After a nice Austrian meal on the sunny morning of June 7, 2010 I caught a ride with my sister-in-law to Graz, the capital of the province of Styria. With about 290,000 residents (including about 30,000 university students), Graz is the second largest city in Austria. Due to its well preserved historic city core it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and was also chosen the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003. I caught the streetcar and travelled through the leafy suburbs to get off on the busy Jakominiplatz (Jakomini Square) where I walked up Graz' main pedestrian shopping boulevard -- the upscale Herrengasse. Then I reached the heart of Graz: the Hauptplatz (main square) with its historic fountain, the Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen, and the stunning Rathaus (or City Hall) which was completed in the late 19th century. My stroll continued through the narrow, cobble-stoned alleyways of the city, past boutiques, specialty shops, outdoor cafes and restaurants. Walking past the Opera House, Austria's second largest opera building, I reached the Stadtpark, Graz' scenic green oasis in the middle of the city. From here I made the climb up the Schlossberg (Castle Hill), which used to feature a medieval castle that was destroyed after 1809 following an occupation by Napoleon's army. But the local population managed to save the two most popular edifices city on the Schlossberg: the Glockenturm (bell tower) and the iconic Uhrturm (clock tower) which has been the city's symbol for a long time. The view of the city from the rose garden below the clock tower is simply precious. In the mid-afternoon I connected with my friend Linda and we started another round of sightseeing through the old part of Graz. Linda took me to the rooftop patio of a popular café in the so-called Bermuda Triangle of Graz, a popular entertainment district, from where we had a phenomenal view over the rooftops of the old city. We also walked past the Schauspielhaus (the main theatre) to the Grazer Burg (Graz Castle) where Linda showed me the famous double-winding staircase which dates back to the 1500s. After visiting the 15th century cathedral and the Mausoleum, final resting place of Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand II, we settled in for dinner at the famous Gamlitzer Weinstube restaurant to enjoy some famous Austrian delicacies.

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