**Vianden Castle: one of the most famous castles in the country, in the town of Vianden, northeastern Luxembourg.**

Unexpected Magic

On a continent of famous countries with star-powered sights, tiny Luxembourg seems like an afterthought in the minds of many European travelers. Only measuring 59 miles long by 35 miles wide, Luxembourg is a quiet, unimposing little country with immense riches. It’s the second-richest country in the world per capita behind Qatar, but it doesn’t flaunt its wealth. It feels accessible to all. Boasting a charming capital city and beautiful forests, you can’t go wrong with a weekend visit to this slice of northern Europe. There’s no way to describe Luxembourg other than a place with unexpected magic.

Official Languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish (the national language: similar to German)

Best time to visit: Anytime is good, but seasonal availability of some sights means you might want to visit in late spring, summer, or early autumn (May-October.) I visited in early November and some of the famous locations were closed, but the scenery was beautiful.

Budget: $$$$ (expensive but reasonable for a weekend)

English Level: Very good.

**Luxembourg City, combining fairytale charm with modern-day architecture.**

I don’t know anything about Luxembourg?

Some people might not even know where Luxembourg is, or that a place called Luxembourg exists. That’s ok! I only went because my friend Lexi and I found roundtrip airplane tickets from Barcelona to Luxembourg for about 40 dollars (hard to beat that deal!) We had no idea what we signed up for and decided the price of the tickets justified seeing this random place in Europe. Luxembourg is the country inside the big green circle in the picture below. If you were looking at any old map of Europe, you would have to search very hard to find it!

**Map of Europe, with the European Union in light green and Luxembourg in dark green, within the circle.**

A few interesting facts about the country:

1. Luxembourg has just over 600,000 people living within its borders. Half of them are foreigners, mostly from other European countries.

2. Luxembourg’s commuter workforce represents about 43% of employment in the country. This means that 43% of the workforce comes from outside of Luxembourg. About 172,000 people commute into Luxembourg from Belgium, France, and Germany everyday to go to work, and then leave at the end of the day.

3. Luxembourg is the world’s last remaining Grand Duchy, meaning that the head of the constitutional monarchy holds the title of Grand Duke or Duchess.

What to do in Luxembourg City

Luxembourg City (also just called Luxembourg) is the capital of Luxembourg and is a nice place to spend a few days. While there might not be as many world class museums to visit, or a thriving nightlife for young people, it’s a great place to walk around and explore. I like to call Luxembourg the city that doesn’t have a lot to do, but a lot to see. It’s the perfect place to spend a short weekend.

**Luxembourg City is a great place to visit in autumn.**

Grand Ducal Palace

The home of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg is a palace in the middle of the city, called the Grand Ducal Palace. Compared to other European palaces, this one is much more subtle and simple, which isn’t a bad quality to have. When you first approach the palace you might not even notice that it is one because of how well in blends in with the rest of the neighborhood. I didn’t realize it until I looked up at the conical roofs which resemble those of a standard European castle. If you want to visit the palace, you will have to go on a guided tour between July and August. Unfortunately the palace is closed the rest of the year!

**Side gate to the Grand Ducal Palace. At the top of the gate you can see the Coat of Arms of Luxembourg.**

La Cathédrale Notre Dame

Located in the heart of the city, the Notre Dame Cathedral (not the Parisian one!) of Luxembourg is the only Roman catholic cathedral in the entire country, named for Luxembourg’s patron saint Maria Consolatrix Afflictorum. Much like the Grand Ducal Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral is toned down and conservative in its design compared to many other cathedrals across Europe. Built in the late Gothic style with Renaissance elements adorning the exterior of the building, the Notre Dame Cathedral reflects the proximity of Luxembourg to the Protestant Revolution of the 16th century. Both the exterior and interior are more sparsely decorated compared to Catholic churches in southern Europe; I felt it had more in common with Protestant churches in northern Europe. Masses are conducted in French, German, and Latin, due to Luxembourg’s linguistic diversity.

**Interior of Notre Dame Cathedral. The altar and stained glass windows are the most elaborate components of the church’s design.**

Gëlle Fra Statue

Standing proudly in Constitution Square, the Gëlle Fra Statue is a mighty war memorial that commemorates Luxembourg citizens that volunteered to fight for the allies in the two World Wars and the Korean War. In both World Wars, Germany occupied the country and many Luxembourgers felt it was their patriotic duty to fight back against the occupation of their homeland. Sitting atop a large granite obelisk is a gilded bronze statue of Nike, the Greek goddess of winged victory. In this depiction, Luxembourg deems her the “Queen of Freedom” for the liberation of the country after successive occupations.

