A Weekend in Luxembourg

While the country is quite small, there's plenty to see and do in Luxembourg. We hired a car, hit the road, and spent the weekend exploring. We were blown away by its beauty around every corner, it's rich history, and it's level of cleanliness. The people of Luxembourg were lovely and incredibly welcoming, leaving us wishing we had a few more days.

We had less than 48-hours to explore, and while it was terrific, I do recommend spending more time! It's an incredible city, and there's no shortage of things to see and do! With Luxembourg being small, a few extra days would have allowed for more thorough exploration in the city as well as venturing outside of the town to cites such as Vianden Castle.

We plan to visit again next summer, so we will publish The Luxembourg Guide in 2020 with additional restaurants, bars, and points of interest, so stay tuned!

 

A Lovely Weekend in Luxembourg

What to See, Do, Eat, and Drink in Luxembourg

Luxembourg, or the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg as it's officially named, is the amazingly beautiful country nestled between Belgium, France, and Germany. The capital, Luxembourg City, is one of the European Union's official capitals. While the official languages for Luxembourg are French, German, and Luxembourgish, we were able to easily communicate with our limited German and with English.

The country is incredibly small at only 2,586 square kilometers or 998 square miles. Luxembourg's beginnings date back to Siegfried's fortress creation in the year 963. The current state of Luxembourg originated in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna.

Today, Luxembourg is a thriving country, a beautiful country, and full of wonderful loving people.

Where To Stay

Le Place d’Armes

18 place d’Armes, L-1136 Luxembourg

When searching for our target lodging accommodations, we quickly found Le Place d'Armes to be not only one of the highest-rated hotels but the absolute best for the money.

The hotel is located in the middle of the old city and features 28 luxurious rooms and suites. The Place d'Armes has been a Relais & Châteaux member since 2012. They've created an incredible hotel by remodeling and putting together 7 houses and housing 3 restaurants.

We stayed in the Executive Suite, which featured the most beautiful exposed framework and dormers. It was a mix of modernism, Luxembourg charm, housed in the perfect antiqued environment. The fresh and hot breakfast is located in the Plëss dining room. Be sure to swing through Le Bar 18 in the back of the hotel, '"Best Bar Hotel in Europe" by The Villegiature Awards in 2019.

Coming Soon: More on Le Place d’Armes on 25 November 2019

What To Do and See

Grand Ducal Palace

The guarded palace is currently the residence of the Grand Duke and is one of the most beautiful structures in Luxembourg. It was the city's city hall from 1572 to 1795. The interior is regularly renovated to maintain modern tastes. Per visit luxembourg.com, guided tours are available from mid-July until the end of August each year.

Cathédral Notre-Dame

Luxembourg's Roman Catholic Cathedral is the only cathedral in Luxembourg and was originally a Jesuit church. The groundbreaking took place in 1613. It features beautiful gothic architecture, three towers, and a crypt.

Casemates du Bock

This is a must-visit location between the spring and summer seasons. Count Siegfried built a fortified castle, and new walls and defenses were constructed over time. In the 17th century, the casemates, or gun emplacements, were created by the Spanish. When declaring neutrality in the 19th century, 90% of the defenses were destroyed, including the Bock. The remaining structure could not be removed as it would demolish parts of the city.

These tunnels were used as a shelter during WWII as a bomb shelter for 35,000 people. We were unable to visit these fantastic 18th-century tunnels but plan to visit next summer and expand this into a Luxembourg Guide.

Adolphe Bridge

This beautiful double-arch bridge is for vehicles and features a footpath. It's one of the city's main tourist attractions and has become a symbol of the city. The construction started in mid-1900 and completed in mid-1903.

Rockhal

If you're into live music, check this hotspot out! There's a parking deck nearby if you drove, but the Luxembourg transit system uses the concert ticket as a valid transportation pass, so it's free! We were surprised to learn that there was more than one concert taking place in the same facility, and were impressed that there was no sound interference between the shows!

Where To Eat

With Luxembourg's influence from so many nearby culinary giants, there is no shortage of amazing places to eat and drink. Since we knew our visit would be brief, I did a bit of research before visiting. I landed on two incredible options, both of which we loved!

Le Bouquet Garni

32 Rue de l'Eau, 1449 Luxembourg

We visited for a midday menu and couldn't have picked a better lunch! The Menu Gourmand is 58 Euro, and we paired it with a Luxembourg Pinot Noir. The menu was impressive with duck foie gras, blue lobster bisque, and more for starters. Entree options included duck breast, chuck veal, and roasted scallops, and a couple others.

Be sure to get reservations ahead of time for this one!

Plëss

18 Place d'Armes, 1136 Luxembourg

Not only is this an excellent restaurant, but it's also located in the hotel! Plëss is a beautiful restaurant with a diverse menu offering fresh and delicious dishes. We enjoyed the fresh crudo, scallops with white carrots, the iceberg salad, and an excellent filet mignon with foie gras and truffle.

If you want to spring for the hotel's other options, be sure to check out La Cristallerie, Cafe de Paris, and their award-winning bar, Le 18 Bar.

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