If you haven’t heard of Graz before, you are not alone. Before planning my nearly two week trip to Austria, I talked to the folks at Austria Tourism to build an itinerary that matched my interests.
Graz is actually Austria’s second largest city but it feels much smaller. After feeling like I was in a race to see every artistic attraction in both Vienna and Salzburg, Graz is all about leisurely wandering through their ancient city streets. Here in Graz, getting lost is the preferred method of immersing oneself into the culture.
The Styrian city also has quite a few reasons to toot its horn. On a basic level, Graz is primarily a student city, with six universities totaling nearly 50,000 students. Its ”Old Town” serves as one of the most popular reasons to visit Graz and is said to be one of the most well-preserved city centers in all of Central Europe, thus leading to its 1999 addition to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Crowned the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003, Graz was later nominated as a World Design Capital contender (2011) and is considered to be a prime destination for culinary delights.
Ok, so all things aside, Graz is a truly avant-garde city and I have six photos to prove it.
Modern solar panel walls meet traditional preserved roofing
Anything with Amalie’s face on it is instantly cool in my book
Their one and only Graffiti Tram immediately caught my eye
This “Chained Beast” is part of an art project and can literally be moved and chained elsewhere
Even the cathedral chandeliers offer a unique perspective from any angle
Graz didn’t have an island, so they created one
Megan Eileen McDonough is writer, blogger and social media specialist based in New York City. She also runs Bohemian Trails, a lifestyle blog designed for the savvy and stylish traveler. Bohemian Trails aims to feature must-see places around the world, covering everything from revamped neighborhoods and vibrant street art to innovative tech hubs and everything in between. Her cultural escapades have taken her to Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Megan is also a freelance writer and social media specialist based in New York City. She contributes to various online and print publications in the travel and fashion industries and is an international correspondent for both Jetsetter and Northstar Travel Media.
