Luxembourg is a small place, but it has plenty to offer! With its both medieval capital, castles and villages and its steam-punk-esque industrial towns, such as Esch-sur-Alzette, and as the world's only remaining grand duchy, Luxembourg can feel at times like a bit of a blast from several different pasts.
But there's also a modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan feeling. Luxembourg looks forward as much as it remembers its past, just a few minutes away from heart of the old city or the charming Grund quarter, you'll find the ultra-modern glass skyscrapers of the business district, Kirchberg. Here modern marvels like the museum of modern art, the LuxExpo convention centre, and the Philoharmonie stand out boldly against the palatial buildings nearby.
A weekend in Luxembourg is enough to give you a quick sampling of the Luxembourg way of life, with all its quirks. You'll get a feel for the unique, local culture while also being exposed to the strong influence of the Grand Duchy's neighbours; France, Germany and Belgium. You might soon come back for more!
Here's some ideas to get your Luxembourg itinerary rolling...
Luxembourg City
Background
All good trips to Luxembourg, the country, start with a trip to the eponymous city. At 132,778 residents, according to official numbers, Luxembourg is by far the largest city in the country, clocking in about 21% of all the Grand Duchy's residents.
The history of Luxembourg city dates all the way back to the Romans, who built a fort nearby to a large, natural stone formation called the 'Bock' (Bockfiels in Luxembourgish), surrounded on three sides by the Alzette river - a natural fortress.
A little later in 963, the Count Siegfried recognized the land's potential as a means to defend his properties, acquired the land which held Bock in a treaty with Saint Maximin, the bishop of the nearby city of Trier in modern day Germany. Siegfried built a castle upon the Bock which he called 'Lucilinburhuc'.
Over the centuries, the castle and its surrounding town grew, both in size and in terms of its influence on the region and the holders of the the castle at Lucilinburhuc started to style themselves as the Counts of Luxembourg. More power brought more attention; in response to several invasions over the centuries the defences of the Bock and of Luxembourg more generally continued to be built out into an elaborate system of walls, fortresses and tunnels and bridges. Many of them were dismantled in the 1867 Treaty of London but some are still standing, and walkable today.
Itinerary Luxembourg: Day 1 in the City
Start yourself off with a stroll around the old town of Luxembourg. If you've entered Luxembourg by way of the train station (Gare de Luxembourg), you just need to walk out the front door to see the trams and buses that can take you to the centre. From Findel airport, the tram will allegedly start operating to there before the beginning of 2024 but, failing that, there are buses to Gare de Luxembourg (Bus 29, Bonnevoie) and, from there, the tram.
You can choose to walk from Gare. At 25 minutes, it's not very far and is quite scenic as it will take you over the Place de Paris, where there are a couple of nice bars, restaurants and cafes to check out and if you're there in the winter, a traditional Luxembourger Christmas Market. At Place de Metz you can see Plateau Bourbon an imposing structure that was part of the city's old defensive forts; and the Pont Adolphe, a loveable old bridge which crosses the Pétrusse valley (river). The Pont Adolphe hides a bit of a secret though, look around Place de Metz for a little and you'll see that there are steps down that can take you to a hidden under-bridge... bridge, for the exclusive use of pedestrians and cyclists. It'll also give you some of the clearest views of the valley. Another shout-out in the Gare Quarter is the Rotondes, a cultural centre just opposite the Gare du Luxembourg on the edge of the Bonnevoie district. The Rotondes often have interesting, slightly unexpected and short-term exhibitions, from the expected visual arts of sculpture, photography and film, to concerts ranging from classical to experimental and modern, to even eccentric markets, poetry slams, scientific exhibitions and more. It's worth checking out if something cool is on when you're visiting.
In either case, you can aim to arrive at the central interchange station within the old town itself: Hamilius. From here, pretty much everything is walkable. Stroll five minutes from Hamilius to the dead-centre of the old town, the Place d'Armes, where you'll see a lot of tourist-centered restaurants and knick-knack shops to check out (or avoid). Depending on the season, the Place d'Armes might be hosting an open-air concert in the Summer or traditional-styled Christmas market in the winter, serving up some Luxembourger classics like Kniddelen or Gromperekichelcher.
From here, there's something interesting in pretty much all directions. A short walk (3-4 mins) from Place d'Armes, back in the direction of the Pont Adolphe, will take you to the Casemates de la Pétrusse, where you can see the Gëlle Fra, a memorial to Luxembourg's war-dead from the first world war, on the Place de la Constitution. In addition to the great view over the Pétrusse valley, Place de la Constitution hosts the largest of the Christmas Markets, the Wantermaart, which is larger than the ones in Place d'Armes or Place de Paris and takes a much more modern style with more varied souvenirs, less traditional (but still delicious) foods and drinks, games, rides and music.
Continue down the street (Rue Notre Dame), cutting through another square (Place Guillaume II), again where there are often events held throughout the seasons, on your way to the Palais Grand-Ducal, where where the Grand Duke Henri lives. Nearby you can spot the National Museum of History and Art, with its curated collection of all things Luxembourg ,from ancient to modern times. Around the corner is the national parliament of Luxembourg (the Chamber of Deputies) and the Notre Dame Cathedral, both of are impressive structures in their own right.
Behind the parliament, you can access the Chemin de la Corniche, a walk-way over along the Bock, overlooking the Grund district and the Alzette river, and one of the most stunning locations in Luxembourg City. From here you can either head directly down to Grund, over the Pont du Stierchen or else turn back toward the city and the entrance to the famous Casemates du Bock, a series of carved out tunnels running through the Bock that offer a fascinating piece of Luxembourgish history, as well as panoramic views of the city.
