About Luxembourg
Spread your net wide when deciding on an itinerary around the Grand Duchy, for some of the area's most enticing attractions lie away from Luxembourg City (although almost always within easy access from here). Some of the unmissable highlights include Luxembourg's Medieval fairy tale castles and much-loved wine route, that stretches across the Moselle River valley connecting the towns of Echternach and Mondorf-les-Bains, the latter inviting weary travelers for a soak in effervescent thermal baths.
Marc Marchal/Unsplash.comMoselle Valley
The Moselle Valley wine region spans France, Luxembourg, and Germany, with wineries closest to Luxembourg City located within less than a half-hour's drive from there. The scenic river valley offers abundant wine-tasting opportunities for Riesling and Elbling aficionados; tastings can be arranged at most local wineries, but contacting in advance to check for availability is recommended. If in doubt, try Caves du Sud in Remerschen, Caves St Martin or Caves Desom Saint-Remy in Remich, or Domaine Mathes and Domaine Alice Hartmann in Wormeldange. The region is also excellent hiking grounds, with hiking trails and cycling paths, with boat tours running along the Moselle.
Valery Shanin/Shutterstock.comFond-de-Gras
To learn more about Luxembourg's past as a major iron ore mining center, visit this historic location and take a ride on the steam train that once transported ore from the Fond-de-Gras mines to the nearby town of Petange. Enjoy the scenic ride and pay a visit to the underground mining museum.
Raymond Thill/Shutterstock.comMullerthal
Luxembourg's 'Little Switzerland' is defined by splendid landscapes and unusual rock formations, which can be explored on foot via the Mullerthal Hiking Trail, spanning a total of 112 kilometers. The regional capital is Echternach, the oldest city in Luxembourg, which is worth a visit for its historic Benedictine abbey, Roman Villa remains, and fantastic local produce.
Bert Beckers/Shutterstock.comVianden Castle
The town of Vianden on the German border contains one of Luxembourg's most attractive castles. Set atop a scenic hill, this Romanesque château is an excellent day trip from Luxembourg City (roughly a 30-minute drive), one that grants ample insight into Medieval life in the area.
Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock.comClervaux Castle
Rebuilt entirely after being destroyed during WWII, Château de Clervaux is among the Duchy's most notable attractions. It contains a fascinating UNESCO-listed photography exhibition, Edward Steichen's 'Family of Man', which takes its origins at MoMA (Museum of Modern Art in New York) and has now found a permanent home at Clervaux. The two other on-site museums, one displaying scale models of Luxembourg's castles, and another dedicated to the WWII Battle of the Ardennes (which resulted in the original castle's annihilation), are also worth exploring.
CIW1/Shutterstock.comBeaufort Castles
Both castles of Beaufort are worth a visit. The first, demolished during the Battle of the Ardennes of WWII, is now in ruins, the second — a Renaissance château— can be visited on a pre-booked guided tour during high season. Tasting of a locally made fruit liquor is included in the price of admission.
Sabino Parente/Shutterstock.comWiltz Castle
The Renaissance Château de Wiltz is no longer its original 13th-century incarnation, but a beautifully reconstructed building that contains a museum dedicated to the Battle of the Ardennes, as well as an unlikely Beer & Tanney Museum (guided tours on request), with a functioning microbrewery and an impressive collection of bottles.
trabantos/Shutterstock.comAbbey of Echternach
Founded in the 7th century by St Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg, the Abbey of Echternach contains a fascinating scriptorium — once the most important in Medieval Europe — in its cellar, with manuscripts dating as far back as the 11th century. Part of the abbey complex, the Basilica of Saint Willibrord contains a crypt with the saint's holy remains. A dancing procession that draws visitors from all over the world (Saint Willibrord Pageant) is held in the town annually on Whit Tuesday.
Wicher Bos/Shutterstock.comValentiny Foundation
Celebrated Luxembourgish architect François Valentiny inaugurated this peculiar crisp-white building in Remerschen in late 2016 as a space to showcase his own and partner Hubert Hermann's artistic creations (over 3000 permanent exhibits). The permanent collection is regularly complemented by exhibitions featuring works by other artists.
blurAZ/Shutterstock.comBiodiversum Nature Reserve
The Biodiversum Nature Centre, designed by acclaimed Luxembourgish architect Francois Valentiny, is an interactive starting point for a 2.5-kilometer nature circuit trail guiding visitors through the diverse flora and fauna of the region, with several bird-watching spots along the way.
Raymond Thill/Shutterstock.comParc Merveilleux
Aimed primarily at younger visitors, the park will still be a delight for the whole family. There are plenty of playgrounds and attractions for the little ones, but also an impressive number of animal residents originating from 5 different continents. Among those you can encounter on a trip to the park are pink flamingos, penguins, monkeys and even crocodiles.
Nataliya Zinovyeva/Shutterstock.comEsch-sur-Sûre Castle
Another one of Luxembourg's historic castles, the now decrepit one in Esch-sur-Sûre was originally built in the Romanesque style as early as the 10th century, with later Gothic additions two centuries later. Inhabited by commoners for a time, it is now but a relic of Medieval Europe open to the public.
Forrest L. Smith, III/Shutterstock.comBlast Furnace Belval
For a close encounter with Luxembourg's industrial past, make time for a visit to this blast furnace once used for steel production. Furnace A can be explored both independently or as part of a guided tour; those who make it all the way to the top will be rewarded with sweeping views of the surrounding areas.
LUC KOHNEN/Shutterstock.comEsch-sur-Alzette Architecture
Dubbed the architectural jewel of Luxembourg, the town of Esch-sur-Alzette boasts an incredibly diverse architectural landscape featuring buildings in Art Nouveau, Art Deco, French Neo-Gothic, Modernist and Post-modernist styles. It's an open-air museum of European architectural efforts with guided tours on offer.
FLLL/CC BY-SA 3.0/WikimediaTrier
Hop across the border for an excursion to the oldest German town of Trier, which contains some beautiful examples of well-preserved Roman architecture, including the UNESCO-listed city gate of Porta Nigra (Latin for 'black gate'), remains of Roman baths and an amphitheater. Located in the Moselle Valley, the city is an essential stop to include in a wine route through the area.
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