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What do the white stallions from the Spanish Riding School and Arnold
Schwarzenegger have in common?
Well, they were all born and bred in Graz , Austria 's second largest
city, a two-hour drive south of Vienna .
Graz 's claim to fame is not restricted to either horse or muscle power,
though. You might vaguely remember, that the city was the European Cultural
Capital a couple of years ago. The year-long celebration left a lasting
impression on the city. The most noticable change is a new cosmopolitan
touch to the art and culture scene, which can be felt at every turn in the
historical city centre, a declared UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. And
yes, there is an Arnold Schwarzenegger museum in honour of the city's great
son.
Hotels Graz
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Best Western Daniel Hotel Graz ****
This comfortable hotel, conveniently situated in the centre of Graz and
within walking distance of the railway station. Ideal for holidays and
business trips. Enjoy the warm hospitality of the people, the cultural
events such as the opera and theatre, the Styrian Autumn Avant Garde
Festival and jazz clubs. Visit the old castles and palaces or perhaps spend
an evening in the Casino. |
Graz , exuding Southern charm due its proximity to the Italian border, is
very much a lively city. Its 40,000 odd students help to keep it young and
trendy. Graz is said to have one of the best bar and club scenes in Austria
, there are plenty of ways to avoid sleeping …
A great number of attractive events will contribute to leave a lasting
impression on Graz' visitors, such as the Styriarte festival of classical
music, Dance Summer Graz, Jazz Summer, Styrian Autumn festival of
contemporary art, etc.
Two of the more unusal ones are well established highlights and attract a
large following each year.
Tales of Graz (May 2-22, 2005)
The world's largest storytelling festival with Graz-born storyteller
Folke Tegetthoff . Tales of Graz is an amazing festival of narrative
competition, offering spell-binding performances that are much more than
entertainment and which send the listeners on an enchanting, fantastical
journey.
La Strada (July 29 - August 6, 2005)
International puppet and street theatre festival for the young and the
young at heart.
Graz turns into a giant stage for internationally acclaimed street
performances and the city dances to different tunes for a few days. A
boisterous and colourful spectacle for children between the ages 0 and 100!
And best of all, it's a free event .
Where the White Horses Run... Coming back to the white stallions, did you
know the horses are born with black hair? Just like human beings, the hair
turns grey as the horses mature. A weekend excursion invites visitors to
Graz to see the studfarm of the Spanish Riding School , the Lipizzaner Stud
in West Styria . This trip not only gives an insight into one of the world's
most famous horse breeds but also showcases the stunning surroundings of
Graz and offers an introduction into the unique Schilcher wine and the
Styrian pumpkin seed oil.
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