After your stroll through the city, head on down Grund, the under city on the banks of the Alzette, to find a place to grab lunch or dinner. Grund has quite a few cool bars and restaurants and a generally relaxed vibe that makes it popular with the locals. While there you can check out the Neimënster, a cultural center similar to the Rotondes, set up in an abbey directly on the Alzette. Gallery exhibitions and live concerts are common throughout the year.
Finally, if you're visiting in late August, catch the bus or tram across town to Pfaffenthal to the Place du Glacis. Most of the year this is just a parking lot but during the end of Summer hosts Luxembourg's famous Schoberfouer festival, an annual celebration that traces its heritage all the way back to 1340. The modern Schoberfouer is a celebration of all things Luxembourg, with local foods, drinks, and music, alongside funfair staples like games and rides. Located just off the Place du Glacis is the traditional Luxembourger restaurant, Siegfried, named for the famous count that founded the city that founded the country. They offer a take on a number of classic dishes that varies according the seasons, meaning you can get a good overview of all Luxembourg's famous on any given visit, while always being able to try something new.
Further up the road, the business district Kirchberg starts. The character of the city changes from sculpted stone to steel and glass. Here you can catch a classical music show at Luxembourg's Philharmonie, or try out your skills and the skate park just behind it. Check out nearby Mudam, the Museum of Modern art, which has a rolling set of exhibitions throughout the year and offers short tours and some interactive events. While up in Kirchberg you can also check out the seat of the European Court of Justice or the campus of the University of Luxembourg. There's also d'Coque, Luxembourg's national sports centre that allows access to the public to use their world class facilities and LuxExpo 'The Box', right at the end of the tram line (as of 2023), which regularly hosts interesting exhibitions and competitions throughout the year.
Itinerary Luxembourg: Day 2, Echternach and the Mullerthal Trail
After spending a day walking through the cosmopolitan capital, your second day should calm things down a little and bring you back to nature. Fortunately, not far from the capital you can find a region called the Mullerthal which the Luxembourgers refer to as their 'Little Switzerland'. The (main) gateway to this region is the city of Echternach, which sits directly on the Luxembourg-Germany border, which is a charming town in and of itself. Getting to the region is pretty simple: if you have a car, the drive will take around 30 minutes, from the centre of Luxembourg City to the centre of Echternach, not counting traffic which can slow things down a bit when leaving the capital. If you don't have a car, then you're still in luck because Luxembourg's free buses (Either 201 from Kirchberg, Rout Bréck or 211/212 from Kirchberg, Antoine de St Exupéry, running every half-hour) can take you from Kirchberg to the centre of Echternach in little over 45 minutes. It's recommended to leave fairly early to maximize your time on the trails, and you won't be able to see everything that is on offer in one day.
Starting in Echternach, take a little while to walk through the Place de Marché, the main square of the city's old town, lined with cute shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, and overlooked by the imposing Romanesque Abbey of Echternach. If you missed your chance to sample traditional Luxembourger fare in the capital, you'll definitely have another chance try it here. There's also the occasional market set up in the square, revolving around seasonal products or events, such as the parade during carnival (February); or festivals in the Fall to celebrate the harvest of apples, where 'Viez' (apple wine) is served; or grapes, where wine and 'Fiederwäissen' (a form of sweet, semi-fermented, low-percentage wine) are served. Or sometimes just a flea market.
Once you've had your fill, it's time to hit the trails! For a short walk, 30-minutes on foot from Echternach's centre you'll find the Echternacher See, a lake at the edge of the forest which is good for a relaxing stroll but also offers sporting options like biking, paddle-boating, fishing and several areas to set up for a BBQ. There are also spots to jump in for a swim but careful, outside of the Summer months you might find it a little cold! On the edge of the lake is also the preserved Roman Villa, an outdoor museum with free entry which is a nice reminder of the ancient past of the region. If you find yourself headed to the area in August, there's also the e-Lake festival, a 3-day music festival on the banks of the lake that promotes Luxembourgish and regional bands, singers and DJs. Best of all, it's totally for free!
Heading away from Echternach, you'll wander through the rugged terrain, characterized by huge columns of sandstone that have been sculpted by the wind. There are some 112 km of paths that make up the Mullerthal, with three official Routes and four 'extra tours'. If unsure where to start, have a look at the official website for practical advice on which trails to follow to see the sights, what to bring with you, and the conditions of the trail(s) at any given time.
Some of the recommended highlights of the Mullerthal include Gorges du Loup, a breath-taking, 150m tall sandstone gorge set perfectly amongst the rugged, dense forested hills. Nearby is the Perekop, a viewing platform constructed on top a similarly-tall sandstone column which one needs to ascent steep, narrow stairs carved into the rock to get to. The view over the canopy is well with the climb, though and gives one a sense of isolation which is hard to come by in the rest of the densely packed south and centre of the country. Carrying on down the trail, you'll find the Huel Lee, a man-made cave system, and another nod to the Roman history of the region, who were the first, but not the last, to use the cliff as a quarry to extract stones to build their houses, such as the villa seen at Echternach.
Finally, if you've got the time and energy, you might instead decide to make the 2 and a half hour hike to the Schiessentümpel. Amongst the vibrant greens of the surrounding forest and the mossed-over river rocks, together with the 150-year old stone arch bridge, crossing the river just before the falls, the Schiessentümpel looks like something straight out of a fairy tale and is easily one of Luxembourg's coolest geographic features.