Luxembourg is one of those places that we’ve always wanted to visit but have never really got around to for various reasons. We briefly thought about visiting on a day trip from Brussels but the train journey there and back didn’t make much sense for just one day.
There were no direct flights from Dublin for a number of years until Luxair reintroduced the route, having cancelled it during the last recession. More recently, Ryanair began flights to Luxembourg and with prices suddenly quite cheap, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to book a Luxembourg City city break!
A Little Bit About Luxembourg City
Luxembourg is the second smallest country in the EU (after Malta) and is bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. It’s the only country in the world to have a Grand Duke as its head of state and is one of the wealthiest per capita countries in the world.
It’s incredibly international, with over 47% of its population coming from outside the country. Luxembourg was one of the founding six members of the European Coal and Steel Community, the precursor to the European Union. The currency is the Euro and the main language is Luxembourgish, though most people speak French, German or English fluently.
Luxembourg City is the capital and the biggest city. It’s regarded as one of the de facto capitals of the EU, home to the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Secretariat of the European Parliament. It has the highest GDP per capita of any city in the world according to the IMF and is consistently ranked as the safest city in the world by Mercer.
Getting to Luxembourg City
Luxembourg City is served by the nearby Luxembourg Airport (LUX). Luxair tends to be a little on the expensive side in our opinion so if you’re after cheap and cheerful, Ryanair has a few routes from the airport. We usually check Omio to compare flight prices before we book and it includes budget airlines.
There’s buses into the city as well as the modern Luxembourg City tramway. A huge bonus is that public transport within Luxembourg is completely free! This applies to trains, trams and buses throughout the entire country. We got a taxi which was just over €40 for four of us with luggage but the free tram is definitely a great option.
Trains are also quite handy for getting to Luxembourg and there are direct routes to Paris, Brussels and other cities in neighbouring countries. If you’re planning a multi-city trip, we also use Omio to compare train times and prices across borders.
Where to Stay in Luxembourg City
We stayed at Hotel Le Chatelet, a quaint little hotel about a 5-minute walk from the train station (imaginatively called Luxembourg Railway Station). We actually chose it specifically because it had a room for four, which was hard enough to find elsewhere in the city.
The hotel was in a quiet suburb of Luxembourg City next to the Pétrusse Valley Park but still close enough to shops and places to eat. The street near the train station has lots of restaurants and leads to the Passerelle, a stunning viaduct which takes you into the old walled part of the city. It was a very cosy room and the staff were all lovely.
We’d recommend checking Booking.com for the best rates for accommodation in Luxembourg.
What to Do In Luxembourg City
We were lucky enough to be in Luxembourg City when the entire city was covered in snow. Although it was cold for the duration of our visit, we had checked the weather in advance and packed accordingly. The city looked amazing in the snow, especially looking from the higher parts down onto the lower valley.
If you want to get your bearings quickly without braving the cold too much, the Luxembourg City Bus Tour is a great way to see the main sights. It takes you through the historic district and out to the modern Kirchberg area, which saves you a lot of walking!
Grund District
One of the lower parts of the city is called Grund, a lovely spot for a nighttime stroll. It is known as the fairy tale district and it’s not hard to see why. Apart from the picturesque views along the river, it has a few pubs and restaurants and would be perfect if you were after a nice, romantic meal. (We weren’t!).
The Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History is located here too. We decided against a visit, although we were told it’s quite good as far as natural history museums go.
Pfaffenthal Lift
One thing we’d definitely recommend is taking the Pfaffenthal Lift. It’s a glass-walled observation deck with a lift down to Grund in the lower part of the city and it really does have a stunning view over the valley. Best of all, it’s completely free to use!
We took the lift down and then walked across to the other side which took us into the Parc des Trois Glands (Three Acorns Park). It was all very Narnia because of the snow.
European District
Walking through the Parc des Trois Glands takes you to the Kirchberg quarter which is home to many European institutions including The European Court of Justice, parts of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. Kirchberg has a lot of hotels but we’d recommend not staying in this part of town if you’re planning on visiting the tourist sites. It’s all a little bit high rise and corporate which is not what Luxembourg City is about. Fine for European business or visiting the European Convention Center, but not for rambling around the sights.
Fort Thüngen
Fort Thüngen is located in the park and is home to the Musée Dräi Eechelen (Three Acorns Museum). The museum tells the history of the city and country of Luxembourg from the Burgundian conquest in 1443 to the construction of the Adolphe Bridge in 1903. We didn’t really have time for a visit beyond taking a few pics (and wanting to use the loo!).
Word of advice at this juncture – don’t eat yellow snow.
The Mudam Luxembourg Museum of Modern Art and Philharmonie Luxembourg concert hall are nearby if that type of thing takes your fancy.
Casemates Du Bock
We were hoping to see the Casemates Du Bock, the 18th-century tunnels used as shelters during World War II. When we visited, they were closed for maintenance, but these days they often stay open during the winter with reduced hours so it’s definitely worth checking before you go!
It’s a shame we missed it because it’s widely considered one of the highlights of a visit. The area nearby is really nice though and the views are amazing. Just make sure to bring a good pair of walking shoes!
Ville Haute
Within Ville Haute, the historic walled city, there are lots of shops ranging from high street names like H&M and Zara to more exclusive brands like Louis Vuitton. There’s great restaurants too, especially around Place D’Armes which is the central square.
The Grand Ducal Palace
Most of the buildings in this area are really nice, especially the Grand Ducal Palace. There’s guided tours in the Summer but not Winter. They probably don’t want you trudging all that dirty snow in on their lovely clean carpets. It’s got two armed guards outside so the Grand Duke must be a big deal. It’s lovely from the outside so if you do go and see the inside, let us know and send pics. Try to steal a lamp or a salt shaker or something.
Nationalmusée um Fëschmaart
The Nationalmusée um Fëschmaart (formerly the National Museum of History and Art) is just around the corner and is actually a great way to spend a few hours.
It is free to enter and split across six floors. Start at the bottom and work your way up (as the nun said to the bishop). The museum retraces the history of Luxembourg, from prehistory to the Middle Ages. Fort Thüngen then takes over the rest of the story.
The Verdict
Overall, we really loved Luxembourg City. We’re big fans of small countries and Luxembourg is right up there with our favourites. The walled city is great to stroll around and browse.
The food was lovely, although a little on the expensive side. However, because public transport is now completely free across the whole country (yes, really!), it balances out the budget quite nicely. You save a fortune on trains and buses, which leaves more room for nice dinners!
There wasn’t a whole load to do, especially given the weather, but we were okay with that. We enjoyed just walking around and taking it in. If we were to go back, we would probably book a Guided Walking Tour to get a bit more historical context on the Casemates and the Old Town.
As a city break destination, it probably wouldn’t be the type of place you’d go for a stag or hen party. It is definitely more suited to couples or solo travellers who want to check out somewhere laid back and friendly on the eye.
