bakery, Edegger-Tax on Hofgasse, with its magnificent wood-carved exterior that’s crowned by a double-headed eagle. Meet locals at the two daily farmers’ markets, take a riverside walk, explore the wooded slopes of the Schlossberg, and be a culture-vulture in the countless museums. Graz is a great place for meandering, eating well at traditional inns and stylish modern restaurants – and for shopping, from the individuality of boutiques to Austria’s biggest department store.