Graz Schlossberg

The place to go for out-of-towners looking for a view and for locals looking for some city solitude, the Schlossberg in Graz is one of the most beloved city attractions. It’s popular year-round but never seems too crowded, with myriad ways to get up and down its steep slopes.

At the top awaits a little public park bordered by cafes and countless benches to soak up the sights. Other highlights include the Graz Clock Tower (the Urhturm) and the Graz Museum Schlossberg—with exhibitions that detail the history of the Schlossberg—and its attached Garden of Wonders. Many Graz walking and photography tours include the Schlossberg on their itineraries, although you may need to pay extra to ride the elevator.

• Graz public transport tickets for zone 101 (the greater Graz area) cover rides on the Schlossbergbahn funicular. You can also use the funicular for free with the Graz Card or buy individual tickets for a ride at the base station in Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai.

• Public transport tickets or the Graz Card don’t cover the Schlossberglift. You can pay for a ticket using the self-service machines at the elevator entrance in Schlossbergplatz.

• There are restaurants and cafes at the top of the Schlossberg, along with plenty of space for picnics in the park.

• Seasonal things to do include summertime concerts and festivals and a December Christmas market.

• Wheelchair users can visit the Schlossberg via the elevator or the funicular.

The most popular walking route up the Schlossberg is via the Felsensteig, a zigzagging walkway of steps from the Schlossbergplatz in town. To save yourself the 10-minute walk up the 260 steps, you can speed through the illuminated rockface of the Schlossberg via the elevator from the same square or use the Schlossbergbahn funicular from Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai.

The Schlossberg in Graz is a public park, so you can walk up at any time to gaze over the city. Otherwise, the elevator and funicular are open year-round but keep strict hours. The Schlossberg funicular goes roughly every 15 minutes from Monday to Thursday and Sunday between 10am and midnight and then from Friday to Saturday between 10am and 2am. The elevator is open daily between 8am and 12:30am.

One of the world’s largest underground slides, the Graz Slide offers the fastest way to get down the mighty Schlossberg. Taking around 40 seconds from start to finish, the slide wiggles around the elevator shaft inside the Schlossberg, covering some 570 feet (175 meters) of track down to the Schlossbergstollen caves. On peak summer weekends, it’s worth booking online in advance to save waiting in line.