Graz was a beautiful surprise. The previous night ended with a great dinner at a restaurant in the old town and a walk around the city, where we saw how old and modern buildings interact with each other and make Graz a very interesting city.

In the next morning we were ready to explore more of the city and went straight to the Eggenberg castle. At first this castle didn’t look as exciting as all the previous castles we had been to, until I was greeted by peacocks (the garden was full of them). 

This castle was neat because the story behind it was not ‘royal’, it was just a man with a lot of money who wanted to live like one. Unfortunately our tour guide was super quite and I could barely hear when she spoke of his name. The castle was famous for the Empire because the owner would lend money to them when in need of help and he was repaid in land. The inside of the castle beyond the walls was stunning, with lots of paintings that in some rooms would cover the entire walls, and royal tapestry blanketed the chairs and the beds. One of the most unique parts of the castle was that it had its own church right in the middle, below the clock towers.

Leaving the Eggenberg we headed straight to the weirdest looking building you could ever seen. The locals call it the “Friendly Alien” and it was a contemporary art museum. I will let the pictures explain this one.

As you strolled down the river in the middle of Graz you can spot a giant architectural island called the “Murinsel”, which had a bar and was designed by Vito Acconci (a New York Designer). We stopped by there to enjoy a drink and just relax for a little bit.
Ending our trip in Graz we headed to the central station to head to Salzburg, home of Mozart and The Sound of Music.