Spring
Fling

This trip will take you into the 2nd largest Austrian City of Graz – with all its architectural beauty, with history reaching back to the Copper Age and its permanent settlement since the Middle Ages. This city has a young and vibrant feel coming from being a sought-after college town with 6 universities and about 44,000 students. This young and hip vibe can be felt everywhere.

Also filled with buildings, dating back to 15th and 16th century, streets that are lined with small and cozy outside cafes and restaurants, where you can sit and people watch for hours. With museums that bring you the most eclectic modern Art - Kunsthaus - or the biggest inventory of original armor from the Middle Ages. Zeughaus. You can choose between the most humble but delicious native food and renowned high-end cuisine – all after your own liking.

You can wander around a real functional castle Schloss Eggenberg with its wonderful parks and grounds or visit the Dom (Cathedral) with the adjacent Mausoleum and take in the quietness and

solemness inside – it is up to you and your preferences. The landmark of Graz Uhrturm can be seen from all over the city, but it’s so worth going up there in the unique funicular railway Schlossbergbahn to have the most panoramic view.

This trip will also take you into the countryside – the green heart of Austria. Rolling hills with miles and miles (or kilometers as I know it) of vineyards and traditional Buschenschank (houses where the vintners live) – which are offering the hungry and thirsty souls traditional and plain fare – but with a modern twist, complimented with the very exceptional wines that are growing only in this region.

Time to relax, watch the wildlife, listen to the birds and maybe catch a fish. Time to experience being a local with nowhere to go and no worries.

There is a lot to see and to do – however the size and formation of each individual group makes it easy to decide on the spot what feels good and what will make this trip unique, distinctive, and one of a kind for you – longing that this vacation wouldn’t have to end.

BALLOON RIDE OVER THE VINEYARDS

It doesn’t matter if you would like to see the beautiful vineyards from the air or from the ground – those green, rolling hills with their rows and rows of grapevines (that are becoming some of the most distinctive wines in Austria) are worth staying at and visiting.

GRAZ SUMMER FESTIVAL

The 2nd largest city of Austria is full of rich history, wonderful architecture spanning throughout the centuries, culinary highlights around every corner, however also quiet places – only locals know about, and everyone seems to have time to seize the day – and so will you.

Visiting the downtown area with the hustle and bustle on the Hauptplatz - Main Square- seeing the magnificent Rathaus Town Hall and have “Würstl mit Kren & Bier” (Sausage with horse-radish and Beer) at one of the famous and long time established Buden (huts) –is an absolute MUST.

MAUSOLEUM

Embark on a “window” shopping spree through the Pedestrian Street Herrengasse and visit the Gothic DOM (Cathedrale) and the adjacent Mausoleum, where Emperor Ferdinand II, a ruler of the Habsburger Monarchy in the 17th century is buried. Just a stone throws away from this location is another unique and architectural place of interest. The Doppelwendeltreppe Double Spiral Staircase – a twin spiral staircase that was built 1499/1500 from sandstone and is characterized by the particularly high quality of the details and the boldness of its construction with hollow spindles. The sheer richness of those buildings will take your breath away – those buildings are all built around the time America was discovered.

KUNSTHAUS GRAZ

This Museum of Contemporary Art was built in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in the city. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art from the 1960’s onward. Through its distinctive architecture it got its nickname “the friendly alien” and was even commemorated on an Austrian stamp. One side of the building has a BIX façade- which consists of the words “Big” and “pixels”. The acrylic glass skin is made from 930 fluorescent lamps whose brightness can be individually adjusted. Variable at 20 frames per second, the façade can be used as a large screen for films and animations. In this case, you don’t even have to enter this museum to have already an award-winning experience.

OPERN CAFE

There will be time to indulge into one of the most favorite times for people in Steiermark – Kaffee & Kuchen – coffee and cake break – The abundance of variety of cakes, pastries and tartlets is beautiful to the eye and soo yummy for your tummy. Opern Cafe is one of the oldest and most prestigious places, where artists and the hip meet at last.

From the terrace you have a wonderful view of the Opera house and can watch the “lovers of the art” as they stroll to the elegant entrance to experience great concerts and operas and musicals. Why not join them?

BIKE INTO THE VINEYARDS

A bicycle ride along the river Mur will give you time to relax, feel the summer breeze go through your hair and breathe in the stunning landscape – time is on your side – nowhere to be – nowhere to go except to the next “Gasthaus” to take a break with Bier and Brett’l-Jause (beer & hearty snack) before you reach the wine country in all its glory and even a short ride on the “Herz’l-Strasse” (heart-street) and into Slovenia.

