Where the evening finds you: Graz Hauptplatz on National Day
The sky over the Schlossberg turns the colour of cooling embers, and the Hauptplatz fills until the cobbles disappear underfoot. Banners run along the plaster facades, the fountain at the centre catches the last light, and the smell of grilled sausages, roasted almonds and mulled wine drifts between the stalls. Someone near the town hall starts singing the Bundeshymne, and the whole square joins in. This is National Day in Graz, and the city celebrates it the way it does everything else: on foot, outdoors, and with food in hand.
Markets on the squares
Austria's National Day falls on 26 October. In Graz the day is built around public space, and the markets are where the celebration starts. Expect stalls selling roasted chestnuts, pumpkin-seed oil, Styrian wine and hot punch, alongside stands for the traditional Austrian dishes that appear on every holiday table. Come hungry and graze your way across the squares rather than sitting down to a single meal.
- Hauptplatz — the central square, with market stalls and a stage for the day's programme.
- Herrengasse — the main shopping street running off the Hauptplatz, where the crowds flow between the square and the opera.
- Lendplatz — across the river in Lend, this square hosts a regular farmers' market and is the place to find Styrian produce, breads and cheeses.
Ceremony, music and the parade
National Day in Austria is marked officially as well as informally. In Graz the day opens with ceremonial elements — a flag raising, the playing of the national anthem, and a formal address — before the military parade and the marching bands take over the streets. The Bundesheer, Austria's armed forces, holds its traditional National Day parade and exhibition, and in Graz the marching routes run through the city centre. Concerts follow through the afternoon and into the evening, with stages set up on the main squares and performances from local and national acts. In the evening, fireworks are launched over the city, best watched from the banks of the Mur or from the slopes of the Schlossberg.
- Flag ceremony and official address — in the city centre, in the morning.
- Military parade and Bundesheer exhibition — through the city streets and on the main squares.
- Concerts — afternoon and evening, on stages in the Hauptplatz and other central squares.
- Fireworks — in the evening, over the city; the Mur riverbank and the Schlossberg offer the clearest views.
What to eat while you're out
National Day food in Graz is the food of Styria in autumn. Look for stalls and restaurants serving the dishes that mark the season:
- Kürbiskernöl — dark green Styrian pumpkin-seed oil, poured over salads and soups.
- Backhendl — breaded and fried chicken, a classic Austrian dish found at market stalls and taverns.
- Maroni — roasted chestnuts, sold from braziers on the squares.
- Apfelstrudel and Topfenstrudel — apple and curd-cheese strudels, served warm.
- Styrian wine — from the vineyards south of the city; look for Schilcher and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Glühwein and Punsch — mulled wine and hot punch, in the evening as the temperature drops.
Where to spend the day
The old town, the Innere Stadt, is compact enough to cover on foot. Start at the Hauptplatz, walk up Herrengasse to the opera, cross the river to Lendplatz for the market, and return via the Schlossberg, where the clock tower gives you a view over the whole city and the fireworks later on. If you want a day trip, the vineyards and rolling hills of the Styrian wine country lie just south of Graz, within easy reach by bus or train.
- Innere Stadt — the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the Hauptplatz, Herrengasse and the Landhaus.
- Schlossberg — the hill above the city, reached by funicular or by climbing the steps; the clock tower and the views are the reward.
- Lend — across the Mur, home to the Lendplatz market and a lively bar and café scene.
- Styrian wine country — south of the city, for vineyards, Buschenschänken (wine taverns) and hill walks.
When to go and how to plan
National Day is 26 October, and the celebrations in Graz run through the day and into the evening. Late October in Graz is cool and often crisp; bring a warm coat, comfortable shoes for the cobbles, and cash for the market stalls. Book accommodation early, as the holiday weekend fills the city. Check the City of Graz and Austrian government websites closer to the date for the exact programme, parade route and fireworks timing, then build your day around the squares — and let the city's crowds carry you from one to the next.