Travel: LUXEMBOURG CITY, LUXEMBOURG (Eurotrip)

*check out my last Eurotrip adventures to Strasbourg here!*

 

Discovery was the goal of my European trips this year, and the next place to discover was yet another small country – Luxembourg. We headed straight for the capital, and it was bustling. Walking through the shopping streets in the centre, there were people milling about everywhere – eating at the open air restaurants, pouring in and out of shops – and it was only mid-week!

 

As always, our adventures began at the tourist office, picking up a self-guided tour, and off we went. We found the reasonably modest and yet still beautiful Town Hall in the Place Guillaume II, and then walked down to the Place to la Constitution, right at the edge of the city and with a large golden statue overlooking the valley and faraway castle.

Next to this area was Notre Dame Cathedrale, not quite as impressive as its Parisian or Strasbourg counterparts, but still an impressive one nonetheless with its central green spire. The next part was easily my favourite – we moved away from the busy streets to the quiet and calm Corniche, also known as the most beautiful balcony in Europe.

 

This long street stretches high above the valley and offers lovely views of the area below – the Neimenster cultural centre, Pont du Stierchen bridge, and the aqueduct-like Pont du Chateau bridge behind it. Not only is this area home to such lovely buildings, but it is full of greenery with a river flowing through the middle – absolutely delightful.

The end of the street brought us into the older side of Luxembourg, past St Michael’s Church and into a pleasant square with eateries and small hotels. Arriving in the middle of Luxembourg’s hustle and bustle earlier had been quite the culture shock, but here, I was at home.

 

Just around the corner, and you’ll find the Grand Ducal Palace, the residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and a building I sure wouldn’t mind staying in. Right next door, we found out eatery for the evening – Les Copains d’Abord, a lovely restaurant with outdoor seating and, IMHO, in a much nicer location than those in the centre of the city.

We finished the day with a nighttime walk back along the Corniche, enjoying the quiet hum of people enjoying the pleasant evening. We’d opted not to stay in Luxembourg’s pricey centre, instead choosing a very reasonable Hilton Double Tree a few miles away, but with the thirty minute bus journey to-and-fro free, sure, was no trouble at all.

Tips for visiting Luxembourg:

-        Honestly, I’d say avoid the city centre! Especially for someone having spent the last year and a half pretty much in social isolation, to be thrust right into crowds and business was a bit overwhelming, especially with the hindsight knowledge that there is such a lovely, calm area just around the corner

-        Make sure the Corniche is on your list of places to go. This is Luxembourg at its best, and gives you many options for where to go next – towards the quiet part of town and Grand Ducal Palace, down to the underground passages that form the Bock Casements, or into the pretty Grund suburb 

 

Almost at the end of my Eurotrip blogs! Be the first to know when the next one is posted by following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and tell me where you're headed to next! Thanks so much for reading!