SCHLOSS EGGENBERG

Strolling through a “real castle” (built in baroque style) and wandering the rooms of the kings and queens of the past - this is only a “BIM-ride” (Street car ride) away from the center – Schloss Eggenberg – with its stunning parks and the gorgeous inside – You will feel like King & Queen yourselves – and be speechless by the utter beauty of those rooms. The Planetary room by itself is worth the visit with a complex artistic program that merges astrological and hermitical ideas. Completed in 1685 this room is ranked among the most impressive pieces of early baroque interior decoration in Central Europe.

SECRET ACCOMODATIONS

My question to you will be – what kind of accommodations would you like? We can go from rustic – a very welcoming and traditional room at a “Buschenschank” or “Gasthaus” to 5-Star Luxury hotels with every amenity that you can think of (or not even know you need). The choices range from Airbnb’s to Wellness Hotels and City hotels to camping grounds or Chalets – or if you prefer you can lay your head on a pillow in a real castle – dating back to the 12 th century and sleep like a queen or king. There is my promise, that we will find the right fit for you.

WEINSTRASSE

These very small and winding streets are all here for one reason to get to the vineyards where those sometimes-rare varieties of grapes grow- which will be made into exclusive white and red wines in all the different stages. Young wine – Sturm, which will be consumed in fall, mostly with roasted chestnuts, right from the trees next to the vineyards – to the ennobled wines that find their place in Gourmet restaurants and with the top Sommeliers. You can wander from Austria into Slovenia and back on those roads – all without your passport – or even sit at the “Grenztisch” (border table) with each foot in another country.

UHRTURM

The landmark of Graz, which can be seen from everywhere in the city is the Uhrturm. To look over this old but so vibrant city is unforgettable, not to mention the history this place bears. It was first mentioned in the 10th century and was never conquered. The ascent (aufi) can be an adventure when you take the funicular railway – while overlooking the city. The view is breathtaking. Parks, flowers and the Biergarten will invite you to stay and to unwind – and the descent (obi) might as well be fun too – going either down the 260 steps or if you want to beat everyone – you can use the Schlossberg slide. You will be making this 170 m (about 560 feet) journey, with a 64 meters (210 feet) height difference in about 40 seconds – by going 25 km/h (15 mph). Wouldn’t that be fun?

AUTHENTIC CULINARY LESSONS

Taking cooking classes can be fun when done with the right people, who appreciate fresh and unique ingredients, find it fun to experiment with new kitchen tools and are open to surprising new tastes and exclusive presentations. This can be done at the “high end” cuisine or as simple as “fixing” scrambled eggs from happy chickens with the “green gold” – Pumpkinseed oil. How about learning how to make Kaiserschmarren?

LIPIZZANER HORSES

From the Spanish Riding School in Vienna (Spanische Hofreitschule) an Austrian institution dedicated to the preservation of classical dressage and the training of those world-famous Lipizzaner horses. Located close to the city of Graz is the “Gestüt Pieber” (Stud Pieber). This place was founded in 1798 to breed military horses and began breeding this special type in 1920. It is the primary breeding farm that produces the stallions which are used at the Spanische Hofreitschule. Even though those legendary horses are white – they are born dark and within their first 6-10 years change their color to the known white. About 250 horses are held at this beautiful area, where the young can spend 3 carefree summers at the pastures. Want to learn more about this and meet them? – Let’s talk.

SITTING AT THE DOCK OF THE BAY

Sitting at the dock of the bay – I mean “See” (which is the German word for lake)… just imagine having your feet dangle in the water, a cold beer or a nice glass of wine in your hand and your only task is to think about what you want for dinner tonight. This is what your vacation should look and feel like. If you want to get active you can use the extensive “Mobility Park” that is adjacent to this lake and work out with legendary athletes who use this area for their training.

You will find young and old on the environmentally friendly stations and the laughter and fun will stay with you for a long time. Why not join in?

Bim Bim Bim

No visit to the city of Graz would be complete without riding this very popular “public transportation” – It’s a “Streetcar” but it is lovingly named “BIM” from the locals, as its horn sounds like “bim.bim.bim”. You can find all kinds of people – school children, students, professionals, old people and everything in between in those cars. This is one of the fastest ways to get through the city – from one end to the other with a few hubs throughout the city. This kind of transportation has a long-standing tradition. Starting in 1878 as a standard gauge horse tram, it changed over to being electrically operated in 1898. Today’s route network totals 67,2 km (41.7 miles). About 52 million passengers are using those cars annually. Wouldn’t it be adventurous to be one of them?

LAVENDEL

I can already smell the fragrance of this beautiful flower – Lavendel (in German) Lavender, can’t you? This flower has been used for medical, cosmetic and decorative purposes for centuries. It has found a reawakening in the last decades. There is the largest Lavender field close by and I found out through “local hints” that Gin&Lavender go really well hand in hand, and it happens to be that I also know of a gin distillery that would love to have you and show you around. How is that for a “different vacation” destination?

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Spring Fling

Reserve your spring fling.

Spring
Fling