The HIVE Tour - Episode 21b - Enjoying the beauties of Graz

If you are a local in Graz it is impossible to not know this fountain:

Again, if you are a local you probably already know where I'm heading at. But please don't spoil it to the rest ones. You're still welcome to follow like everyone else and as a payback you'll see your hometown through the eyes of a stranger.

So, dear boys and girls, I wanna make it all the way to the top. Not the charts, this one:

This thing looks already like a stairway to heaven and I can't wait to get high - no substances needed:

There's an interesting story behind those steps that the visitor can read with a little bit of struggle in this tortured sign:

It's all German to me on this following one though:

From the first steps up I already get an overview to Schloßbergplatz, the square where Taubenbrunnen, the fountain you saw before is located:

The view of the steep rock is already promising that the climb is well worth it:

The tears of the rock water the brave flowers surviving in its cracks:

Backyard basketball is a thing at the foothill here:

I'm not even halfway,

but look at the view I already have:

Which only gets better on every step I take:

And every pass of a gate:

I mean, look at that:

That weird looking rooftop you see in the middle is an art venue in Graz if I am not mistaken as I didn't visit it but I kept staring at it on every single chance since it kinda looks like a whale from above 🙂

This looks more like my hometown Athens than Graz though:

Trees: they keep you in the shade during those hot days while they can frame your pictures like the following one:

Can we thank them enough?

The vegetation here with all this massive water resources is kinda wild:

And hides my destination at the top of this hill:

But also the fauna in this little jungle is interesting - you see that little guy in the middle?

This is my first view of Uhrturm, the local medieval tower overlooking the city of Graz:

Don't trust the clock of the tower but trust me, that's no reason to not make it all the way up to see this thing closely. At its base you can see these sculptured emblems/ coats of arms:

It's a really nice place with various bits worth paying attention:

At one of the above benches Markus and I decide to have a lunch break. Wanna see what that is? Be my guest:

So as you can see dear Claire's talent in pizzas (Markus's wife) is beautifying my moment up there as we were wise enough to carry some food with us all the way from Knittelfeld. Hence we don't really need the local restaurant, though it looks tempting:

Lunch break is over, time to start walking again. I am in pure Austrian beauty but at this point it is peppered with a Chinese bit:

I can't leave this without a visit so up we go:

We pass the corner of this building (more on that later),

and there it is, a Chinese Pavillion indeed!

This informative sign tells the story about it in several languages so, you're covered unless you're Chinese but then again, you oughta know 🙂

Now brace for the view cause it is breathtaking. Ready? There you go:

You fell in love with Graz or not yet? I surely did. Here's a short video in case it helps:

Let's make a short break here and continue with Graz's awesomeness in the next part.
See you there 😉