I am originally from Luxembourg, which many people around the world still don't know is a country. I often hear "ah yes, it is a city in Germany" or simply "does that even exist?", well yes, and let me tell you, it is a beautiful country to visit if you are in Europe. Although it is tiny and is mainly known for its large number of banks, Luxembourg has so much more than only that. It is home to amazing architecture, historical sites, food, wines, and views.This post will cover the things you can visit while you are in Luxembourg. A separate post will be done on the restaurants, bars and nightlife of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is located in between Belgium, France and Germany and a lot of people that are visiting these countries make the mistake not to do the detour to Luxembourg. Luxembourg can definitely be done for a day trip, however, I would recommend spending one night in order to fully enjoy and have time to discover all of the nice places.
↠ Luxembourg is indeed a very small country. The population size is just under 600,000 citizens -- with 2 586 km2, it is the 7th smallest country in Europe. A drive through Luxembourg only takes 2 hours, so if you don't have a lot of time, just do a day trip!
↠ Languages: It is a very international country, so no worries if you don't speak Luxembourgish (yes that is one of the official languages), there are two other official languages: French and German. Again, if you don't speak any of these, you will be more than fine with only English. Due to the high number of expats, most people in Luxembourg speak English fluently.
↠ Take the opportunity to fuel up your car if you are traveling by car -- our fuel price are very low compared to neighbouring countries. This is also the case for alcohol and cigarettes.
↠ Transport: Taxis are very expensive in luxembourg and unfortunately we do not have Uber.. but at least, starting as of March 2020, all public transports will be free and we are so proud of it!
Obviously, if you are doing a road trip through Europe, stopping in Luxembourg is a must.
It is only 2 hours away by car from the capital of Europe, Brussels, or 3 hours by train (there are around 25 trains per day leaving from Brussels to Luxembourg). A one way ticket costs approximately 43€.
From Paris, we have a direct TGV (high speed train) to Luxembourg, which costs around 85€ and is also around 3 hours of train. By car, it will take you around 4 hours.
If you were planning to visit Paris and Berlin by car, Luxembourg is pretty much in the middle!
Other positive point: Due to the large Portuguese community in Luxembourg, it is usually pretty easy to find cheap flights from Lisbon or Porto to Luxembourg.
Cultural and historical sites
↠ Vianden Castle: One of the largest roman and gothic era of Luxembourg. This is probably the most known castle in Luxembourg (There are many). It is a great visit. Once you finished the tour of the castle, you can go to walk ways to enjoy the nature, take the lift to the top of the castle (included in the Luxembourg Card) and enjoy a beautiful view, or simply take an ice cream in the unique little streets of Vianden.
↠ Mudam Museum: (Closed on Tuesdays) A contemporary and modern museum known also for its amazing architecture. If it is a sunny day, you can walk from the Mudam directly to Pfaffenthal and then take the panoramic elevator to go up into the new town. This will give you an incredible view and for free!
↠ Dräi Eechelen Museum: (Closed on Mondays) This museum exhibits the history of Luxembourg. Built in the Dräi Eechelen, it is located next to the Mudam Museum, so try to do this all in the same day if you can :)
↠ Casemates du Bock: These are about 17km of tunnels that remain from the fortress built on the Bock promontory. It is one of the most known historical activity of Luxembourg and is located right in the center of Luxembourg city. Take a little tour, it shouldn't take you more than an hour, before going to discover the city.
↠ The old town: Take a walk in the old town of Luxembourg. The old town is located under the city center of Luxembourg. This is really one of the most beautiful places in Luxembourg in my opinion. Take a walk next to the Pétrusse river if the weather is nice, visit the Abbaye de Neumünster and end the tour by taking a drink at the Pyg bar (Irish pub) or by going to Clausen where you can find many bars and restaurants.
↠ The new town: Go check out the Duke's palace, located in a beautiful street with many restaurants and bars. Take a walk through Place d'armes, Place Guillaume to see our town hall, and don't miss out on the Gëlle Fra, the monument of remembrance. From there, you will also have a beautiful view overlooking the Gare and Parc de la Pétrusse.
↠ Cathedral Notre-Dame: Located in the center of the city. This is a roman Catholic Church and the only Cathedral in Luxembourg
If you are staying more days or wish to do more cultural activities, Luxembourg offers the Luxembourg Card (click here to find out more about it): 13€ for one person per day, or use the family card if you are two or more: 28€ for one day, whether you are 2 or 5.
Also, I would advise doing these visits in the morning, especially during the weekends as they can get pretty crowdy.
Shopping:
Luxembourg city is a great place to do shopping, however, in the city center you will mainly find big brands (Luxury brands and others such as H&M, Zara...). Shopping in Luxembourg is a little more expensive. Therefore, you could also go to Trier in Germany, about 40 minutes from Luxembourg City (a future post will come on Trier), or go to Metz in France (about 50 minutes from Luxembourg City).
If you prefer shopping centers, I would recommend you to go to Concorde located 20 minutes away from the city center, Cactus (also 20 minutes away) or the new shopping center, Cloche d'Or, however, I have not yet been but have heard only good things about it.
Go to the market: every Wednesday and Saturday morning (7.30 to 13.30) there is a market on Place Guillaume. It is very nice for a little walk though!
There are so many more things to do in Luxembourg but this is my list of most important things to see and do. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to write a comment or in the chat! Also, subscribe to be notified of my next posts :)
Love,
Jil