The second city of Austria and City of Design sounds like a fun destination for a city trip. But this Austrian city has definitely more to offer, also for cyclists who want to explore the state of Styria! For CyclingDestination, Amber went in search of the most beautiful bike trails around Graz in the Styria region. Now we’re already fans of Austria, but these bike trails make it even more beautiful.
Text and photos: Amber Middelhoek – Graz Tourism
City life
Graz is a historic city with a modern, artistic twist. You can easily cycle into the city centre along the river Mur. Stop at the Hauptplatz for example at one of the many stalls or go for a comprehensive stop at one of the many restaurants. For the quieter days of the week, this city also has plenty to offer. To get the best view over the city, climb the Schlossberg (you can also try cycling up it). Here you can also enjoy a cup of coffee or have lunch ‘with a view’ at Aiola Upstairs.
Another great tip: take the slide down again! For modern architecture, it’s definitely worth seeing the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel. In the area, there are many castles, wine farms, and beautiful hiking trails to explore.
Cycling routes around Graz
Of course, it’s nice to have all the information about the city, but we came to Styria to cycle. There are good bike paths in the city, including along the Mur, which makes getting out of the city quickly and safely. If you’re looking for altimeters, head north; for a relatively flat ride, the south is recommended. We ourselves alternated between days with altimeters and relatively flat rides, and explored all the wind directions around Graz in six rides totaling 500km.
Race bike routes north of Graz
North of Graz you will find the foothills of the Alps. Don’t expect big legendary climbs, but rather climbs that are easy to do. One of our routes went via the Schöckl, a small winter sports area that in the summer is the home of hikers and mountain bikers. If you take the gondola lift or have climbed all the way to the top on a mountain bike, you will find a summer toboggan run with beautiful views here.
You can also climb a large part of the Schöckl with your mountain bike: climb to the Schöcklkreuz at 1125m altitude. A nice climb over asphalt of about half an hour for the fast climbers with sections of more than 10%. The descent on the other side is a nice reward!
Also a tip if you are cycling north: follow the popular route R2 along the Mur. Relatively flat, good asphalt, and along the way you pass several castles. This route is marked with signs and runs from Austria through Slovenia and Croatia. The ‘Radweg R2’ is a route primarily for bikepackers and cyclists, but as a race cyclist you can also enjoy fine asphalt and good signage.
Race bike routes east of Graz – the countryside
A beautiful triangle for a 100km round with 950 vertical meters: Graz, Weiz and Kirchberg. You can climb up and down the city a few times: about 200 vertical meters per climb according to the Climb Pro. Once out of Graz, you’ll soon find yourself in the Austrian countryside after these climbs. Along the way to Weiz, you’ll pass several small villages. Weiz to Kirchberg is fairly easy to cycle: for 30km you’re constantly descending at 1 to 2% a minute. Then you’ll have to work a little harder a few times before cycling back along the edge of the city towards the center of Graz.
Race bike routes towards the south
Where the north has elevation meters, it is relatively flat south of Graz. So it’s great for a long ride or the days when the average speed might be a bit higher. Also, now you leave the city along the bike path along the Mur. From the center, you first drive through a city park and after about 5 km you are already in the quiet Austrian countryside. Surprisingly, there are a lot of corn fields you cycle through.
The R2 cycle route also runs southwards, and that way you can enjoy the downhill ride out of the city towards Slovenia. In about 80km of cycling, you reach the border; for us, this was a bit too far because we also had to cycle back. Instead, we took a nice 100km round that alternated between quiet roads and driving on a relatively busy highway. Cycle paths are a unique thing: when they are there, they can spontaneously stop or turn into a gravel path. As a cyclist, you are allowed to share the road with cars; a brightly colored jersey is a good choice to increase visibility.
South of Graz is also part of the wine region of Steiermark. This way you cycle past many wine farms that mainly produce white wine. We didn’t stop for a tasting ourselves, but on the evening we chose a local wine like Welschriesling and Gelber Muskateller in a restaurant in Graz.
Go West
In the west of Graz, besides the birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger (Thal), we found a number of short steep climbs and descents. However, the view of the Austrian countryside never gets boring. Also on this side of Graz, you can find mostly small villages. Tip: Stop by a local bakery for a nut bar.
Why go:
Graz is therefore definitely a beautiful destination for a holiday in Austria. Because you are not in a valley, all four wind directions have plenty to offer and you will rarely drive on the same roads. There are plenty of routes for a week of cycling fun for the bike enthusiast.
You can get to Graz in several ways. For example by train, but also by car. For more information, you can check the website Graz Tourism en Stiermarken
Want to know more about cycling in Austria? Visit our own Bicycling in Austria page
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.