9 Best Things To Do in Luxembourg City
Why Luxembourg City?
Luxembourg City is the capital of the small nation of Luxembourg
1. Visit Grund
Grund is a neighborhood in Luxembourg City located along the Alzette river on the Bourbon plateau below the Ville Haute. This is one of the most historically authentic parts of the city with narrow laneways, old churches, and a cobblestone street built in the 10th century.
If you are interested in enjoying a drink of a bit check out Scott’s Pub located on the river. Warning it does get pretty busy so arrive early if you want to sit on the patio. Also, check out Vins Fins for an alfresco experience and to try some delicious Luxembourgish wine.
You can walk to and from Grund or take an elevator, Ascenseur Plateau St. Esprit Grund. The Grund entrance is through a tunnel across the river from Scott’s Pub and the upper entrance is located across from the Justice building.
2. Palais Grand-Ducal
The Palais Grand-Ducal was formerly the site of Luxembourg’s first town hall in 1418. In the early 1800s, the Palais became the residence of the governor who represented the Dutch grand dukes. Currently, the building is used for the offices of the grand duke and grand duchess of Luxembourg and their staff. Also, foreign heads of state stay in the Palais when they are visiting Luxembourg.
The really interesting thing about Palais is that it is located in the Ville Haute and is only roped off by the low chains seen in the picture above. It’s a really interesting experience to turn a corner and see an active royal palace right across the lane from a chocolate shop and a cafe.
*Travel Tip: If you are visiting in late summer you can take a tour of the palace.
3. Luxembourg City History Museum
Want to learn more about the unique history of Luxembourg then head to the Luxembourg City History Museum. /
his museum is one of the most unique history museums I’ve been to. You start at the lowest level of the museum, which is embedded into the rock, and learn about the prehistoric history of the city. As you move up, each floor brings you closer to modern times ending on the top floor with contemporary history and art, as well as a patio with a beautiful view of the Grund.
4. Church of Saint John of Grund
Located in Grund along the Alzette River the Church of Saint John of Grund the church was first mentioned in writing in 1309. The current church was completed in the 18th century./While wandering around Grund you can step further back in time to see the Baroque interiors, an organ from 1701, and a famous Black Madonna icon.
5. Free walking tour
Explore the capital of Luxembourg with a free walking tour. You will get an excellent tour of the Ville Haute and learn interesting facts about the EU’s smallest country. Some facts about Luxembourg:/*It is the smallest country in the EU and the 7th smallest in the world./*Most citizens are trilingual. They speak Luxembourgish, German, and English in schools/*Forests cover 1/3 of the country’s landscape
6. Pfaffenthal Panoramic Elevator
A mix of old and new, the Pfaffenthal Panoramic Elevator connects the upper Ville Haute to the lower part of Luxembourg City. The elevator can be found in the upper part of the city within Pescatore park and takes you down to the Pfaffenthal quarter in the valley below. /Pfaffenthal is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site, Bock Casemates. An important part of the city’s history, the casemates are a series of defense tunnels initially built in the 17th century when the city was under Spanish rule. /*Travel Tip: The elevator is available to pedestrians and cyclists for free. Its open every day from 5:45am-1am.
7. Try Kniddelen
Kniddelen is a traditional Luxembourgish dumpling served in soups, fried, or eaten with a sauce. /Most traditional Luxembourgish food is derived from German, Latin, Italian, and French food. Its origins are based on peasant foods such as stews, potatoes, sausages, and soups./I had fantastic kniddelen and Luxembourgish wine at Um Dierfgen, a short walk from Place d’Armes square in Ville Haute.
8. Melusina statue
While in Grund stop by the statue of Melusina which was created by artist Serge Ecker in 2015 using 3-D printing. /The legend goes that in 963 beautiful Melusina married Count Siegfried, the founder and first ruler of the Castle of Luxembourg. Her one stipulation to marrying the count was that she must be able to spend every Saturday alone. /Soon the count became jealous and he began spying on Melusina. He was shocked to discover that his wife had a fishtail. Once she found out the count was spying Melusina into a hole in the Alzette River never to be seen again. /The legend goes that every seven years she appears as a snake on the rocks near the Alzette waiting to be freed. If Melusina is freed from her spell, the whole of Luxembourg will vanish into the rocks with her.
9. Take a day trip
With free transportation, it would be silly not to take a day trip. /Luxembourg is a small country with a lot of history; a short train ride away, you can access the oldest town in the country Echternach, /In just under an hour you can visit Trier, the oldest town in Germany./South of the city, you can visit Moselle River Valley, which is a wine region spanning France, Germany, and Luxembourg.