Level of difficulty 3 paddles |  Gastronomy 3 pitchers |  Length 6 km |  Time 1 - 1.5 hours

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Quiet floodplain landscapes, whitewater action and sight-seeing from a fisheye's perspective - Graz has it all and the Mur offers moving water suitable for all SUP levels. Additionally, you will find a wide range of great gastronomy, art and culture here and you can rent your SUP directly by the river if necessary.

General information Graz

• Styria tourist information
• Styria Card
• GrazGutscheine Voucher
• Graz Wikipedia
• Graz tourist information
• Climate
• Wind, waves, weather

Navigation rules

There are also other water sports enthusiasts in the city – SUPs, rowers, kayakers and swimmers. Accordingly, paddle with foresight and do not force anyone to do unwanted manoeuvres.

Dangers and risks

The Mur also has classic moving water hazards in its relatively quiet section in Graz and south of it, so it is always important to monitor the water level and weigh up whether your own abilities allow a tour. Especially after heavier or longer rainfall, the flow rate can increase sharply on these otherwise quite calm river sections.

From the Radetzkybrücke Bridge the current increases significantly and it is difficult to overcome it upstream. At the Erzherzog-Johann Bridge (City Beach) there are standing waves, which can only be bypassed on foot upstream by walking along the banks, but they can no longer be paddled over against the current. Accordingly, these sections are only suitable for river-tested and fit paddlers in both directions.
If you want to spare your paddle blades, don't paddle very close to the bank, where there is the least current and the least depth - keep at least 2 m away!

Directions

From the center of Graz the easiest way to get to the Maria Cäsar Park in the district of Liebenau is via Wielandgasse Street, which on its way south first becomes the Schönaugasse street and later is on is called Kasernstrasse Street. To do this, coming from the Joanneumring (one-way heading west) turn left into Wielandgasse (by Merkur Insurance and Neutor pharmacy on the right at the intersection) and follow the road straight ahead for approx. 2.3 km. Before reaching the first high-rise appartment buildings, turn right into Dr.-Plochl-Straße and at its end you are in front of the park and in Andersengasse Street.

Parking

Along Maria Caesar Park (formerly Grünanger Park). Alternatively, you can park in the small side streets around this area or in front of the tennis center (GDG Sportcenter) in Pichlergasse Street.

Length

6 km

Time

1 - 1.5 hours

Start and landing

Liebenau harbor at the Puchsteg in Maria Caesar Park.

Sight-SUPing through the state capital

Cities by the water always have a special flair. The water usually brings playfulness, relaxing natural spaces and an extra portion of life into the urban space, qualities that cannot be compared with any other element. Styria's main river, the Mur River is also called the Styrian Amazon as it not only flows through the Styrian capital of Graz, but further to Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary just to lead into the Drava River. You'lll find great paddling opportunities on all these waterways.

The river is probably one of the most beautiful and varied in the country and has suitable sections for all levels of ability. What was one of the most polluted water veins in Austria in the 1970s and 1980s has developed into a true paradise for countless water sports in recent years. Today the water quality is very satisfactory, which has recently even led to the return of some sensitive fish species (e.g. grayling) and to several quality awards at European level.

We treat ourselves to a varied tour, which first takes us from the somewhat dreamy south of the city to the city center and then back again. Since its completion in 2020, the small river port in the Maria-Cäsar-Park in the district of Liebenau has become a popular local recreation area. In addition to extensive access to the reservoir there is a boat rental. Here also SUPs can be rented at fair prices. The area is developing into a new leisure hotspot in the south of the city, which can be easily reached via the cycle paths along the Mur.

On the flat gravel beach you can unpack your boards and easily get into the still water. We paddle right away and under the wooden footbridge (Puchsteg). On the right bank of the river you'll find the former soap factory, whose tall brick chimney is clearly visible even from afar. The poudrette factory, built in 1872, is now used successfully as a hip event center and is also a unique architectural feature worth seeing.

Due to the redesign of the Mur in connection with the power plant construction, there are many great boarding options and small platforms to relax by the water. The area is quiet and we plunge into mirror-smooth water, while a floodplain landscape spreads out on the bank to our left. We notice that we are getting closer to the city center after about a kilometer when paddling under the railway bridge and the subsequent Friedensbrücke Bridge. It's getting louder and the population density is increasing.

What also increases is the flow rate of the Mur, which is why it is good advice to paddle near the shore once you reach the Augarten Park. The area around the Augarten is very lively all year round, especially since the Augartenpark is the most popular park in the city next to the Stadtpark and scores with good infrastructure and many opportunities for sports and relaxation. In the course of the power plant construction (2017 - 2020), structural changes were also made to the riverbank here, which is why there is now a bay here that is ideal as a pier and even invites you to swim if you want to enjoy the cool water.

But we continue and with every bridge we leave behind us, the water on the right bank becomes a bit more turbulent and stronger, so that we cross the river in front of the Radetzky Bridge and continue paddling against the current on the left bank. There is a great standing eddy directly in front of the bridge pillar. Here you can use the current and work on your paddling technique. Or if necessary just pause in the eddy. 

Under the trees near the shore, we continue up to the next but one bridge, where we get off the boards and out of the water by the CityBeach. It is best to cross again well before the Erzherzog-Johann-Bridge, because directly below it the water sometimes gets rough from now on. We find a small eddy and climb up to the waterfront with our boards.

We carry our boards about 300 m further up the bike path towards the Murinsel Island - a floating platform with a café and a small amphitheater - where we go back on the water after a short examination of the water passage. Apart from the fact that only experienced paddlers should paddle downstream form here anyway, it is important to avoid the left side (in the direction of river) and to paddle in the middle and in front of the Murinsel. Here you will find an ideal track to ride over the waves and under the footbridge. If you don't get thrown off at white water level 2, you can take the momentum to the second white water highlight under the next bridge at City Beach, where we got out of the water a bit earlier.

Be sure to stay to the right in this area to avoid the standing wave on the left half of the river. Because here sometimes a very strong roller can be formed under the bridge (easy to see in the satellite image), which can even be reluctant to let experienced river paddlers loose again. However, if the right side inspires too much respect for you, you can paddle over it while kneeling and stay dry.

Once this passage is mastered, the ride gets really comfortable, the flow rate decreases, the water becomes calmer and navigable again for everyone. Nevertheless, we are quickly dragged back south and you notice the difference going downstream especially if you had to paddle upstream beforehand. Now we deliberately stay in the middle to be carried by the water for as long as possible, which also works great down to the Augarten. After the railway bridge, more paddling is required again, because you notice more and more clearly that the river is beginning to dam up. But you can also drift slowly and give your pulse the opportunity to return to normal after the action of the two whitewater levels.

The longer tour to the Murinsel is quite short at 6 km, but all the more eventful and varied and is always suitable for a short paddling session in between. And if that's still not enough, you can cool off thoroughly in the water in the marina in Liebenau or do a SUP yoga session with Judith of Waterlove. The marine biologist is the only yoga trainer who also offers professionally instructed courses on the water in the Graz area.

Alternative: The shortened tour, which only leads to Augarten Park or the Radetzkybrücke Bridge, guarantees more comfort, because it avoids the stronger flow of the water.