in the Graz Region

Cool tips for hot days

When the temperatures rise, there are plenty of refreshing ways to cool down in the Graz Region – such as airstreams, cool water or pleasant altitudes. This means that you can enjoy the summer and still stay cool.

Hot summer days invite you to discover new ways to cool down. Whether cycling along the River Mur, hiking through shady gorges or riding the summer toboggan run – there are many places in the Graz Region where a fresh breeze and water provide welcome refreshment. There are also some great spots to cool down underground and at lofty heights: the temperature remains at a comfortable level in the Lurgrotte cave and the altitude of the Schöckl ensures a fresh breeze.

These are the top tips for a pleasantly cool summer in the Graz Region!

„“Did you know that the Eggersdorf Natural Pool does not use chemicals for water quality?”“

in Graz

Cool-cation

Pleasantly cool, yet in the heart of the city – Graz has a number of places providing refreshment even on hot days. The Märchenbahn (fairytale train) within the Schlossberg takes you into an underground fantasy world, while the 4D cinema The Flight offers you a spectacular virtual journey through Graz – with a pleasant coolness included.

Those who prefer a more peaceful atmosphere will find a relaxing retreat in the shady courtyards of the old town, or in the expansive green spaces of the Stadtpark and Burggarten. A very special way to experience the city from the water is a raft ride on the Mur, where a light breeze and the gentle splashing of the water will keep you cool. These start at the city beach where you can enjoy that pure holiday feeling in the heart of the Styrian capital.

A visit to one of the air-conditioned museums, such as the Kunsthaus Graz, the Natural History Museum or Eggenberg Palace with the STEIERMARK SCHAU will provide a welcome break from the heat. The Graz Museum welcomes you to take a “Hofpause” (or “courtyard break”) in its cool courtyard.

in Graz

Churches & monasteries

When the summer heat is hanging over the city, its historic churches and monasteries offer welcome refreshment. Their solid stone walls keep the temperature pleasantly cool, while the impressive architecture and ornate details invite you to explore.

One of the most important sacred buildings in the city is Graz Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture with ornate frescoes and shaded aisles. Right next to it, the Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II is impressive with its baroque splendour. The Franciscan Monastery is a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city, whose shady courtyard and cool cloisters invite you to pause and reflect. In the parish church you can refresh your mind and soul at the daily “Ankerplatz für die Seele” (anchorage for the soul) – surrounded by blue light, soft music and the sound of the sea.

On the outskirts of the city, visible from afar, is the Mariatrost Pilgrimage Church Mariatrost Pilgrimage Church, surrounded by greenery and accessible from the city centre via tram line 1.

in nature

Grottoes & gorges

Romantic, wild and pleasantly cool – in the narrow gorges and canyons, streams rush through the rocks, providing fresh water and fine spray mist to cool you down. The Kesselfallklamm and Rettenbachklamm gorges offer a refreshing nature experience on secure paths, ideal for families. The Lurgrotte, Austria’s largest stalactite cave, is truly a place to relax. With a constant temperature of 10°C and high humidity, it is perfect on hot days – accessed via Peggau or Semriach.
Don’t forget your jacket!

by the water

refreshment & relaxation

Those seeking peace and quiet in the midst of nature will find it at the region’s bathing lakes, ponds and baths. While the Tiebersee and Schwarzlsee provide a wide range of leisure activities for action-lovers, the Copacabana has an enticing Caribbean ambience.

The Thalersee is not suitable for swimming, but is ideal for relaxing, walking, pedal boating or rowing. The Packer and Hirzmann reservoirs offer a picturesque setting for swimming, sailing, surfing, rowing, fishing and stand-up paddleboarding alike. The recently reopened Pibersteiner See also provides welcome refreshment in the home of the Lipizzaner horses.

For those who prefer a classic outdoor swimming pool atmosphere, there are the Graz swimming pools, the Eggersdorf Natural Pool or the Erlebnisbad Frohnleiten, among others. Those who prefer to breathe deeply rather than dive in will find a quiet oasis in the Gradieranlage in Eggersdorf – with salty air reminiscent of a fresh sea breeze that has a beneficial effect on the body and respiratory tract.

in the saddle & in the toboggan

Feel the wind in your hair

Cycling is always fun! In high summer temperatures, you can feel and enjoy the pleasant breeze. The Mur Cycle Path or the 18 cycle routes in the Graz Region are ideal for a variety of bike rides – with comfortable and well-deserved breaks in shady wine taverns or outdoor restaurants. You can feel the wind and the cooling even more as you race down the Steirarodl toboggan run in Modriach or the Hexenexpress toboggan run on Graz’s local mountain, the Schöckl, or when you take to the skies for paragliding or hang gliding on the Schöckl.

in the surrounding area

Sacred buildings worth visiting

There are also impressive churches in the area surrounding Graz, which are spiritual places that also offer a place to cool off on hot days. A special highlight is Stift Rein, the oldest Cistercian monastery in the world. The thick monastery walls ensure a pleasantly cool climate – perfect for a relaxed visit.

If you are looking for extraordinary sacred architecture, you should visit the St. Barbara Kirche in Bärnbach. The structure designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser is impressive with its colourful facades and playful shapes. The Ernst Fuchs Kirche in Thal is also one of a kind, where modern art meets spiritual symbolism.

The pilgrimage churches of Maria Straßengel and Maria Lankowitz are also ideal places for a cool break.

in nature

Cool themed trails

Back in the last century, Father Sebastian Kneipp realized what our souls and health needed. We didn’t invent Kneipp therapy and forest bathing, but you can rediscover these beneficial treatments and let them work their magic on the sebastian RELOADED® adventure trail in Laßnitzhöhe or on the St. Radegunder Spring Trails.

The importance of water for the earth and all living beings is clearly illustrated on the “WWW-WasserWissensWelt” themed trail in Übelbach. Not far from the Stift Rein, an inviting barefoot path extends about 600 metres over a lush meadow. If you want to, you can step into the creek bed of the Mühlbach and feels the cold water stimulating your blood circulation.

Click here for more exciting themed trails.

on the mountain

Alpine pastures & peaks

If the temperatures in the valley are reaching their limits of comfort, we recommend mountain hikes in fresh mountain air. The Graz Region has more than 50 mountain peaks waiting for you. Here are just a few examples of rewarding summit climbs: a two-summit hike with great views leads from Frohnleiten to the Schiffall and Kreuzkogel mountains. Several pilgrimage and long-distance hiking trails from different directions meet at the Gleinalm with its cosy shelter and the picturesque mountain church of Maria Schnee – a suggested route from Übelbach goes via the Krautwasch and the Prentlalm, where the Lipizzaner mares and foals spend their summers, to the Gleinalm and further on to the Gleinalm-Speik.

in the woods

Climbing parks

Reach new heights while staying cool – the climbing parks of the Graz Region are the perfect place to combine adventure with a refreshing break in the shade of the trees. In the climbing park at the foot of the Schöckl, there are exciting courses to navigate between the treetops of Graz’s local mountain, while the fresh mountain air keeps you cool. The Kletterpark LipiKrax at the Lipizzaner stud farm in Piber offers pure nature and shady climbing routes. If you want to climb in the middle of Graz, the Kletterwald am Hilmteich, surrounded by cool forest greenery, will provide you with a sporting challenge.