Gries (Graz) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Gries in Graz with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
Gries
Gries photo 2
Gries photo 3
All photos

Gries in Graz combines Mur-side walks, Griesplatz markets, historic churches, multicultural dining and everyday urban life close to the old town.

A District Between River and Old Town

Gries occupies the area immediately south and south-west of Graz’s historic centre, stretching from the Mur towards the city’s railway and southern approaches. Its name refers to gravel or sandy ground, an apt reminder that parts of this low-lying quarter developed on land shaped by the river. Today, Gries is one of Graz’s most varied urban districts: busy around Griesplatz, residential along quieter side streets, and increasingly sought out for its mix of long-established local life and newer cafés, restaurants and creative businesses.
Read more about Gries

Streets, Parks and Local Landmarks

The district is best understood on foot, moving between Griesplatz, the parish church of St Andrä, Karlauer Kirche and the green spaces along the Mur. Augarten, on the river, provides a broad public park for walking, cycling and informal recreation, while the embankment offers open views and a different perspective on Graz’s centre. Historic churches and older residential buildings sit alongside practical shops, apartment blocks and streets shaped by later urban growth, giving Gries a less polished and more lived-in character than the postcard streets across the river.

Food, Community and Change

Griesplatz and its surrounding streets reflect Graz’s international population particularly clearly, with Austrian, Balkan, Turkish and Middle Eastern influences visible in the food shops, bakeries and restaurants. This is a district where daily errands, market activity and social life matter as much as sightseeing. Visitors will find a useful base close to the centre, but the reward lies in noticing the transitions: from the traffic and tram movement of Griesplatz to the calm of Augarten, from church interiors to contemporary street life, and from the riverfront to the neighbourhood’s increasingly mixed urban culture.

Best attractions in Gries

Gries rewards visitors who look beyond conventional monument-hunting. Griesplatz provides the clearest introduction to the district’s movement, commerce and multicultural street life, while the parish church of St Andrä and Karlauer Kirche offer quieter architectural and religious points of interest. Along the Mur, Augarten is the principal recreational attraction, with open lawns, mature planting, paths and space for watching Graz’s riverside life. The embankment also creates a useful walking and cycling route, linking the district’s urban streets with broad views towards the centre. Smaller attractions include the changing shopfronts, bakeries and food businesses around Griesplatz, where several communities have shaped the area’s daily character. Visitors should approach Gries as a neighbourhood to explore through contrasts—traffic and greenery, churches and apartment streets, local errands and riverside recreation—rather than as a concentrated collection of ticketed sights.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Gries

Griesplatz is the district’s principal landmark in an urban rather than monumental sense: a long-established junction and public space where tram movement, local commerce and several cultural influences meet. The parish church of St Andrä is an important religious reference point for Gries, while Karlauer Kirche marks the district’s southern urban development and remains one of its recognisable historic buildings. The Mur embankment and Augarten form another defining landscape, showing how the river has shaped both the neighbourhood’s geography and its public life. Older houses, apartment blocks, workshops and commercial frontages around the square record successive phases of expansion, even where no single building defines the streetscape. Together these places explain Gries more effectively than an isolated monument: its identity rests on transport, worship, river land and ordinary urban commerce.

Show more landmarks

Explore Gries on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Gries, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Gries

Gries has one of Graz’s most varied everyday food scenes, particularly around Griesplatz and the streets leading south from the centre. Austrian cafés and bakeries sit alongside Balkan, Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants, grocers and takeaway counters, reflecting the district’s long commercial and migratory history. Visitors can find grilled meats, filled breads, pastries, soups, salads and other quick meals, as well as places suited to a longer, informal dinner. The neighbourhood is more useful for discovering independent and family-run food businesses than for a single signature dish or formal dining strip. Food shopping is part of the experience: specialist grocers and bakeries provide ingredients and prepared foods that are less prominent in Graz’s historic core. Menus, service styles and opening arrangements vary, so a little flexibility is helpful when exploring smaller establishments around Griesplatz.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Gries

