Graz Old Town

Graz was close enough to Italy for its builders to be Italian, and the old town reads that way: arcaded courtyards behind plain street fronts, loggias, and an unbroken sweep of red tile roofs. The Hauptplatz sits at the centre with the Schlossberg rising directly behind it, a wooded rock reached by funicular, lift or a staircase cut into the cliff, and topped by the clock tower the city kept when the rest of the fortifications came down. Around the square, the Landhaus courtyard, the double spiral staircase in the old castle and the cathedral quarter are all a few minutes' walk apart.

What you actually see

• The Schlossberg and clock tower - the rock above the city, reached by funicular, lift or the cliff staircase.
• The Landhaus courtyard - the arcaded Renaissance courtyard off the Herrengasse.
• The double spiral staircase - the carved stone stair in the old castle where two flights cross and recross.
• The roofscape from above - the run of red tiles seen from the Schlossberg terraces.

When to go

Spring and early autumn are best; the city sits in a basin and July turns humid. Term time brings the student crowd that gives Graz its energy, so late summer feels flat. The Schlossberg is worth the climb for sunset. Many museums close on Mondays, which catches out short visits.

Honest expectations

The famous view is a rooftop panorama rather than a set of individual monuments, and visitors chasing landmarks can find the centre thin. The Schlossberg lift and funicular charge separately and queue at weekends. Graz is a long detour from the Vienna to Salzburg axis, and summer heat in the basin is real.

Nearby

Schloss Eggenberg sits on the western edge of the city, and the Styrian wine roads run south.