72 hours in Luxembourg

Probably one of Europe's most underrated cities, this vibrant and lively multicultural hub was an amazing place to spend a fun weekend with friends! Along with the beautiful architecture of the Grand Ducal Palace and the small but busy cobbled streets, I was so surprised at its many museums, squares and the UNESCO World Heritage sites you can visit. It is also surprisingly easy and affordable to get to if you're travelling off season, Ryanair flies direct from Dublin and the return ticket cost me roughly 90EUR.

Anyway, here's how I spent 72 hours there...

DAY 1

Arriving into Luxembourg airport mid-afternoon, myself and my good friend Rose were able to pretty much straight away hop on to a bus into the city center where we were staying with her sister Kim! 

Public transport around this city is next level. Loads of regular buses that are really cheap (roughly 2EUR per trip) and free for everybody on Saturdays made getting around so easy and stress free. 

Once we dropped off our luggage and settled in, we walked into the city stopping in a lovely little park along the way named Parc Merl. By this time it was getting dark so Kim gave us a quick tour of a few of the streets and we had dinner on the main square, Place d'Armes. 

Afterwards we continued walking around the city passing the Grand Ducal Palace which was beautifully lit up, and walked along the Chemin de la Corniche, or "Europes most beautiful balcony" that offers panoramic views over the Alzette valley and the Grund. Pictures really don't do this walk justice, even at night like we did!

View over the valley at night

We also went to a really cool bar called The Lady Jane. Tucked away in a little side street, you would easily miss this bar if you weren't looking for it. They don't just let anyone in either, you have to have a password you must say through the intercom to be allowed in! 

Once inside and after climbing up the winding staircase, you enter into a uniquely decorated speak-easy style cocktail bar. It had very vintage, yet eclectic vibe with china tea cups hanging off trees, bold patterned wall paper and vintage furniture. 

Oh, and an AMAZING cocktail menu! 

 

DAY 2

With everything being so close in Luxembourg, even though we only had the one full day, we weren't racing around trying to see everything (It also meant we could stay in bed and cure any hangover with a late breakfast!). 

Once out and about, we first went to the Bock Casemates, or the old city walls. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the casemates are a vast series of underground tunnels and galleries that date back to the 1600's and was also used as WWII bomb shelters. Really interesting to learn about if you're into history, and it had some of the best views over Luxembourg and the Alzette valley.

After the casemates, we walked around the city, taking in the Grand Ducal Palace and we also visited the history museum, which was free for students.
Shopping is really good here too. From high end, to high street, Luxembourg has everything. We of course had to spend an embarrassing amount of money in Sephora, and if you're a French reader you'll be glad to know that they accept the French loyalty card! 
There are lots of gorgeous cafes too and I would recommend having a look in the Chocolate House, even if you're not able to get a table as it is really popular, but everything there looks divine. 

We once again ate and drank in the city, and just be warned, it can be expensive. Luxembourg is a wealthy country and this is reflected in the price of dining out and drinking. You can expect to pay around 20-30 EUR per person for dinner, and price of drinks being similar to other cities like Dublin. However, when over there I would really recommend tasting some Luxembourgish wine from the Moselle region especially. 

DAY 3

For our last day, we had already seen most of the city, and as the weather was good, we decided on taking a train out to Trier in Germany. Only 40 minutes away and 14EUR return, it was a great way of seeing a completely different country. I had never been to Germany before so I was really excited to go and couldn't believe how easy and cheap it was!

A day trip to a city like Trier is a must I think if you're staying in Luxembourg for a few days. Trier is known for being the oldest city in Germany, famous for its imposing Porta Nigra (black gate) and being the birthplace of Karl Marx. It also has a really impressive cathedral and the architecture of the city is like something out of a fairytale! I was really impressed by it, and even more so by the bratwurst I got to taste for the first time!   

We got the train back to Luxembourg in time to have one last meal together in the city and then unfortunately it was time to pack our things for our flight the next morning.

  


Luxembourg really is a fab place to spend a long weekend away with friends or family. There is so much history, great nightlife, things to see and is the perfect base to go on day trips to different countries such as Germany or France. The list goes on! 
I honestly had so much fun with the best of company and really do hope to go back soon! I went in November, so I would love to visit in the spring/summer where I hear its even more beautiful! x