City Guide

Graz: Austria's Most Underrated Creative City

Discover Graz through the eyes of a creative local. Find the best studios, coffee spots, design culture, and neighbourhoods in Austria's most underrated city.

Creative City Guide Graz

Graz sits right at the intersection of old-world charm and genuinely experimental design culture, and it punches well above its weight for a city of its size. Here's where to eat, drink, work, and wander like a creative who actually lives here.

Creative Neighbourhoods in Graz

Discover the city's most creative districts in Graz, from vibrant cultural quarters to emerging areas where artists, designers and makers shape the local scene.

Lend

Lend is Graz's most creative neighbourhood, separated from the historic old town by the Mur River. Former workshops and courtyards have been transformed into studios, designer shops, and bars, with one of the city's best farmers' markets at Lendplatz running on weekday mornings.

Coworking Spaces & Studios for Creatives in Graz

Find inspiring coworking spaces in Graz where freelancers, studios and creative professionals work, collaborate and connect in a shared environment.

Spacelend

Spacelend is Graz's largest coworking space, with 1,400m² across two levels in an industrial-style building in the Lend district. Beyond flexible desks and private offices, it has a sauna, fitness facilities, and a kitchen, making it one of the better-equipped creative work hubs in the city.
spacelend.at

Cafés, Bars & Restaurants in Graz popular with Creatives

Explore the cafés, bars and restaurants in Graz loved by creatives for meeting, working, socializing or simply finding inspiration over great food and drinks.

Aiola Upstairs

Aiola Upstairs is a restaurant and bar on top of the Schlossberg, accessible by funicular or glass elevator, with sweeping views over Graz's red rooftops and the surrounding hills. Glass fronts fold away entirely in warm weather, merging the terrace and indoor space into one. Go for sunset.
upstairs.aiola.at

Der Steirer

Der Steirer is a laid-back restaurant near the old town serving a modern take on traditional Styrian cuisine, from Backhendl with pumpkin seed oil salad to slow-cooked roast pork. It's one of those spots where locals actually eat, open daily from 11am to midnight.
der-steirer.at

Dr. Bottle

Dr. Bottle is a bottle shop and bar at Lendplatz where Graz's craft beer scene really comes into its own. Fridges are stacked with cans from Austria's best small breweries alongside European and American imports, with a few taps for fresh pours and enough room to linger and talk beer with the staff.
drbottle.at

Stammtisch am Paulustor

Stammtisch am Paulustor is a restaurant set in the historic Palais Wildenstein in central Graz, with a shaded courtyard for regional cuisine at lunch and a more refined à la carte menu in the evening. They work with local producers and have earned a place in the MICHELIN Guide.
stammtisch.restaurant

Paul & Bohne

Paul & Bohne is a Styrian specialty coffee roaster with a cafe at Lendplatz where you can watch the roasters work while you drink. They source beans carefully, roast on-site, and serve proper filter coffee alongside espresso in the heart of Graz's most creative neighbourhood.
paulundbohne.at

Galleries, Art Spaces & Museums in Graz

A curated selection of galleries, museums and contemporary art spaces in Graz that showcase the city's cultural pulse and creative expression.

Kunsthaus Graz

Kunsthaus Graz is a contemporary art museum in a biomorphic blue structure nicknamed the Friendly Alien, designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier for Graz's year as European Capital of Culture in 2003. It hosts a changing program of exhibitions focused on international contemporary art, design, and new media.
museum-joanneum.at/en/kunsthaus-graz

Design Shops, Bookstores & Concept Stores in Graz

Browse design stores, bookshops and concept shops in Graz offering everything from art books to local design objects and creative inspiration.

Tash Living

Tash Living is a concept store and design studio at Hofgasse 7 in Graz's old town, combining interior design objects, lifestyle products, stationery, and design gifts with a platform for emerging local designers. It's part of Graz's official UNESCO City of Design places map.
tash-living.at

Meetups & Communities for Creatives in Graz

Join local meetups, creative circles and communities in Graz that bring people together through shared interests and collaborative energy.

Illustration Ladies

Illustration Ladies is an international community for female and non-binary illustrators, creating space for connection, support, and visibility through meetups, drawing sessions, and workshops. It’s a space to share ideas, grow creatively, and support each other in an often isolating industry.
illustrationladies.com

Conferences, Festivals & Events for Creatives in Graz

The key festivals, fairs and conferences in Graz that draw creative professionals together for talks, workshops, exhibitions and cultural experiences.

Designmonat Graz

Designmonat Graz is a citywide celebration of design packed with exhibitions, talks and workshops, mixing international perspectives with local talent. Recent editions explored “The New Real,” looking at creativity in the age of AI.
designmonat.at

Boutique & Design Hotels in Graz

A selection of design-forward and boutique hotels in Graz offering creative atmospheres, thoughtful interiors and inspiring stays for visiting creatives.

Lendhotel

Lendhotel is a contemporary design hotel in the heart of Graz's creative Lend district, with each floor and room decorated with works from an extensive private art collection. The rooftop terrace has panoramic views over the old town.
lendhotel.at

Augarten Art Hotel

Augarten Art Hotel is a Design Hotels member in Graz built by architect Günther Domenig, with over 200 pieces of contemporary art throughout the property. It combines the feel of a serious art space with solid hotel facilities including a pool and sauna, a short walk from the city center.
augartenhotel.at
Graz rewards people who slow down. It's not trying to compete with Vienna or impress anyone, and that's exactly what makes it worth your time. The creative community here is tight-knit but genuinely welcoming, the food and coffee culture is seriously good, and the scale of the city means you can cover a lot of ground without burning out. Whether you're visiting for a week or considering a longer stay, Graz has a way of getting under your skin in the best possible way.

Not enough infos?

Learn how to meet creatives in Graz

Wanna take action?

Join Creative Lunch Club and have monthly lunches with other creatives in Graz.

Creatives enjoying lunch together at a Creative Lunch Club gathering
Meet Other Creatives for Lunch

The Creative Lunch Club is a community for people working in the creative industries.

Whether you are a graphic designer, a photographer, a marketer, or a filmmaker, the Creative Lunch Club gives you the chance to regularly meet other creatives in your city for lunch.

Join Creative Lunch Club
Thanks to Creative Lunch Club and their beautiful concept I regularly get to meet new creative people in Vienna every month.
Jolly Schwarz

Photographer, Vienna

I moved to Brussels a year and a half ago, from a small town, to pursue more photography opportunities. The Creative Lunch Club has been instrumental in helping me connect with other creatives and discover the wonders of this city. Sharing lunch with like-minded creatives has opened up new ideas and perspectives for me. The passion and energy from these gatherings never fail to inspire and motivate me.
Whitley Isa

Photographer, Brussels

I am an East London girl with a busy life and have found it hard to meet like-minded creatives but after only using the creativelunchclub once, I met one of my soul mates. Not only are we doing some collaborating with her being a singer and myself working in fashion and modelling which has all been really useful but we have also become best friends. Loved my experience and would highly recommend it for anyone that wants to network in the creative ares and you never know, you might meet your bestie too.
Amber Smith

Model and print designer, London