Adolphe Bridge

The Adolphe Bridge is one of the few bridges I have encountered in Europe that you can appreciate from many different perspectives; on top of, below, and across from. Connecting the Gare and Central districts of the city, chances are you will pass over the Adolphe at some point during your travels in Luxembourg City. You can also appreciate it from a beautiful promenade several hundred feet below, which we will see later on. AND, you can get a full view of the bridge from just a short distance away, where most famous pictures of the bridge are taken. Adolphe is a double decked arch bridge, beautifully designed, and considered a sort of national symbol of the country’s independence from the various royal kingdoms that partitioned it in the 19th century.

Grund District

The Grund District is a small neighborhood in the old quarter of Luxembourg City, located at the bottom of a large hill that the city sits on. By far the most beautiful neighborhood in the city, Grund is the picturesque, fairytale-like setting that makes northern Europe so special. There are amazing backdrops as the Alzette river winds its way around the townhouses and apartments that sit in the valley amidst groves of large trees. Lexi and I felt like we had stumbled upon a secret slice of heaven. This is the perfect place to take a long walk after a meal and enjoy the beautiful scenery that the city has to offer its visitors. Search for the Chemin de la Corniche, a small path that rises a bit above Grund for great views. Just be careful of the steep climb to return to the city!

**Grund district. Here you can see the separation of the neighborhood from the rest of the city, which sits high on the cliffs.**

**View of Grund from the Chemin de la Corniche path.**

Casements du Bock (Bock Casemates)

**One of the Casements du Bock, a series of tunnels and fortifications built in Luxembourg to protect the city from invaders.**

As you complete your tour of the Grund district, you will notice a series of huge cliffs with tunnels built into them; these are the famous Casements du Bock. Throughout the Middle Ages and the religious wars of the 16th-17th centuries, many European powers fortified the tunnels to protect the territory from whatever foreign power was invading at the time. The result was a massive complex of fortresses and defensive works that soldiers and weapons could use during invasions. Nowadays, visitors can explore the long series of tunnels and get a birds-eye view of Grund and the surrounding city.

Outside Luxembourg City

While Luxembourg City is worth visiting for a few days, the rest of Luxembourg is famous for the many castles scattered across the northern section of the country. Lexi and I had the opportunity to visit one in the northeastern corner, called Vianden. We loved it. Vianden is not the only option however, so if you are interested in another castle that catches your eye, go for it! One of the joys of exploring is finding something on your own and checking it out firsthand.

Vianden Castle

Sitting above the small town of Vianden in northeastern Luxembourg is the magnificent Vianden Castle. The first recorded mention of the town of Vianden dates back to the 10th century, but the castle was not built until between the 11th and 14th centuries in the Romanesque style, which basically refers to its rounded features and cylindrical towers. Little by little, more elements were added onto the castle, including Gothic adornments and a Renaissance mansion, until the castle was allowed to fall into ruin. Efforts to restore the castle were delayed until the 20th century when Grand Duke Jean repossessed the castle and contracted a team to restore it in its entirety, which was finished in 1990.

Today Vianden Castle is one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine river. An easy day trip from Luxembourg City, Vianden is a charming place to visit not just to visit the castle but also to see the Victor Hugo house and museum. He visited the town four times in his life and eventually sought refuge here while living in exile from France in 1871. While the museum is very small and not necessary to visit, I thought it was neat to stand in the same place where the literary giant once lived and worked. The town of Vianden is also a great place to sit with a coffee and enjoy the little houses that wind up the hill on the way to the castle.

**Bridge in the town of Vianden. Victor Hugo’s house is on the left.**

HOW TO GET THERE: From Luxembourg City, go to the central train station and buy a ticket to Ettelbruck. The train is a great option because you get to enjoy the beautiful countryside! Once you disembark the train, walk across the street to the bus station and get on Bus 570. You will take it to Vianden, Breck. The bus will drop you off in the town of Vianden, at which point you will have to walk about 20 minutes uphill to reach the castle.

**Town of Vianden, as seen from the castle.**

Restaurants in Luxembourg City

Given our short stay in Luxembourg, we were only able to experience a few eateries in the city, but they were fantastic!

Cyrano

Fine, upscale food is what you’re getting at Cyrano, and we weren’t disappointed! The restaurant has modern decor and an elegant setting that isn’t outrageously expensive. Given how the entire country of Luxembourg feels a bit upscale and fancy, we thought it was appropriate we go out for a nice meal.

Address: 22 Rue du Laboratoire, 1911 Luxembourg

Phone: +352 27 48 90 87

Website: http://www.cyrano.lu

Lux’burgers

If you’re looking for a hamburger fix in Luxembourg, this is the place to visit! They have original styles that I’m not used to in the US, so that was fun to try!

Address: 17 Rue de Bonnevoie, 1260 Luxembourg

Phone: +352 26 19 00 70

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Luxburgers/