Luxembourg is a small European country surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany it is ranked as one of the wealthiest countries. I hadn’t heard much about it before visiting and was pleasantly surprised by Luxembourg. The city is a UNESCO world heritage city full of fortresses castle and old medieval buildings. Here are some fun things to do on a long weekend in Luxembourg.
Things to do on a long weekend in Luxembourg
Visit the Cathedral Notre Dame
The cathedral is beautiful from the outside and the structure is also gorgeous even on the inside. With two different entrances, visitors can enter from either and explore the magnificent beauty of this place.
Address: Rue Notre Dame, 2240 Luxembourg
Walk around the historical city centre
One of my favourite things to do was just wander around Luxembourg. The so many historical buildings and the old quarters and fortifications of the city are actually UNESCO World Heritage Listed. Walking around the old town you’ll find plenty of cute boutique shops, cafes and restaurants.
Hop on Hop off bus tour
This open top double decker bus tour will take you around the best sights in Luxembourg. On the tour you’ll see the beautiful old town with its tiny streets filled with boutiques and restaurants.
The Palace of the Grand Duke
The official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, this 16th century building has one of the most beautiful façades in the city. The palace is open for guided visits from mid-July till end of August every year. You can also stop to have a coffee in one of the nearby cafes so you can admire this pretty building.
Address: 17 Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes, 1728 Luxembourg
Learn about history at Museum Dräi Eechelen
You can find this museum in the restored keep of fort Thüngen. The permanent exhibition shows you a different era of the fortress as well as its influence on the country’s history.
Free walking tour
When you first arrive in a city its always a good idea to do a free walking tour. This will teach you where all the good places to visit are and you’ll learn about the history of Luxembourg. Sign up for this Chocolate House, they normally have one running in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Head to the best viewpoint
The road of corniche is considered the best viewpoint in Luxembourg. The road was built by the French and Spanish at the same time. The entire path stretches from the Bock Rock and leads to the Holy Ghost Citadel. The road goes by a place known as the Alzette Valley and is a car-free zone. This place is a great place to visit at sunset.
Where to eat
Kaale Kaffi
This is a cute little vintage coffee shop with old antique pictures and decor.It’s the perfect place to hang out, get a drink, enjoy some cake and relax.
Address: 1247, 9 Rue de la Boucherie, 1247 Luxembourg
Chocolate House
This place does the best hot chocolate and also has the prettiest decor inside. There are loads of flavour hot chocolates you can choose from. I went for the strawberry pink pepper which was good but a bit spicy. They bring you a mug of hot milk and chocolate on a spoon which you mix into
the milk. This is so much better than a powdered hot chocolate! You also get a mug with whipped cream and a marshmallow. If you love chocolate then you definitely have to visit this place. They also serve cake and a variety of chocolates, if you’re looking for a souvenir definitely get some chocolate form here.
Address: 20 Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes, 1728 Luxembourg
Ladurée
Visit this fancy French cafe for delicious macrons, cakes, coffee’s and hot chocolates.
Address: 7 Rue des Capucins, 1313 Luxembourg
Brasserie Siegfried
Visit this brasserie for lunch or dinner, the atmosphere here is very relaxed. The kitchen serves Luxembourgish and French cuisine and you’ll be served a decent portion. You could also just visit for a drink or two.
Address: 41 Allée Scheffer, 2520 Luxembourg
Charles Sandwiches
This tiny restaurant serves up some tasty sandwiches.
Address: 16, rue du Fort Bourbon, L-1249 Luxembourg
Picanha Plaza
If you love meat you’ll enjoy Picanha Plaza which serves a variety of meats and steaks. They are also currently No.1 for restaurants in Luxembourg on TripAdvisor.
Address: 88 Rue de Bonnevoie, 1260 Luxembourg
Ennert de Steiler
If you fancy a beer, why not visit Ennert de Steiler, Luxembourg’s oldest pub.
Address: 2 Rue de la Loge, 1945 Luxembourg
Accommodation – Luxembourg City Hostel
This is the only hostel in Luxembourg so if you are on a budget book in advance as it was fully booked when I stayed there in August. I met some friendly people in this hostel but its not overly social. As it is the only hostel there is a mixture of ages and some families staying here.
Hostel information:
- Free breakfast – bread, jam, cheese, ham & cereals
- Near city centre – close to fortress with great views
- Cheapest accommodation in Luxembourg
- Lockers – bring padlock with you
- Members of hostelling international get a 3 Euro discount
- Wifi – however you don’t get this in the room only in common areas which is a bit annoying
Address: 2 Rue du Fort Olisy, 2261 Luxembourg
Day trips from Luxembourg
Relax at a spa
If you fancy a bit of relaxation head to Mondorf-les-Bains spa. Located in the South Eastern Luxembourg in the Moselle region. This spa is home to one of the best thermal springs in all of Europe. The spa is serviced with spring water from underground pumps and the water is known for its healing properties. This spa is a 30 minute drive from the centre of Luxembourg.
Vianden Castle
Such a beautiful fairytale castle that is definitely worth a day trip. To get here from Luxembourg city centre get the train to Ettelbruck then get the 570 bus. The bus stop is opposite the Ettelbruck train station. The whole trip costs 4 euros for a return ticket this includes the bus trip. I went at the end of July and they had a medieval concert here it was amazing! It featured bands and a medieval show with sword fighting. You have to get a cable car up to the castle it only costs a few quid and has amazing views.
Information & Tips
- Currency is Euros
- Languages spoken – German, French and Luxembourgish
- The train station is about 15 minute walk to the old town, turn right when exiting the station and keep walking straight past the shops
- Day ticket on buses is around 4 Euros
- There is a free history museum in the city centre
When to visit
Luxembourg is lovely in summer, its’s the perfect time to walk around the time and admire this beautiful city.
If you visit at Christmas you can go to the traditional Christmas markets. Thousands of people visit the market each year. Visit to buy Christmas gifts, drink Gluhwein and go ice skating.
How to get here
I visited here from Brussels in Belgium, this was a 3.5 hour train ride. Flixbus is another option if you are travelling from a destination in Europe, the buses are a cheap way to get around. You can also fly into Luxembourg airport, the airport is only a 15 minute drive from the city centre. Keep an eye on the Ryanair website as they sometimes sell tickets to Luxembourg for only £20.
How long to spend in Luxembourg
A long weekend in Luxembourg is the perfect amount of time to spend in the city, you’ll be able to see most of the main attractions and spend some time wandering around the city. There’s not loads of things to do so you don’t need to spend ages here but if your after a more leisurely trip then 5 days would be a good amount of time.
Liked this post, pin it for later – Things to do on a long weekend in Luxembourg.
