Austria Itinerary - 5 days for a Fab Time in Austria (2024)

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A walk around the historic old town, The Hauptplatz and Herrengasse

Depending on when you get to Graz, the best way to see Graz is by taking a walk around the center of town, the Hauptplatz (Main Square). We were staying at the Grand Hotel Weisler which was a 5-minute walk from the main square.

The town center is an eclectic mix of the old and new. Just like the center of Marrakech was an important trade hub, so was Graz where traders converged to sell their goods. Pastel-colored buildings are located around the Townhall (Rathaus) which takes center stage.

Each building is unique and has its grandeur in late Gothic, Baroque and Biedermeier styles. The most eye-catching of these are the Luegg house in Baroque style at one end of Sporgasse which culminates in the square and the ‘Painted house’ (Gemaltes Haus) at the intersection of the Hauptplatz and Herrengasse.

A statue of Archduke Johann, an important figure in the history of Graz is situated in the middle of the square and several food stalls are located around the statue that still gives the square character as a medieval marketplace.

Right next to the Hauptplatz is Herrengasse, where the town comes together to get some shopping done!

An interesting thing to note about Herrengasse is that here you’ll find three houses squished together in the huge town hall building. This is because in 1803 when a new town hall was built to accommodate the expanding population, a few residents refused to give up their space and hence these houses continue to stay just the way they are, thus adding more personality to this city.

Explore the courtyards of Graz

The Hauptplatz branches off into little courtyards scattered around the square. One of these is the Grazer Landhaus or the Landhaus courtyard.

The first Renaissance building in the city of Graz, the Landhaus has the coat of arms on one of the walls while huge round-arched windows take up most of the space. The courtyard is connected to the square on one side and Herrengasse on the other and is used for various important concerts and musicals.

While this is the easiest to find there are other countless courtyards scattered all around Graz which double up as cafes, pop-up shops, and even Christmas markets. If you have time to spare, this is a great way to get to know the city!

Continue delving into the architecture scene at Kunsthaus Graz

The ‘friendly alien’ is an architectural icon you can’t miss in Graz. It was located right next to the Grand Hotel Weisler and it wasn’t easy to see the whole structure clearly but there was a small model right in front of it.

The Kunsthaus Graz houses the Graz Kunsthaus (Art Museum) and is called the friendly alien because it doesn’t quite fit into the surroundings but is more than welcome by the locals. It was named so by Colin Fournier, one of its two architects.

The Kunsthaus looks like a heart, a baby hippo, a sea slug, or a spaceship. It is whatever you wish it to be! It is another piece that was commissioned to commemorate the city being the European Capital of Culture in 2003.

The emergence of this building helped give rise to many unique establishments in the area. The lower floor of the museum houses a shop, an event room, and a cafe. The other levels have exhibition spaces where various exhibitions are held throughout the year.

The top-level is another spot that provides unforgettable views of Graz.

Graz Cathedral, the mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II and the Spiral stairs

About an 8-10 minute walk away, is the Graz Cathedral and the Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II. A medieval Gothic structure with refurbished baroque interiors, it is an important landmark to the city.

The Cathedral, part of the Stadtkrone (“Crown of the Town”) of Graz comprises other buildings like the Burg, the Old University and the Seminary, but many say that the blue dome of the Mausoleum does the job by itself!

The top of the tower is another spot for some amazing views of the city’s architecture up close.

Just opposite to the Cathedral is The Burg, the residence built by Emperor Frederick III, which is now the headquarters of the regional government.

While many may walk past it, if you head to the courtyard, it is here that you will find the ‘the stairs of reconciliation‘, the double spiral staircase. The two stone staircases meet at every full turn and provide great photo opp’s!

Visit the farmer’s markets

Visiting a local farmers market is the best way to get to know a city through its food scene. You’re sure to find the best fresh produce, fruits that you can snack on and delicacies like spreads and cold cuts exclusive to the city!

The main markets in Graz are the one on Lendplatz and Kaiser Josefplatz with Kaiser Josef Market being the biggest in Graz. They’re open only in the mornings so you need to visit before 1 PM!

Make sure to buy some local bread, pumpkin seed oil, and pesto which the region is famous for here and cheese. Have a quick snack at one of the stalls if needed!

Schlossberg, the Clock tower, lunch at Aiola and the Slide down!

The clock tower located at the top of Schlossberg or castle hill is visible from almost all of Graz.

There’s a couple of ways to get to Schlossberg and the clock tower.

1. Climb to the top via the 260 steps set in the rocks starting from Schlossbergplatz square or using paths from Karmeliterplatz square or Wickenburggasse street

2. Get a ride to the top via the Schlossberglift with its glass cabins

3. Via the funicular which takes you up the castle hill of Graz

Once you’re at the top you’re sure to be rewarded with stunning 360-degree views of Graz. It is one of the best free things to do in Graz.

