Exploring Luxembourg City

Luxembourg is one of those small countries many forget to visit in their lifetime, and they shouldn’t. It’s a country so rich in history, so fairytale-like, that it should be a day trip that’s added to any Paris itinerary.

Blackbeard and I spent the day wandering around the historic areas, exploring hidden parks and streams within castle walls, and even walking UNDER a bridge on a suspension bridge!

The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this historic, little town!

Time needed in this city: 1 night

Where to stay

Luxembourg is a great day trip from Paris, which is what most tourists do when they want to experience the city. In fact, very few Luxembourgers live there either (it’s rare to meet someone that does live there). However, if you want to stay overnight, there are only a handful of hotels in the city to choose from:

Where to dine & Drink

Claire Fontaine

Offers upscale, international flare. They are open from 12pm - 1:30pm for lunch and 7:15pm - 9pm for dinner.

Grand Cafe

Located in the city center of Luxembourg, on the famous place d’Armes, the food establishment “Le Grand Café” caters to grilled meats lovers. Here, the meat is grilled through an innovative process of cooking with organic (bio) charcoal. They are open from 11am - 10pm.

We stumbled upon this place and are very glad we did. The Chicken Tagliata we had was excellent and the modern decor and super friendly service were awesome!

Ladurée

A world renowned French macaron, pastry, and tea shop, this location was quite elegant, yet very small. We took our macarons and teas to go so we could wander through the parks.

L’Annexe

Serves Mediterranean cuisine. They are open from 7pm - 10pm.

Le Bouquet Garnis

Serves upscale French cuisine in the form of a tasting menu. They are open from 12pm - 1:30pm for lunch and 7:30pm - 9:30pm for dinner.

Les Copains D’Abord

Offers French cuisine. They are open from 6:30pm - 10pm.

Lokkal

They serve seasonal vegan dishes. They are open from 9am - 5:00pm.

Restaurant Grec Athena

An award-winning Greek restaurant. They are open from 11:30am - 2:30pm for lunch and 6:30pm - 11pm for dinner.

What to See & Do

Adolphe Bridge

More than 100 years old, the Adolphe Bridge was opened in 1903 and at the time was the longest continuous, one-arched bridge in the world. It served both rail and road traffic. In 2004, the bridge was structurally reinforced with prestressed steel bars, and between 2014 and 2017, plans were put into action to reintroduce trams in Luxembourg. The bridge was widened and reinforced to accept the new rail lines. Additionally, a second level was suspended below the current level that carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic, which was the level we decided to take. If you're not afraid of heights, it's a beautiful walk!

Bock Casemates

The fortifications of Luxembourg were first built in 963 and over the following centuries, were overtaken by different military groups in different countries. Finally demolished in the late 19th century (it took 16 years to do so, though not all of it could be destroyed without destroying part of the city as well ), to prevent further conflict, the Bock Casemates are the only part of this formidable stronghold that remain largely intact (the intact part was used as a bomb shelter for 35,000 people during WWII).

The “Bock” was named for both the fortress erected by Count Siegfried in the 10th century, and the imposing rocky promontory on which it was built. Overtime, it became critical to dominating the west bank of the Rhine, projecting power across the French-German border, and controlling the Low Countries. As such, the defensive structures of the site were continually expanded and improved upon by each subsequent owner. The fortress’s casemates (i.e., fortified gun emplacements) were started by the Spanish in 1644, using the cellars of the medieval castle as their base. Extended by Vauban in the 1680s, and fully realized by the Austrians in the mid-18th century, the Bock Casemates were ultimately much more than cannon perches - there were also 14 miles of tunnels, going as deep as 130 ft. below the fortress, and included 25 artillery slots, stables, storehouses, workshops, kitchens, bakeries, slaughterhouses, and barracks for 1200 soldiers. There was also a 155 ft.-deep well for fresh water.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Yes, Luxembourg has a Notre-Dame! Built between 1613 and 1621 by the Jesuit religious order, Luxembourg’s Notre-Dame Cathedral is a must-see. It’s said that its most memorable external part is the Baroque-inspired northgate. However, inside, the cathedral is embellished with a luxurious stained glass window, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well modern sculptures and a tiny Madonna and Child statue above the altar. The graves of the royal family can be found in the crypt, safeguarded by two lions designed by Auguste Trémont.

