While I don’t usually choose a destination to visit specifically for the food, I definitely look for “foodie” type experiences I can have when I get there. After all, aren’t some of our best memories gathered around a table or trying something new for the first time?
As part of my research for a class I taught at Celebration Life Long on Austria, I discovered Graz, Austria. I had NEVER heard of Graz before, but as I learned more, Graz has become a “must-do” on my next Austrian itinerary. “Why would I go to this place I’ve never heard of?”. To answer that question, being the foodie that I am, it seems Graz will satisfy my gastronomical curiosity.
There is more to food than meets the eye in the lovely region of Graz, Austria.
WHERE IS GRAZ?
Graz is located in southeast Austria. This beautiful city has a Mediterranean flair which can be felt in the laid-back attitude of the locals. It is a very diverse city: a mix of beautiful Baroque architecture & modern design, a historic city center, a thriving art scene (Graz has been a European City of Culture and holds the title UNESCO City of Design), and an unmatching food scene.
DISCOVER WHY GRAZ IS THE CULINARY CAPITAL OF AUSTRIA
With its lively culinary scene, you should add Graz to your Austrian itinerary. Graz is the “Capital of Delight”!
Graz’s culinary artists from restaurants, bars, markets, and cafes transform dishes with fresh local produce into traditional imaginative dishes with a touch of international accents.
Apart from a wide range of gourmet restaurants, their farmer’s markets are locals’ favorite. Fresh produce from the area fills the market.
The notable culinary influence of Katharina Prato is still alive in this place. She is known to be the 19th Century Martha Stewart of Austria as she taught scores of women in the Habsburg monarchy how to cook, garden and keep house. Her cookbook “The Southern German Cuisine, published in 1858, eventually sold one million copies! Here’s her recipe for Fried Apple Slices.
Truffles! – Harry Schiffer (Graz Tourismus)
Here are some of the ways you can fully experience the gastronomical delights of Graz:
- Plan a visit to a restaurant offering traditional Styrian and Austrian cuisine
- Explore and taste your way to the farmer’s market
- Have a picnic at Graz’s prettiest spots!
- Plan your trip around The Truffle Festival!
- Be a part of the annual highlight of the culinary calendar. Long Table of Graz (Lange Tafel) happens in August, where 27 chefs set a unique table for 700 guests in an open-air extravaganza at the city center.
Long Table of Graz – Werner Krug (Graz Tourismus)
ON ROMANCE, HISTORY, AND ARCHITECTURAL HARMONY
Located on Schlossberg hill in the city center, the Clock Tower (Uhrturm) is in Graz’s landmark. Visitors can experience seeing a striking panoramic view of the city’s roofscape. A funicular, lift, or stairs take guests to the top of the hill. Sounds romantic and fun, right?
Insider tip: Have your breakfast at Aiola Upstairs on the southern ridge of Schlossberg. A modern eatery with an acclaimed menu and incredible panoramic views.
Clock Tower (Uhrturm) – Markus Spenger (Graz Tourismus)
Set within a stunning park within the city center is Eggenberg Palace. Wealthy merchants owned this palace and built it to show their new status and education. The palace is made based on the Gregorian calendar:
- 365 windows for each day of the year
- 31 rooms on each floor to represent one month
- 24 staterooms with 52 doors for each week of the year
- 4 corner towers to represent the seasons
All these features allude to time, the seasons, weeks, days, hours, and minutes. Now that’s interesting!
Eggenberg Palace – Harry Schiffer
While we all have heard about knights in shining armor. The Styrian Armoury (Landeszeughaus armory of Graz) will make you drift into my fancy of heroic times of the past. The armory is home to the world’s most significant historical armory with around 32,000 exhibits.
Styrian Armoury – Harry Schiffer (Graz Tourismus)
UNCOVER WHY GRAZ IS MADE UNESCO CITY OF DESIGN
The “City of Design” title reflects the active attitude and expression of urban culture, focussing on the conscious design of the city environment as a central value.
Spectacular architecture can be seen in Graz:
- Kunsthaus – floats like a mysterious blue balloon between the tiled roofs. Locals dubbed it the “friendly alien,” thanks to its unusual shape and the 1,066 acrylic glass elements that form its skin)
- Murinsel-the boat/island in the middle of the river, perfect for a cup of coffee or a drink
- MUMUTH-the house of music and theater
The Design Month Graz is in May/June each year. This festival brings the performance spectrum of the design scene to the fore for a month, promoting regional, national, and international networking.
Kunsthaus – Graz Tourismus
TAKE ME TO STYRIA!
The charm of southern Styria combined with its remarkable wines and hearty local fare is something that must be seen and tasted. With its sun-soaked hills covering its terrain, Styria is known as Austria’s “Tuscany.”
The Styrians have built a reputation with their light, dry wines. Each vintage carries its own range of refinements and emphasizes the diversity of aromas within each grape variety. Welschriesling is the main grape variety in Styria – nowhere else produces such a fine wine as here!
Your journey will not be complete without sampling the local varieties and sampling Styrian’s regional cuisine in one of the wine taverns.
Styrian Vineyard – Herbert Raffalt
If you are a fan of castles and palaces, be sure to go along the Styrian Castle Route, 15 castles and palaces from various periods.
One bastion that has resisted invaders is The Riegersburg Castle, which looms up from the edge of a 482-meter-high, steeply sloped volcanic cone.
While you are on the route, pay a visit and be in awe of the beauty of Deutschlandsberg Castle, Castle Kapfenstein, and Castle Herberstein.
In September, Styria presents its folkloric side. The festival Aufsteirern celebrates Styrian folk culture in its facets: food, music, dance, and fashion design.
The Riegersburg Castle
Do not just see the sights. Explore! Indulge yourself in the tapestry of history and make each destination a part of your story. Let me connect you with the best properties, tour companies and trips, VIP access, and luxurious treatments that take you beyond what you thought was possible. Way beyond what you can find online. Find yourself as you traverse the world’s most special places. Let’s talk.