For the benefit of anyone who still doesn't know, my partner and I bought a little flat in Maribor in Slovenia at the end of last year. Over our last few visits we have been furnishing the flat and given the abundance of retail parks in the area you might be forgiven for thinking that this would be easy. The trouble is that although there are lots of retail parks in Slovenia they all have the same limited stores and so people tend to head over the border to shop. Depending on where they live, this might be to Italy (very stylish and very pricey), Hungary (cheap but not so stylish), Croatia (so-so, good quality but not much choice) or Austria (reasonable prices, good quality and lots of choice).

Ironically it was because we were fed up with shopping that we decided to have a couple of days in Graz. Our furniture had been chosen and we were waiting for it to be delivered. In a country of less than three million people, it you have to wait six days for your furniture to come ninety minutes up the motorway! But I digress...

There are two striking sights competing for attention. The Schlosberg - the Castle Hill with its oddly truncated clock tower (the Uhrturm), and the Kunstmuseum - the modernistic art museum that originally provoked heated discussion among the people of Graz though is now regarded with fondness and pride. Keeping the two of them at a respectful distance is the River Mur; in the middle of the river is the Murinsel - a manmade island shaped like an open mussel shell. It was designed by American artist Vito Acconci as a temporary installation for 2003 when Graz held the title of European City of Culture but it was so popular it was decided to keep it. What many people do not realise is that it is actually a ship and not an island at all. It is anchored into the Mur and if the good people of Graz had not asked for it to stay, it would have been floated away to some other city.

The Old Town occupies the northern side of the Mur. It is dominated by the Hauptplatz, a large square filled with the aroma of delicious sausages which are sold at stalls lined along one side of the square. It is the heart of the city where people meet and, when we were there during the recent controversial mayoral elections, where politicians go to woo voters and press the flesh.

There are several ways to access the Schlossberg; you can take the funicular which goes almost all the way to the top of the hill. Or you can take the Schlossbergbahn - the lift which shoots vertically through the rock and brings you out two thirds of the way up, leaving you with a fairly steep climb if you want to go all the way to the top. There has been a funicular on the hill side since the 1890s but the current one is very new and modern. Or you can walk all the way up to the top - a lovely walk but one I enjoy more coming down; the zig-zagging walk is called the "Kriegsteig", lots of locals make the ascent daily.

Back in the lower part of the Old Town there are plenty more interesting sights. There is a striking, if not hugely attractive, cathedral; personally I found the Gothic interior more pleasing than the sober exterior. The Landhaus is the home of the regional parliament of Styria and is a wonderful building reminiscent of a Venetian palazzo. The arcaded courtyard is amazing and really takes you away to Italy!

Every now and again the narrow lanes and backstreets open up to lovely squares with grand houses and churches. Many

Pictures of Graz (Austria)

The streets are crammed wtih wonderful buildings

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Just out of the city is Schloss Eggenberg, a wonderful mid-seventeenth century palace in beautiful grounds. Inside the museum is the Joanneum - the first public museum in Austria which opened in 1811. The museum covers a wide array of subjects, in particular art and culture and regional wildlife.

You'll find all the usual international hotel chains in Graz and there is a good selection of mid range hotels in the Old Town. Around the station you'll find some good budget hotels. If you don't mind travelling in to the city or you want to mix country and city, there are loads of people offering private accommodation on farms and in country villages.

One thing to mention is that smoking is still allowed in public places in Austria but many old fashioned restaurants have no smoking rooms; more modern restaurants tend not to have this because they are usually open plan.

Although the Old Town can be navigated on foot and the lift and funicular provide access to the Schlossberg, some people might find the cobbled, steep streets hard going. Once in the centre it's not really possible to use transport so you do have to walk.