Chemin de la Corniche

Commonly referred to as“the most beautiful balcony in Europe”, Chemin de la Corniche (translates to a road or walkway built into the side of the mountain, with the terrain steeply rising on one side and falling away on the other), are the walls that tower over the old city in the river valley, as well as the and the big Gate of the Grund, dating back from 1632. From the walls, you get beautiful views of aristocratic homes, the ancient convent of the Dominicans, as well as St. Michael’s Church.

Fun fact: Up to the year 1870, the Corniche had staircases in steep parts which were leveled off only after the dismantling of the fortress.

Don’t feel like walking up to the top for the views? There’s a free panoramic lift that runs from 5:15am - 1am everyday.

CLAUSEN

Clausen was inhabited as early as the Middle Ages. The Benedictine Abbey of Münster has been located on the Altmünster plateau, which towers over the Alzette (the city), since the 11th century. After 1543, it moved to Grund.

Shortly thereafter, the Count of Mansfeld, governor of the city from 1545 to 1604, put his stamp on Clausen. The remains of its magnificent castle and gardens are now protected by the National Monuments Authority and integrated into a park.

Note that it takes a bit to find a way to wind down the stairs and over to the other side, to the beautiful park within the walls but the adventure of finding it is both fun and well worth it!

Grund

Described as a “fairytale village within a city”, Grund ‘s history dates back to the 14th century. A little over 950 people live there (42% are Luxembourgers) and it is host to one Michelin-star restaurant.

It's a charming little historic village at the base of Luxembourg city and one that should not be missed!

La Passerelle

Built between 1859 and 1861, The Passerelle (known as the ‘Old Bridge’) is a viaduct in Luxembourg City, measuring 951 ft. in length, 147 in height. and contains 24 arches across. Not only was it built to connect the city center with the new railway station, it was purposefully built away from the city center so as not to detract from the defensive capabilities of the city's fortress.

To get from the train station to the historic side, you will walk over this bridge, which instantly, you feel like you’re in a fairytale when you see what it surrounds. The parks below are so peaceful and beautiful that we stood there for quite some time and took it all in.

Lëtzebuerg City Museum

Housed within a group of four renovated 17th-century houses, this museum reflects upon not only the history of Luxembourg as a city and a nation, but also the diversity and development of the area and its population since the 10th century. As well as a variety of interactive cultural programmes and events, the museum’s collection comprises photographs, postcards, ceramics, topographical models and pieces that show the progress of urban development, as well as a variety of special exhibits of items used in daily life.

Musée Dräi Eechelen

Outside of Old Town in the Kirchberg District, this museum is housed inside the renovated Fort Thüngen that dates from the 1730s. The museum’s permanent exhibition features more than 600 objects and documents within the old fort’s tunnels. They tell the story of the fortress of Luxembourg (the former fortifications of the city) from 1443 to 1903, offering an interesting look at this city on a rock.

Palais Grand-Ducal

Serving as the first city hall from 1572 to 1795, the palace wasn’t a “home” to any government or royal officials until 1817 when it was then converted into the governor’s residence. 66 years later, in 1883, the building's interior was renovated in preparation for a visit by King William III and Queen Emma, grand duke and grand duchess of Luxembourg. In 1890, with the accession of the House of Nassau-Weilburg, the palace was reserved exclusively for the grand duke and his family, prompting another renovation, which included a new wing for family rooms and guest accommodations. During WWII, the use dramatically shifted to Nazis use as a concert hall and tavern (large swastika flags draped down the front of the palace), which sadly, much of the palace's furniture, art collections, and jewels were later found in ruin during that time. It wasn’t until 1945, when the Duke and Duchess returned that it was renovated again, then redecorated during the 1960s. Between 1991 - 1996, it was thoroughly restored, and the inside routinely renovated to match modern tastes and standards of comfort. It is now continually used as the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, as well as the location of all official governmental events and ceremonial functions.

