Guided Walking Tours through Graz (free, daily from 12th to 14th July)
Discover Graz (duration: 1,5 hours)
World Heritage and Cultural Capital. Graz has many faces: Renaissance residence and student city. Romantic arcaded courtyards, bustling squares, medieval alleys, southern charm. A panorama of old and new. From the clocktower with its unusual hands to the island made of glass and steel. From the emperor’s mausoleum to the “Kunsthaus” – the “friendly alien”. Have a sensuous experience of a captivating city.
Over the rooftops of Graz (duration: 2 hours)
Roaming through the Old Town you will get a lesson along the way in looking at the Romanesque, the Gothic, the Renaissance, the Baroque, Historism and Art Nouveau. And from the Schlossberg you will enjoy a magnificent view of the spread of red roofs and the whole city below, which also hides many unparalleled sights: romantic lanes, Italian palazzi and proud town houses. Who but Graz can boast of having a wooded mountain right in the Old Town that you can marvel at as you wander along its paths? The Schlossberg. A castle that stood on a ledge of the hill more than 1.000 years ago gave the city its name. The bell tower and the clock tower remain as friendly landmarks of the city. Enjoy not only a drink on the mountain, but also a fabulous view accompanied by the explanations of a qualified guide.
Post-Conference Excursions (day trips on 15th July):
Trip 1) South Styrian Wine Region
Here, beneath poplars and chestnut trees, where the Klapotetz beats time, life revolves around wine. An internationally increasingly popular variety of local white wine reach the peak of maturity amidst the gentle hills of southern Styria. A wine-tasting tour in the 300-year-old cellar of the Episcopal Seggau Castle will help you acquire a taste for it. During the visit to an traditional oil-mill you will be let into the secret of the „green gold of Styria“ – the production of the famous pumpkin-seed-oil. A hearty snack of assorted homemade Styrian delicacies amidst the vineyards in a local wine tavern called Buschenschank is always considered the highlight of this tour.
Trip 2) Legendary Riegersburg and fabulous chocolate
Riegersburg castle | Zotter chocolate
Riegersburg Castle sits magnificently on a steep volcanic rock overlooking the East Styrian hills. For centuries it was considered impregnable – today it can be “conquered” in just 90 seconds via the inclined lift. After lunch (optional) your taste buds can continue to rejoice, because at the foot of the Riegersburg lies the Zotter Chocolate Manufactory, where the sweet temptation of numerous types of chocolate is surely irresistible. Be sure to plan some time for a visit to the “Edible Zoo”.
Trip 3) Austrian Open Air Museum Stübing
In the north of Graz lies the oldest existing Cistercian monastery in the world, the Rein Abbey.The monastery has not seen a change of ownership since it was founded in 1129, and has lent its support to all religious and cultural goods created throughout those centuries.
After a visit at the monastery, the tour continues to the “Austrian Open Air Museum Stübing”. 90 original farms – lovingly reconstructed in a beautiful natural park – bear witness to the hard life of the past. Here you can experience at first hand the rural handicrafts and everyday life. You can soak up the rustic atmosphere and enjoy traditional Styrian food.
Trip 4) Admont Abbey Library
The library of the Admont Abbey is one of the most spectacular creations of the late European Baroque. It is a repository of the knowledge gleaned down the centuries. The beauty of the library and abbey is mirrored by the breathtaking scenery of the “Gesäuse” National Park and the mountain peaks of Upper Styria.