Nightlife in Gries is generally local and low-key rather than dominated by large clubs. Around Griesplatz and the routes towards the centre, visitors will find casual bars, cafés and restaurants that remain active into the evening, with a clientele drawn from nearby homes, workers and students. The district’s international character is also reflected in the range of places where people meet for a drink or a late meal, although individual venues and their programmes can change. Augarten and the Mur embankment are for evening walks rather than organised nightlife, and residential streets become noticeably quieter away from the square. Those seeking Graz’s larger concentration of clubs, concert venues and late-night bars may need to continue into the central districts, while Gries suits visitors who prefer an informal evening close to local life and public transport.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Gries

Nightlife in Gries is generally local and low-key rather than dominated by large clubs. Around Griesplatz and the routes towards the centre, visitors will find casual bars, cafés and restaurants that remain active into the evening, with a clientele drawn from nearby homes, workers and students. The district’s international character is also reflected in the range of places where people meet for a drink or a late meal, although individual venues and their programmes can change. Augarten and the Mur embankment are for evening walks rather than organised nightlife, and residential streets become noticeably quieter away from the square. Those seeking Graz’s larger concentration of clubs, concert venues and late-night bars may need to continue into the central districts, while Gries suits visitors who prefer an informal evening close to local life and public transport.

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Gries

Shopping in Gries is practical, independent and strongly shaped by the district’s international communities. The streets around Griesplatz contain food shops, bakeries, small grocers and specialist retailers where visitors can find ingredients, spices, pastries and prepared foods associated with Balkan, Turkish and Middle Eastern culinary traditions alongside Austrian staples. The area is better suited to browsing local businesses and buying provisions than to conventional fashion shopping or large department stores. Everyday shops continue along the surrounding streets, while the changing mix of cafés, restaurants and service businesses gives the quarter a commercially active feel. Visitors should distinguish this local retail culture from Graz’s principal shopping streets in the old town: Gries offers a more neighbourhood-based experience, with the interest lying in variety, daily use and the way commerce reflects the district’s layered population.

