Graz

Graz, la ville autrichienne verdoyante

Located in the south of the country, close to Slovenia and Italy, Graz has always been a crossroads between Central Europe and the Mediterranean world. When the Habsburgs settled in Graz during the Renaissance, they brought Italian architects with them. Thanks to them, the city was adorned with elegant arcades, hidden inner courtyards and that Mediterranean touch that still lingers today.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town is a little gem: red roofs, pastel facades, shaded galleries and lively squares.

But what makes Graz unique is its natural way of blending different eras. In just a few steps, you move from baroque palaces to the Kunsthaus, a contemporary art museum with an undulating silhouette, nicknamed the blue blob by the locals. A little further on, the city slowly rises and a staircase carved into the rock climbs to the Schlossberg, Graz's emblematic hill where theGraz Clock, an emblematic medieval tower dating back to the 13th century and famous for its inverted hands, is enthroned.

Graz c'est aussi une ville universitaire et gourmande, où fleurissent les librairies indépendantes, les marchés bio, les ateliers de céramistes et les festivals. En été, on pique-nique sur les pelouses du Stadtpark ou au bord de la Mur ; en hiver, on se réchauffe dans un café bohème, un chocolat chaud entre les mains.

À vélo ou à pied, on rejoint vite la campagne environnante : collines, vignobles, fermes familiales et vergers. La Styrie régale avec ses produits locaux : pommes, fromages, citrouilles, huile de graines de courge et vins blancs fruités.

À table, Graz est la capitale autrichienne du bon goût local : marchés paysans, tavernes traditionnelles (les fameux Buschenschank) où l’on déguste du vin chez le producteur, et restaurants engagés dans une cuisine régionale, saisonnière et sans chichis.

🚆 Easily accessible by night train from Zurich, far from mass tourism. Even more pleasant in spring or autumn, when the terraces slowly fill up and sunset makes the rooftops even redder.

So, are you ready to slow down and discover Austria in a different way? 🍇✨