Luxembourg City Guide

This post is all about things to do, what to see and the tips you need to know before you visit the small nation of Luxembourg.

I travelled from Cologne, Germany to Luxembourg City by train. The journey was seamless and crossing the border was uneventful. I stayed in the city for 3 nights in the height of summer. These are my recommendations of what you should get up to whilst you are there. 

 

 

Casemates Du Bock

The Casemates are a vast complex of underground tunnels & a cliff side fortress. The origins began back in 963 by Count Siegfried when he wanted to develop the town. Since then the complex has passed through many hands, the Spanish began building the tunnels in 1644 and the Austrians completed the project in 1746. 
Consisting of 14 miles of tunnel networks it delves as deep at 40 meters (130 feet) below the fortress.  The ruins include  25 artillery slots, stables, storehouses, workshops, kitchens, bakeries, slaughterhouses, and barracks for 1200 soldiers.
You can explore the tunnel networks by yourself and you will be rewarded with great views of the city. 
Check this website for opening times. 

*Entrance fees are €7 Euro (adult). 

Grand Ducal Palace

Situated in the heart of the Old Town, The Palace is the official residence of the Grand Duke. 

The building is in the style of Flemish renaissance and has been restored over the years. During the summer months (July &August) you can take a pre-booked tour around the Palace and learn about the history of Luxembourg.
The Ballroom is used for State Banquets throughout the year.
If you visit outside these times you can still witness the changing of the guard outside. It’s a short ceremony, but worth watching. Tours can be booked via the Luxembourg Tourism Office.

Surrounding the Palace there are many nice restaurants and cafes to try. I’d recommend Fika and Hopp for a fresh morning coffee. 

Historic Old Town

Luxembourg’s Old Town is a UNESCO heritage site and for good reason! This area is beautiful and is surrounded by high fortress walls and the Grand Alzette River.

The Old Town itself is situated in the lower area and you can walk down via the alleyways and pathways or you can take the elevator to the lower level (free of charge). 
I opted to walk down and explore the area and take the elevator back up.

The area reminds me of a fairytale, a Disney inspired village. It is well preserved and quaint and there are small bars and bistros to grab some Luxembourgish food.

If you decide to get the tourist train “Pétrusse Express” you will get to experience some of the area. Audio guides are available in 8 languages. You can get the train outside the Casemates and the tour lasts 50 minutes. 

The tourism office have suggested a walking route and the map can be found here.

Neuminster Abbey

Wherever you are in the Old Town you will spot the Abbey located in the “Grund” the valley between the higher and lower sections. 

Neumünster Abbey is one of the city’s  most important historic sites but it comes with a turbulent history. Originally built in the mid 1500’s the Abbey was destroyed by fire in the 1600’s, then rebuilt by local monks. Later on just after the French Revolution it was used as a prison and fairly recent during WW2 the Nazi’s used it as a prison for political resistors.  The Abbey itself has been renovated and is occasionally used as a concert venue. 

National Museum of History and Art

The National museum houses a collection of archaeology, fine arts and photography. Situated in the Old Town, the entrance fee is relatively cheap and it’s a good thing to do to escape the intense summer heat.
The visual arts section of the museum offers a wide range of Luxembourgish painting from the 18th to the 20th century. 

If you are a lover of history, set across five floors  the archaeology section offers a tour which is chronological and thematic and takes the visitor through the human activity that took place in Luxembourg territories from prehistory to the Middle Ages through to the Bronze and Iron Ages of the Gallo-Roman times.

My favourite section was the photography exhibitions. Check their website for a list of the exhibitions. 

Permanent Exhibitions are free to enter. Temporary exhibitions are €7.00 (adult). 

Additional Information

Accommodation: If you are visiting Luxembourg in the summer season, I would get organised and book your room in the spring. For being such a small country there is a limited selection on offer.  I ended up staying in an airbnb lodging. 

Transport: Recently the Luxembourg government has announced that transport within the country is free.
Buses, trams and trains are now free to ride on and you don’t need a ticket.

Getting to Luxembourg: 
I travelled by train from Germany and flew back to the UK. with Ryanair. 
Luxembourg is well connected with Brussels, and Reims in France. 

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