So you’re thinking of spending one day in Luxembourg City, and I don’t blame you because it is such an easy day trip with popular cities and countries nearby. Plus, if you’re anything like me, you would like to tick off one more country to your growing list. So, in this guide, I will be taking you through my walking tour of Luxembourg City, with stops at all the top attractions. You will also find a Google Map walking guide you can save!
Fun Fact: Did you know Luxembourg is one of the wealthiest nations by GDP per capita?
Getting Here
Luxembourg is an incredibly popular day-trip destination because it is close to other tourist hubs. Popular cities like Paris, Metz, Brussels, Ghent, and even Bruges can be good jumping-off points. Germany also borders Luxembourg, and the Netherlands is not too far away.
Taking the train is the most popular way to visit Luxembourg City. The Luxemburg Train Station is just 10-15 minutes from all the popular attractions.
You can also fly to Luxembourg Airport, which is about a 30-minute train ride.
Alex and I came over from Paris on a fast train that took a little over 2 hours, and the tickets were 174 euros for both of us. We took the 8:14 AM train in and left at 4:10 PM. I wouldn’t have minded taking a little bit of a later train out. You will want to get your tickets in advance to secure the best price.
Related: Check out these fun day trips you can take from Paris
How to Get Around the City
Anyone who ever talks about Luxembourg loves to mention that all public transportation is FREE! I mean, it is pretty cool! So, as you can imagine, taking public transportation and walking are the best ways to get around the city.
The city is built on a cliff, so walking down to the Grund can be a workout. Unfortunately, you will not find Uber or ridesharing apps here.
How to use this map: On mobile, you can open the map in your Google Maps, and on Desktop, click the Star to add it to your maps.
Pont Adolphe
Start your trip by admiring the Pont Adolphe Bridge. This double-decker bridge is such an architectural gem; you could even walk across it, but we won’t in this itinerary. From here, you will also have some really nice views.
Monument of Remembrance
Next, head over to the Monument of Remembrance. You can see it from Pont Adolphe and it’s about a 3-minute walk. This is a monument dedicated to those who fought in the World Wars and the Korean War.
Fun Fact: Luxembourg has 3 official languages. Luxembourgish, French, and German.
Place d’Armes
After, you will walk around 5 minutes to Place d’Armes. If you haven’t had anything to eat yet, this is a bustling little square. We had a bite at Le Cafe Francais, which seems like it may be a part of a hotel, but it was pretty good. There are tons of options to choose from, however.
William Square (Place Guillaume II)
Now, you will take another short walk to Williams Square. This is a much larger square with additional restaurants surrounding it. During our visit, it was raining, so the square was completely empty. However, I am sure on a weekend, or a nice day, the square is more lively. We really just walked through it to our next stop.
Palais Grand Ducal
Did you know Luxembourg is the only country with a Grand Duchy? This means the head of state is run by a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess… cool right? So, most times of the year, you can only view the palace and see the guards changing. However, if you happen to be visiting during the summer, you can actually do a tour inside the palace. The tour has to be booked in advance.
Tip: If you fancy yourself some sweets, Chocolate House Nathalie Bonn is across the street and well-known for their unique hot chocolate with dip sticks. Don’t be surprised if it’s a little overpriced.
Rue du St Esprit
Once you finish taking photos in front of the palace, make your way to Rue du St Esprit, a fun shopping street where they often put up nice decorations.
Chem. de la Corniche (Panoramic View)
Known as Europe’s balcony, you can’t visit Luxembourg City without heading to this street. In fact, this is where you have seen all the photos of this UNESCO World Heritage Site city. The “balcony,” which is just a long wall looking down on the Grund (neighborhood) and Neumünster Abbey, goes for a while, so you have ample spots to take photos.
Bock Casemates
Walk down from the Panoramic View until you make it to Bock Casemates. This is about 5-10 minutes, depending on how often you stop for photos along the way! On your way, you can see the Michaelskirche (Église Saint-Michel) and the fish market area. There are a few cute alleys around this way. Oh, and the oldest bar, Ënnert de Steiler.
Entrance to the Bock Casemates brings you through a series of tunnels that were used during the war. Throughout them you will find nice openings that look out from the cliff. If you’re into history, they are definitely cool. If you don’t care too much about the history, I think you can skip them. The views are better from outside the Bock Casemates, in my opinion, and you can climb some fun towers for free, like Huelen Zant.
The tickets are only 8 euros per person. We spent about 20-30 minutes here. I also want to mention that you must be able to go up and down stairs. The tunnels can be dark, and the ground is uneven, so take that into account when visiting.
Panoramic Elevator of the Pfaffenthal
Another top attraction to add to your itinerary is the Panoramic Elevator. From the Bock, make sure to take the upper road, and do not go down the cliff side. Our GPS took us down the cliff, even though I knew it didn’t make sense. So, stay on the upper portion and walk towards the GPS coordinate.
It is around a 10-15 minute walk. This is a free elevator that brings you down the cliff and has a glass window to view the city. If your feet are extremely tired, then I would say it is okay to skip it since, at this point, you have already seen great views. If you’re in search of hitting the Instagrammable spots, though, this is one of them.
Fort Thüngen AKA Dräi Eechelen (with additional time)
We really wanted to visit Fort Thüngen because it looks pretty cool, and I love forts, but we just ran out of time. If we had taken the later train back, it would have worked out fine. I would definitely consider this for your itinerary.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame
Time has flown by. You likely grabbed a bite to eat at some point, and now it is time to make your way back towards the train. So, on the way back, stop by the Notre Dame Cathedral. It started being built in 1613 and, according to my research, may be the only cathedral in the country.
Luxembourg City History Museum (Optional)
If you want to learn more about the city, spending time at this museum is the way to do it. If you are traveling with children, this might be a good choice, or if it’s raining a lot.
Consider a Guided Tour
You read this guide so you can likely plan your own itinerary. I mean, that is what I did. But, I overheard a lot of other tour guides throughout our day, and I realized there were a lot of fun tidbits and historical facts I didn’t know about. Therefore, after all of this, if learning more about history is your jam, I would actually consider a tour guide. This is a highly-rated tour that includes wine!
Additionally, I recommend even just wandering around a bit. The upper part of the city is not too big, and there are tons of charming alleys!
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One Day in Luxembourg Wrap-up
And there you have it! This covers some of the best things to do while touring this historic city. If you have any questions or feel like I missed something, let me know in the comments below! Have the best time!
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