Rham Plateau

Located in Luxembourg City, the Rham Plateau is surrounded by the Alzette on three sides and has been part of the Luxembourg Fortress since the construction of the third ring wall in the 15th century. However, it did not remain as intended. At the end of the 17th century, Vauban had five military barracks built here, then at the end of the 19th century, it was converted to social facilities and as a retirement home. From the front of the Rham Plateau, there are views of the military buildings and fortifications of the Holy Spirit Citadel, as well as the Corniche .

Tours Vauban (Vauban Towers)

The Vauban Towers are two well-preserved towers, bearing the name of the medieval buildings they replaced: the Porte d'Eich and the Porte des Bons Malades. During the siege of the French, Vauban recognized that the Pfaffenthal and the adjacent heights constituted the weak points of the fortress. Thus, he had these towers integrated into the fortified enclosure of the city in 1685 (it took nearly 3,000 men to build them). He reinforced the heights with two forts and locked the valley by means of a protective wall, which connected Fort Berlaimont on the city side to the new forts in the Grünewald heights on the other side.

Vianden Castle

Historically, the first count of Vianden was mentioned in 1090 and continued to be the seat of the Vianden's influential counts until the beginning of the 15th century. In about 1000, the first medieval stone castle was built on the land for the first count and contained a watch tower with a surrounding oval wall as defense. It expanded through the lineage until the 15th century. It’s the only known structure to exist from the first medieval castle on site. It’s said that the most impressive parts of the castle are the chapel and the large and small palaces that were constructed between the end of the 12th century and the first half of the 13th century. It was fully restored in 1977.

How to get there

If you’re interested in only a day trip, a train from Paris is fairly easy. There are three train services that run direct, all from the Gare Lazare station. We chose Rail Europe’s first-class seating, since it’s a 3 hr. train ride, at $321.45 for two people, roundtrip.