Show more shops

Gries essentials

Getting There
Gries is easy to reach from Graz’s centre by tram, bus or on foot. Griesplatz is the district’s principal public-transport interchange and connects with routes running through the southern part of the city, while Jakominiplatz and the Hauptplatz provide useful connections from the central area. Graz Hauptbahnhof lies north-west of Gries and is linked by public transport and a longer walk. Visitors arriving from the old town can cross the Mur and continue south towards Griesplatz or approach via the river embankment. Check current Graz Linien information before travelling, as routes and stop arrangements can change during road or tram works.
Getting Around
Much of Gries is manageable on foot, particularly the route between Griesplatz, the Mur and Augarten. The district is generally flat, although busy junctions and broad traffic roads can make walking less leisurely around the square. Cycling is practical on the riverside paths, but pedestrians and recreational users share parts of these routes, so moderate speed is advisable. Trams and buses are useful for longer local journeys, while the old town is close enough for many visitors to reach on foot. Wheelchair users should expect a mixture of smooth pavements, kerbs and older streets, with conditions varying from one route to another.
Safety
Gries is an active inner-city district, and normal urban precautions are appropriate. Take care with bags and phones in crowded public transport, around Griesplatz and in busy shops, and pay attention when crossing tram tracks and multi-lane roads. The river paths and Augarten are pleasant by day; after dark, use well-lit streets and stay aware of your surroundings, particularly if walking alone or after nightlife elsewhere in Graz. Cycling traffic, trams and turning vehicles require attention at junctions. Avoid leaving valuables visible in parked bicycles or cars, and follow local advice during events or temporary construction.
Emergency Situations
In Austria, call 112 for the European emergency number, 133 for police, 122 for the fire service and 144 for an ambulance. State that you are in Graz and give the nearest street, tram stop or clearly identifiable landmark, such as Griesplatz, Augarten or a named church. Operators can direct emergencies even when callers are unfamiliar with the local address system. For non-urgent medical help, ask accommodation staff or a local pharmacy for current advice rather than assuming a particular facility is nearby. Keep identification, essential medication details and travel-insurance information accessible.
Do's and Don'ts
Keep to the right on shared paths and allow room for cyclists, prams and slower walkers along the Mur and through Augarten. At Griesplatz, cross only where permitted and watch for trams even when traffic appears stationary. Ask before photographing people, market stalls or religious interiors, and dress and behave respectfully inside churches. Support independent shops by following their queueing conventions and handling produce carefully. Around residential streets, avoid late-night shouting and amplified music, and do not treat the district’s international food businesses or places of worship as curiosities for intrusive photography.
Local Tips
A useful orientation walk begins at Griesplatz, continues past the parish church of St Andrä and heads towards the Mur and Augarten before returning through the residential streets. The riverfront is better suited to a slower walk than the traffic-heavy square, particularly when the weather is warm. Explore the food shops and bakeries around Griesplatz with an open mind, as the district’s culinary range is one of its clearest cultural features. If you want the old town’s monuments as well as Gries’s everyday atmosphere, combine the neighbourhood with a walk across the Mur rather than treating it as an isolated excursion.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloServus[SAYR-voos]
GoodbyeAuf Wiedersehen[owf VEE-dur-zayn]
YesJa[yah]
NoNein[nyne]
Please/You're welcomeBitte[BIT-tuh]
Thank youDanke[DAHN-kuh]
Excuse me/SorryEntschuldigung[ent-SHOOL-dee-goong]
How are you?Wie geht es dir?[vee gayt es deer]
Fine. And you?Gut. Und dir?[goot oont deer]
Do you speak English?Sprichst du Englisch?[shpreekhst doo ENG-lish]
I don't understandIch verstehe nicht[ikh fer-SHTAY-uh nikht]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseIch möchte bitte die Speisekarte sehen[ikh merkh-teh BIT-tuh dee SHPY-zuh-kahr-teh zay-en]
I don't eat meatIch esse kein Fleisch[ikh ESS-uh kine flysh]
Cheers!Prost![prohst]
I would like to pay, pleaseIch möchte bitte zahlen[ikh merkh-teh BIT-tuh ZAH-len]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Hilfe![HEEL-fuh]
Go away!Geh weg![geh vekh]
Call the Police!Ruf die Polizei![roof dee po-lee-tsay]
Call a doctor!Ruf einen Arzt![roof I-nen ahrts]
I'm lostIch habe mich verirrt[ikh HAH-buh meekh feh-REERT]
I'm illIch bin krank[ikh been krahngk]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ich möchte kaufen...[ikh merkh-teh KOW-fen]
I'm just lookingIch schaue nur[ikh SHOW-eh noor]
How much is it?Wie viel kostet das?[vee feel KAWS-tet dahs]
That's too expensiveDas ist zu teuer[dahs ist tsoo TOO-er]
Can you lower the price?Kannst du den Preis senken?[kah-nst doo den prise ZEN-ken]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Wie spät ist es?[vee shpayt ist es]
It's one o'clockEs ist ein Uhr[es ist iyn oor]
Half past (10)Halb elf[halb elf]
MorningMorgen[morr-gen]
AfternoonNachmittag[nahk-mitt-ahk]
EveningAbend[AH-bent]
YesterdayGestern[geh-stern]
TodayHeute[HOY-tuh]
TomorrowMorgen[morr-gen]
1Eins[ine-s]
2Zwei[tsv-eye]
3Drei[dry]
4Vier[feer]
5Fünf[foonf]
6Sechs[zeks]
7Sieben[zee-ben]
8Acht[ahkt]
9Neun[noyn]
10Zehn[tsayn]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Wo ist ein/der...?[voh ist iyn/dehr]
What's the address?Was ist die Adresse?[vahs ist dee ah-dreh-suh]
Can you show me (on the map)?Kannst du mir zeigen (auf der Karte)?[kah-nst doo meer tsay-gen (owf dehr KAR-teh)]
When's the next (bus)?Wann kommt der nächste (Bus)?[vahn kohmt dehr NEKH-stuh (boos)]
A ticket (to ....)Eine Fahrkarte (nach ....)[I-nuh FAHR-kahr-teh (nahkh)]

