Weekend in Luxembourg City – budget travel guide

This summer I was able to bag some really cheap fares to visit Luxembourg City. This destination had never been on my bucket list, but finding £20 return flights in the Ryanair sale changed my mind!

I was pleasantly surprised at how pretty this city was. I’d not really heard much about it, in fact I know a lot of people who love travelling but cannot recall anyone mentioning they had visited there.

There aren’t a huge amount of sights to see here but plenty of beauty. Luxembourg is often referred to as “the green heart” of Europe and you’ll see why. The city is very compact so you’ll manage to cover the majority of it in a day.

My blog and vlog are below featuring some of the highlights of my trip and travellers information.

The Corniche

Le Chemin de La Corniche (also known as Europe’s most beautiful balcony) is a pedestrian promenade with amazing views of the lower part of the city.

The Old Town (upper level)

The old town is beautiful to walk around and there are some gorgeous buildings to admire – the Grand Ducal Palace (built between 1572 and 1574) and the 17th century Notre Dame Cathedral being some of the highlights. Other notable spots include the Town Hall in Place Guillaume II (the tourist office is located here too), and the Place d’Armes square is where you will find several restaurants with outdoor seating. Stop by the Ilot Gastronomique which is a beautiful vertical building housing a handful of restaurants.

The Grund

The Grund is part of the old town but located down in the gorge on the lower level (to get here you can walk down or take the free lift (from the car park in Cité Judiciaire). The area is a very picturesque and affluent neighbourhood, with stone houses, a 15th century bridge, terraced gardens and many cafes and bars (so a great place to go for an evening out). 

Make sure to stop by Scott’s Pub for a riverside drink on their outdoor terrace – they usually have a BBQ going on dry sunny days where you can purchase a burger for 10 euros.

Casemates du Bock

The Bock is a large rock that is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and inside are the famous Casemates, a vast network of tunnels. It is one of Europe’s most formidable medieval fortresses, with an expansive 21km labyrinth of underground caves and passages.

There are also some great views down into Grund area from the balconies within the cliffs. The Casemates are a good place for history buffs, and something to do when it is a rainy day. Entry fee is 6 euros and they are open everyday from 10am  – 8.30pm (closed the winter months Nov-Feb).

Address: Montee de Clausen, Luxembourg City

Pfaffenthal lift

This is one of two free lifts that take you back and forth from the lower to upper city. The lift itself is glass walled and is fairly new, having only opened last year. You are taken from the small historic village of Pfaffenthal all the way up to the top to Parc Piscatory in just 30 seconds. There is also a small viewing deck on the upper level which has amazing panoramic views across the city.

Address: 1 Montee de Pfaffenthal, Luxembourg City 2329

The Chocolate House

The Chocolate House is one of the city’s most popular cafes, possibly due to it’s amazing looking desserts and outdoor seating with a view of the Grand Ducal Palace (which is opposite the cafe). 

Address: 20, rue du Marché-aux-Herbes, L-1728 Luxemburg Stadt

Extra time in Luxembourg City?

Feel like you’ve done everything and want another adventure? Extend your stay and take a road trip around Luxembourg or if you are looking for a day trip from Luxembourg City , visit Trier – Germany’s oldest city. It is 50 minutes away from Luxembourg city by train and located on the border of the two countries. If you book your train tickets in advance the return fare is a bargainous 8 euros.

In Trier you can spend a few hours wandering around the compact city. Admire the gorgeous buildings in the main square, take a river cruise and eat some very yummy currywurst and chips.

Accommodation in Luxembourg City

Ibis Styles was a great place to stay in Luxembourg City, the hotel cost £55 (60 euros) per night for a double room (booked far in advance). The location was very convenient with the airport bus stop and train station a 2 minute walk away.

The room was basic but comfy and the rate included a simple breakfast each morning (croissants, ham, cheese, eggs, cereal, fruit, yogurts, tea and coffee). The walk into the city takes approx 10 minutes, and there are plenty of shops, supermarkets and restaurants in the local area. The only downside to this hotel is there is no fridge which would have been useful to store items bought from the supermarket (I’m talking about beer!).

Dining

Luxembourg is really expensive, so not a great destination for the budget conscious traveller. During our trip we found that purchasing gooey french cheeses, crusty bread, crisps and fruit from the supermarket was a great affordable option for a picnic lunch.

We also ate at the chain restaurant Pizza Hut (yeah yeah we know!) – where a small pizza and salad buffet cost 11 euros. The positive side is that we got to enjoy eating it on one of the outdoor tables in Place d’Armes in the sunshine. Many restaurants in this city tend to close fairly early in this city so keep this in mind.

Getting to Luxembourg City

We flew from London Stansted airport for £20 return (Ryanair sale) leaving on a Thursday night and arriving back late Sunday night during the month of August. The flight time is just over 1 hour. From Luxembourg airport you can jump onto a bus (fare is 2 euros) and it will take you all the way to the main train station in the city in 25 minutes.

Weekend in Luxembourg City – Good to know

Languages spoken – German, French and Luxembourgish

Currency – Euros

All photography is by Caroline Keyzor and copyright protected.

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