A History Summary

35,000 years ago - In the territory now covered by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, there is evidence of primitive inhabitants as the oldest artifacts from this period are decorated bones found at Oetrange.
Neolithic period - Evidence of houses have been found in the south of Luxembourg at Grevenmacher, Diekirch, Aspelt and Weiler-la-Tour. The dwellings were made of a combination of tree trunks for the basic structure, mud-clad wickerwork walls, and roofs of thatched reeds or straw.
600 BC to 100 AD - The Celts (Treveri as they were known) occupied what is now current day Luxembourg, and constructed a number of oppida (Iron Age fortified settlements) near the Moselle valley in what is now southern Luxembourg, western Germany, and eastern France.
53 BC - The Romans, under Julius Caesar, completed their conquest and occupation, and the first known reference to the territory of present-day Luxembourg was by Julius Caesar in his Commentaries on the Gallic War. The Treveri were more cooperative with the Romans than most Gallic tribes, and adapted readily to Roman civilization.
480 AD - The territory of what would become Luxembourg became part of Merovingia Austrasia and eventually part of the core territory of the Carolingian Empire.
843 - 959 AD - With the Treaty of Verdun (843), the territory fell to Middle Francia, and in 855, to Lotharingia. With the latter's division in 959, it then fell to the Duchy of Upper Lorraine within the Holy Roman Empire.
1598 - Philip II of Spain bequeathed Luxembourg and the other Low Countries to his daughter, the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia and her husband Albert VII, Archduke of Austria. Albert was an heir and descendant of Elisabeth of Austria (d. 1505), queen of Poland, the youngest granddaughter of Sigismund of Luxembourg, the Holy Roman Emperor. Thus, Luxembourg returned to the heirs of the old Luxembourg dynasty of the line of Elisabeth. The Low Countries were a separate political entity during the couple's reign. After Albert's childless death in 1621, Luxembourg passed to his great-nephew and heir Philip IV of Spain.
1684 - 1697 - Luxembourg was invaded by Louis XIV of France in 1684 - an action that caused alarm among France's neighbors and resulted in the formation of the League of Augsburg in 1686. In the ensuing War of the Grand Alliance, France was forced to give up the duchy, which was returned to the Habsburgs by the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697.
1697 - 1795 - The ownership of Luxembourg and the Low Countries changed hands several times, due to birth rights to the land.
1795 - 1798 - During the War of the First Coalition, Luxembourg was conquered and annexed by Revolutionary France, becoming part of the département of the Forêts in 1795. The annexation was formalized at Campo Formio in 1797 and the following year, Luxembourgish peasants started a rebellion against the French but it was rapidly suppressed. This brief rebellion is called the Peasant's War.
1798 - 1815 - Luxembourg remained more or less under French rule until the defeat of Napoleon when the Congress of Vienna gave formal autonomy to the country and they also joined the German Confederation.
1820 - Luxembourg made use of the metric system of measurement compulsory (previously, the country had been using local units, such as the "malter" (which was equivalent to 191 litres).
1830 - 1839 - Except for the fortress and its immediate vicinity, Luxembourg was considered a province of the new Belgian state, though by the Treaty of London in 1839, the status of the grand duchy became fully sovereign and in personal union to the king of the Netherlands. In turn, the predominantly oil-speaking geographically larger western part of the duchy was ceded to Belgium as the province de Luxembourg. This created a huge economic problem for the city’s markets, causing 1 in 5 inhabitants to emigrate to the U.S.
1890 - Luxembourg remained a possession of the kings of the Netherlands until the death of William III.
1914 - 1918 - WWI affected Luxembourg at a time when the nation-building process was far from complete. The small grand duchy (about 260,000 inhabitants in 1914) opted for an ambiguous policy while the country was occupied by German troops - their government chose to remain neutral on this. Although continuity prevailed on the political level, the war caused social upheaval, which laid the foundation for the first trades union in Luxembourg.
1918 - 1921 - At the end of the occupation, the victorious Allies disapproved of the choices made by the local élites, and some Belgian politicians even demanded the (re)integration of the country into a greater Belgium. Within Luxembourg, a strong minority asked for the creation of a republic. In the end, the grand duchy remained a monarchy but was led by a new head of state, Charlotte. In 1921, it entered into an economic and monetary union with Belgium.
1939-1940 - Upon the outbreak of WWII, the government of Luxembourg observed its neutrality and issued an official proclamation. On May 10, 1940, an invasion by German armed forces sent the Luxembourgish government and monarchy into exile, the latter of which received visas from the Portuguese consul so they could travel to the U.S. Throughout the war, Grand Duchess Charlotte broadcasted, via the BBC, to give hope to the people of Luxembourg.
1940 - 1942 - Luxembourg remained under German military occupation until August 1942, when Nazi Germany formally annexed it as part of the Gau Moselland. The German authorities declared Luxembourgers to be German citizens and called up 13,000 for military service - 2,848 of them eventually died fighting in the German army. It was also estimated that 29%-71% of Jews that lived in Luxembourg before the war, were murdered in the Holocaust. However, more strikes were carried out as Luxembourgish refused to learn German or become defiant against all military action.
1944 - U.S. forces liberated most of the country in September of that year. They entered the capital city on September 10, 1944 and finally expelled the Germans in January 1945.
1945 - 2005 - The government became a formal NATO member after the war. It took this period of time to reform and stabilize the government, which included going through a pretty hefty recession. As of 2005, Luxembourg enjoyed one of the highest GNR per capita in the world, which was mainly due to the strength of its financial sector (one-third of the tax proceeds originated from that sector). The harmonisation of the tax system across Europe could, however, seriously undermine the financial situation of the grand duchy.
2005 - Present - Luxembourg is a well-functioning country that contributes much to the EU. They’ve changed Prime Ministers a couple of times but the country has enjoyed 18 year (and counting) of a much more stable economy.