There’s an interesting feature about the clock tower. If you look at it closely, the long hand points to the hour and the short hand to the minutes. This is because only the hour hand was added initially and was made huge to be seen from a distance. The minute hand was added later and had to be made smaller to fit inside the clock!

Inside the mountain, there’s a network of tunnels that were used as shelters during WWII and now has many cool illuminated art installations.

The clock tower isn’t the only feature at the top. While I was taking a walk here one evening, even though the clouds were threatening to pour, someone played a beautiful melody on the piano placed here. It was the perfect romantic evening for many as you can see from the pictures!

There are multiple cafes, restaurants at the top due to which you can spend an entire morning and afternoon here without having to return to town for food.

HOTELS

Grand Hotel Weisler is the perfect spot and is 5 minutes away from the old town and right next to the Friendly Alien.

Or you can look for alternate options here.

AIRBNB

If you prefer to stay in a Airbnb, prices for a private room can be from about £30- £70 with an entire house. If you’re new to Airbnb, sign up using this link to get £30 off your first booking.

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The Altstadt Von Innsbruck (Old Town)

The Altstadt aka the old town is the best place to start exploring Innsbruck, just like we did with Graz.

The old  town contains The Golden Roof, a balcony on the old square that contains about 2657 gold-plated copper tiles. Built in 1946 to commemorate Emperor Maximilian’s marriage, the balcony was used as a viewing point by the Emperor and royal dignitaries to watch events in the main square.

You can also visit the Goldenes Dachl museum which contains a few of the original tiles.

Just opposite to the Golden Roof is the Helblinghaus with a baroque facade which looks like a building with icing on it.

A few steps from the Helblinghaus, is the Stadtturm, the watchtower in Innsbruck, which provides stunning views of Innsbruck and the river Inn.

Off to visit Ambras Castle

45 minutes from the Old Town is the Ambras Castle which is home to the oldest museum in the world.

Located on a hill above Innsbruck, it is surrounded by lush English gardens where a few peacocks roam freely.

The Castle is divided into the Lower Castle and the Upper Castle. The Lower Castle has the Chamber of Curiosities which is supposedly the oldest museum in the world and the Armories.

The Upper Castle has portraits from the era of the Hapsburgs, the chapel of St. Nicholas and a few Gothic sculptures.

Lunch at Fischerhausl

Once back in town, head to Fischerhausl which serves some great Tyrolean delicacies.

There’s Kaspressknodel Suppe, the cheese dumpling soup and the popular Wiener Schnitzel, that I had for lunch. Both were flavorful and budget-friendly.

Located in the town center, it is one of the oldest restaurants in Innsbruck.

Our Austrian vacation itinerary continues in Innsbruck by starting the day off with a walk down Maria Theresein Strasse.

The street is great for shopping or people-watching while having a meal or a drink and stretches from the Triumphal Ark to the Altstadt with many buildings constructed in the baroque architecture style.

Christmas markets are held here in December and the mountains look picturesque placed at one end of the street.

The Rathaus (Town Hall)

Zum weißen Rauchfangkehrer and Reinthaler’s Beisl are a few options to grab a meal during your day in Vienna. While I haven’t visited myself they come highly recommended.

Once you’ve enjoyed your lunch, start walking towards the Rathaus, the town hall of Vienna. Various events are held at the Rathaus throughout the year. When I visited there was an international food festival taking place so if you’re lucky you could even grab lunch here.

The Rathaus is a great spot to grab some Instagrammable pictures and once you’ve done so, the next stop while exploring the first district of Vienna is the Museums quarter. The Rathaus Tower provides great views of Vienna and is accessible by more than 300 steps. Consider if you have more than a day t spend in Vienna.

Museums Quarter

The museums quarter is home to a collection of museums and is one of the biggest cultural complexes in the world.

Some of the museums here are the Leopold Museum which has Viennese pieces of art, The mumok that has contemporary and modern art pieces, the Kunsthalle Wien is about photography, video and other forms of new media.  My favorite was the ZOOM museum which is designed for kids but is equally fun for adults.

In addition to the museums, there are also a few cafes here where you can grab a traditional Austrian meal for dinner.

Opera House

The best way to end a day in Vienna is by enjoying a performance at the Vienna Opera House. If you haven’t seen an opera performance before this is one of the best ways to get acquainted with it. Sometimes the performance is preceded by an orchestra playing some of Mozart’s compositions.

During the day you can take a tour of the Opera House which lasts for about 40 minutes. The performances are held in the evenings. You have to pre-book well in advance as most of the time it is sold out. If it is sold out, there are other numerous options to enjoy a lovely evening in Vienna, one of them is Musikverein.

No matter when you visit Austria for a vacation, it will be a fantastic experience!

The cities will have plenty to offer no matter when you arrive. While I prefer summer, Innsbruck is ideal for winter visitors because there are so many activities to do and see the snow-capped mountains up close.

From October to May, temperatures range from below zero to around ten degrees, and from June to September, they rise to about fifteen. The two times I went, in May and July, the weather was beautiful with brief downpours.