History of Gries

A River-Shaped Name and Landscape

Gries takes its name from the German word for gravel or sand, reflecting the riverine ground associated with the Mur. Before dense urban development, the area south of Graz’s historic core contained open land, gardens, paths and settlement influenced by flooding and the changing course of the river. Its position outside the medieval centre helped give the district a separate identity, while routes leading south connected it with villages and agricultural land beyond the city. The low-lying landscape remains legible in the neighbourhood’s relatively open riverside spaces and in the contrast between the Mur embankment and the denser streets around Griesplatz.

Churches and Suburban Growth

As Graz expanded beyond its older central quarters, Gries developed from a peripheral settlement into a substantial urban district. Religious buildings helped define this growth, particularly the parish church of St Andrä and the Karlauer Kirche, which served communities south of the historic centre. Streets around these institutions became part of a more continuous urban fabric of homes, workshops and small businesses. The district’s location beside the Mur also encouraged practical movement and trade, while its broad flat ground made it suitable for the expanding city. Gries consequently acquired the mixed residential and commercial character that still distinguishes it from Graz’s monumental inner centre.

Industrial and Transport-Era Urbanisation

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, industrialisation and improved transport reshaped Graz’s southern districts. Workshops, warehouses, commercial premises and denser housing appeared alongside older buildings, and roads and tram connections made Gries more closely integrated with the expanding city. Griesplatz became an important local junction and meeting point rather than simply an edge-of-town space. The area’s working and lower-middle-class character was reinforced by everyday commerce and access to employment elsewhere in Graz. Later redevelopment replaced or altered parts of this built fabric, but the district’s practical street pattern and mixture of uses remain products of this period of urban growth.

A More International Contemporary Quarter

After the Second World War, Gries experienced the broader changes affecting many centrally located European districts: reconstruction, apartment-building, altered traffic patterns and the steady turnover of shops and residents. Migration added new languages, businesses and food traditions to an already mixed urban environment, especially around Griesplatz and the streets leading towards the centre. In recent decades, improved public spaces along the Mur and Augarten, together with investment and rising interest in central neighbourhoods, have brought further change. Gries now combines established residents, international commerce, newer hospitality businesses and ongoing redevelopment, without losing its role as one of Graz’s most everyday and socially varied districts.

Gries in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

0 / 0

Neighbourhoods near Gries

The closest neighbourhoods to Gries, if you have time for more than one stop.

Explore more

Graz
More of the region

Explore more of Graz

Graz, Austria blends a UNESCO-listed old town, Schlossberg views, modern art, Styrian cuisine and lively cultural life in a compact city setting.

Explore Graz
The Evendo app on two phones

Your all-in-one travel companion app

Explore expert travel guides, compare and book tours, experiences, hotels, and more, all from the palm of your hand. Download now for seamless trip planning wherever your wanderlust takes you.

  • Travel guides to regions, countries, cities, landmarks and attractions worldwide
  • Photos, local tips, maps, opening hours and contact details for every place
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets and experiences
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
More about the Evendo app

Evendo is a 100% free travel guide app: plan a trip, find what is worth seeing and book it, all in one place.

  • Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops picked for every destination
  • A "Near me" view of the attractions and amenities around you
  • History and travel essentials for each country and city

From world regions down to a single landmark, every guide brings together the places to see, where to eat and drink, and where to stay, with descriptions, photos and maps to help you plan.

No in-app purchases and no hidden costs. Download Evendo and take your guides with you wherever you travel.

Get the latest from Evendo

Hand-picked travel deals, new destination guides and trip ideas, straight to your inbox.