The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
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Excursions:
Vianden: A small medieval town on the German border is an hour’s bus ride north of the capital. One of its primary attractions is the chateau-castle which contains antique weapons and armor, furniture, and drawings.
If you happen to be here at the right time, you could see a light & sound event, a medieval fair, or even a jousting tournament straight from medieval times. Victor Hugo often visited Vianden, and the house he stayed in is now a Victor Hugo museum.
Echternach: Some 20 miles also on the German border is known for its medieval Abbey founded in 698 by Saint Willibrord, Luxembourg’s only Saint, whose coffin is now in the crypt of the basilica. The Abbey’s museum has copies of the Bible that were made here in the 11th century, and the Museum of Prehistory that examines how Stone Age Man lived in the area. The craggy sand rock formations and the many streams that meander through the region’s dense forests, make it a hiker’s paradise!
Clervaux: An hour from the capital, it is located in the superb Ardennes countryside, and has a splendid golf course. The town’s castle now houses the famous ‘The Family of Man’ photo exhibition which was listed on UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” register in 2003. Put together by Edward Steichen, the exhibition features 503 pictures by 273 photographers from 68 countries, showcasing people and their emotions.
The Moselle: The Moselle river forms the border with Germany, and is the country’s vinyard. It is a wine connoisseur’s heaven, awash with wine cooperatives, tasting rooms, vineyards, and wine shops beckoning you to taste the local produce. And if you are there during one of the wine fetes, then be prepared to drink like a fountain…literally, since wine is allowed to flow freely from a central fountain. Combine the tasting with a pleasureable boat trip down the river.
Getting Around:
Getting here and around is quite convenient. The international airport, Findel, just 6km from the capital is serviced by frequent buses. Buses and trains also connect the capital to Europe’s major cities and as well as most neighboring towns.
The city’s bus network is quite extensive and the road network is also very good. Outside of the capital, public transportation consists mainly of taxis, but if you are the outdoors kind, then bicycle rental is also an option.
Between May to October, you could get a chance to ride on the Petrusse Express miniature train and discover the valleys and ramparts of the city. Another easy way to see the city is on the ‘hop-on hop-off’ city sightseeing bus whose routes go through the old and the new areas of the city.
However since most of the city’s destinations are not over a mile away, walking becomes an excellent way to explore the city deeper and this way you get to interact with the locals and try out the smaller stalls and lanes which you might otherwise miss.
Eating Out:
Luxembourg has more Michelin-starred Restaurants per square mile than any other country in the world, so the chances of going wrong with the restaurant choice are very slim. The city’s cuisine is a mix of French and German cultures.
Some of the local specialties you must try are thuringer (spicy sausages), Luxembourg ham (a smoke-cured uncooked ham served with fresh bread), gromper keeschelche (deep fried potato pancakes spiced with onion and parsley), Kach keis (cooked cheese), pate, quetsche tort (plum, peach, cherry and pear tarts), and verwurrelt gedanken (a special pastry made during the carnival season).
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