Graz Nightlife: Where to Go Out, Area by Area

Graz is one of Austria's best cities for a night out. With around 60,000 students in a city of about 300,000 people, bars stay busy all week, and almost everything is within walking distance. The main hub is the Bermudadreieck in the Old Town, but the most interesting evenings often happen in Lend across the river. Thursday to Saturday are the liveliest nights.

Quick Guide: Which Area Suits You?

The Bermudadreieck: The Heart of Graz Nightlife

The "Bermuda Triangle" is the cluster of Old Town lanes around Mehlplatz, Färberplatz and Glockenspielplatz. Dozens of bars, wine taverns and restaurants sit side by side, so you can try several in one evening. In summer the squares turn into open-air terraces. Start with a Styrian wine or a Spritzer, then move from bar to bar. It's easy to get "lost" here, which is how the area got its name.

Lend and Gries: Graz's Creative Side

Across the Mur river, Lend and Gries are where many locals go out. Expect cocktail bars, natural-wine bars, craft beer, small music venues and late-night cafés. The crowd is mixed and relaxed. In spring, the Lendwirbel street festival fills the district with music and food stalls.

The University Quarter: Student Pubs and Beer Gardens

East of the Stadtpark, around the university, you'll find the cheapest drinks in town, pubs with beer gardens and bars that stay open late. In summer, the Parkhouse pavilion in the Stadtpark hosts DJs outdoors.

Live Music, Jazz and Clubs

• •Stockwerk Jazz: jazz club with live sessions, near Jakominiplatz.
• •Postgarage and ppc: concerts, club nights and DJs.
• •Orpheum and Dom im Berg: larger concerts; Dom im Berg is a venue carved into the Schlossberg.
• •Kasematten: open-air stage on the Schlossberg for summer concerts.
• •Oper Graz and Schauspielhaus: for a classic evening of opera or theatre before drinks.

Clubs fill up after midnight. Check each venue's programme for the night you plan to go.

Drinks with a View

The rooftop terrace on the Kastner & Öhler department store is the classic spot for sunset over the Old Town roofs. Bars on the Schlossberg and the café-bar on the Murinsel also offer views of the river and the city. Go early in summer to get a table.

What to Drink in Graz

• •Styrian wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling and Gelber Muskateller from South Styria.
• •Spritzer: white wine with soda water, the Austrian summer drink.
• •Sturm: fermenting young wine, available only in September and October.
• •Local beer: Puntigamer and Gösser, plus a growing craft beer scene.
• •Schnaps: fruit brandy, often offered as a digestif.

A Night Out in Graz: Sample Plan

• •19:00: aperitif on a rooftop for sunset.
• •20:00: dinner in the Old Town or Lend. See our best restaurants in Graz.
• •22:00: bar hopping in the Bermudadreieck.
• •00:00: jazz at Stockwerk or a club night at Postgarage.
• •Late: walk home through the lit Old Town, or take a night bus.

Prefer to go with someone who knows the city? Join an evening tour with a local guide.

Practical Tips

• •Most central bars close around 2:00, later on weekends. Clubs often stay open until 4:00 or later.
• •Smoking is not allowed indoors in bars and clubs.
• •Legal drinking age: 16 for beer and wine, 18 for spirits.
• •Night buses run on weekends; taxis wait at Jakominiplatz and Hauptplatz.
• •Keep noise down in the Old Town lanes, as many people live above the bars.

Frequently Asked Questions