City trip Luxembourg, by train or car
Suppose you want to go on a city trip in Europe and preferably by train or car. You have already been to Ghent, Berlin and Hamburg. Where are you going then? On a city trip to Luxembourg city. A city full of history, culture, museums, new restaurants and trendy coffee shops. Luxembourg is an interesting city for a city trip with beautiful old buildings, a futuristic new district, lots of nature and height differences. And that takes about 4 to 5 hours from the Netherlands by train or car (or plane).
Generate more nice destinations by train: London, Basel, Hamburg and more...
Luxembourg has changed countries quite often over the centuries. Spanish, French, Dutch and German rulers fought over the beautiful, hilly state. Until Luxembourg stood on its own two feet, mainly thanks to “our” Willem II. They still think he is a good guy and he has his own statue on the Place de Guillaume II aka Willem. After Luxembourgish - which most resembles German - the main language is French. Although you can get by well with English.
After these centuries of being a toy, Luxembourg – and Robert Schuman in particular – has been one of the founding fathers of the EU. Luxembourg City is one of the four cities where the EU is located. Half of the 640.000 inhabitants of Luxembourg were born abroad. And another 200.000 people come from neighboring countries to work in Luxembourg every day. Yes, Luxembourg is the most international country in Europe. And that results in a pleasant mix of people and cultures. People who want to have a good time during their stay in this diverse city.
Luxembourg is an old fortified city built around three valleys. In short, there it is at the center (in Ville Haute) where there are nice shops, many restaurants in narrow streets and pleasant squares. Then there is the modern Kirchberg where the most important museums and the working district are located. This neighborhood is emerging and the population should triple in the coming years. Meaning: many new restaurants and coffee bars. Located on the other side of the valley Liberty Avenue (in the Gare district) where there are many catering establishments. Unlike any city, the station is also located here, which is not in the center.
Below the higher parts of the city lie the valleys with forests, city parks, historic houses, monasteries and city walls. These are a must visit. Plot is perhaps the most impressive. At the bridge at Scott's Pub you have the photo spot of Luxembourg. From the Alzette River you can look up at the steep walls with historic buildings of Luxembourg. There are also small streets with cozy restaurants. It Pfaffenthal, with old houses and streets, is fun to visit with the modern glass elevator. It Parc/Vallé de la Pétrusse is a valley with a green city park and wonderful for a quiet walk.
Luxembourg has many hotels, most of which are quite standard. It takes some time to find a nice place to sleep. We stayed in Kirchberg, about 10 minutes by tram from the center and in the middle of the museum district. It Mama Shelter is a large hotel with funky looks. The visitors are diverse; from hip older couples to bachelor parties and families. There is a restaurant downstairs with a covered terrace where you can enjoy breakfast outside when the weather is nice bakery and a rooftop bar. The rooms – only a choice of medium or large – have a hip design, the beds sleep wonderfully and the shower is a delight.
We told you so….It is quite difficult to find a nice place to sleep in Luxembourg. If Kirchberg – specifically Mama Shelter – does not meet the requirements, you can always go to cozycozy.com. A gigantic fine website for comparing all kinds of holiday accommodations. Spoiler: they have a nice offer in the category 'holiday homes Luxembourg'. You call out your wishes (dates, persons, price, pet, swimming pool; the whole rataplan) and cozycozy.com is going to turn.
The comparison site compares the big 'boys' with each other, such as AirBnB, Booking.com, Expedia.com VRBO, Agoda, TUI Villas and more. That's nice, because you have the entire range under one roof and therefore a nice, fun and beautiful roof over your head faster when in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg has been the first country in the world since 2020 free public transport throughout the country. What an inspiration! There are numerous (night) buses in Luxembourg City and the new tram line T1 is brand new, runs regularly and is safe.
Yes, you can go to Luxembourg City by car or plane. But also by train is feasible. You can reach Luxembourg from Amsterdam in about 5-6 hours. You can take the Thalys to Brussels and from there take a regional train. Bring your laptop, get some work done and you're ready for a weekend of fun.
For a weekend, Luxembourg is the same price level as the Netherlands or perhaps a little more expensive. If you have a permanent job there, your salary will also be higher. If you want to live in the city center, €2000-3000 for an apartment is not bad. Most young professionals live in the neighborhood Limpertsberg, where you can also find gyms, yoga studios and great coffee shops.
Recommended is the LuxembourgCard which allows you to visit more than 90 museums, castles or recreation sites throughout the country for free or with a discount. You can buy the discount card for one or more days.
More quickly about Luxembourg; restaurants, coffee bars, museums and more…
