Why Luxembourg? It was cheap. It was half term. It was 2 weeks before our intended departure. It all went rather well. Flights booked, Airb&b secured, splendid times to come.
Then not. BA comprehensively fucked up Sus’s flight plans. I won’t bore you with details, suffice to say, I arrived on the Friday morning as planned, Sus didn’t. She landed the following Monday morning. ‘Sorry for the inconvenience’ doesn’t really cover it. We were not happy. And offered some constructive criticism to BA. Along with out of pocket receipts. Of which there were many.
I’d not idled away my 3 day start slurping craft ale in a local bar. Only Saturday evening. I explored the city in readiness for Sus’s arrival.
I’m a petrol head (battery head?). From the amount of high end German metal, and similarly posh offerings from other European manufacturers, it quickly dawned that Luxembourg – or certainly Luxembourg City – was not poverty stricken. And following an early supermarket forage, expensive. More so than London.
French is widely written and spoken though German occasionally inserts itself – certainly, during our stay, in posters pushing specific mayoral and council candidates. And most everyone appeared able to fluently converse in English.
Travel within the confines of Luxembourg is considerably cheaper that buying a banana from the supermarket. Whether propelled by bus, tram or train it’s all free. All the time.
And wandering around before Sus’s delayed arrival, I discovered Belair. Belair, lying west of the main shopping district, is one of 24 neighbourhoods in Luxembourg City. It’s expensive and somewhat exclusive. The name afforded little choice. Populated with beautiful mansions and lush gardens, it’s a magnet for expats and their families. Made for an interesting interlude.
In contrast the Gare neighbourhood located in the south of the city, not unlike other areas embracing the train station, is a tad rundown. Small groups of inebriated or otherwise men inhabit the station square staring menacingly at each other. Sadly, some are undoubtably homeless, others probably on the way to being so. We never saw any violence and the locals appeared to treat them more of a nuisance than a threat.
Within a few blocks creeping gentrification transforms the area into a desirable and mixed area to live in. And considerably cheaper than Belair. As one ambles into the neighbouring bohemian Bonnevoie things become positively upmarket.
Both Gare and Bonnevoie are undergoing extensive building works – apartments, office space and tram line extensions. It will transform both neighbourhoods, in particular, the area around the train station.
Sus eventually arrived on Monday morning. By the early afternoon we were ready to together explore Luxembourg. And I keen to show off my insider knowledge.
Scene Setting. And a Little History.
Luxembourg is a Grand Duchy, apparently the only one in the world.
Luxembourg City (who names a capital after the country it governs?) is draped, rather majestically, across the deep gorges of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and, contrastingly, Luxembourg City is famed for its financial and EU institutions. Counter intuitively weekend stays are often an ideal time to pop over – hotel prices drop dramatically as the suited and booted ones vacate the city.
Luxembourg City’s history is generally considered to begin in 963 when a chap called Count Siegfried acquired a rocky promontory and its Roman-era fortifications, known as Lucilinburhuc, “little castle”, and the surrounding area from the Imperial Abbey of St. Maximin. Which is close to Trier in Germany. Trier will re-appear a few 100 words further along.
The settlement that developed was protected by a stone fortification wall extended in the 14th and 15th centuries. Luxembourg – the Grand Duchy – has been been tarted around Europe with previous owners including the Netherlands, France, the Habsburg dynasty and Germany during the second world war. They should have built a bigger wall.
In 1869, the Treaty of London generously donated the western part of Luxembourg to Belgium giving the principality its modern day borders.
However, though Luxembourg has suffered some shrinkage during the past few centuries it’s had the last chortle. It’s now one of the world’s richest countries, with a hugely successful financial services industry, political stability and European integration. Nicely played Luxembourg.
Centre and Shopping
The Corniche is a large road and pedestrian bridge depositing eager tourists across the 2 gorges into the city proper. Peering over, one side consists of a disappointing trickle masquerading as a river, the beginnings of the picturesque old town and what appear to be works constructing recreational facilities.
The other boasts a beautiful park encompassing surviving and gorgeous city walls. A skatepark adds modernity.
A short stroll deposits one in the main shopping area. Shops, bars, restaurants, with a couple of large and attractive squares thrown in, make Luxembourg City’s shopping district a most appealing spot to shop, eat or drink. And people watch. Architecturally attractive showcasing the 18 and 19 hundreds with some older structures dotted carelessly about. Though still wishing I’d bought a pair of alluring shorts form the always quality and good value Mountain Warehouse (fashion not our cup of designer labels) purchasing opportunities are generally limited to chains you’d find in Paris or Croydon.
Adjacent to consumerism central are modern office blocks creating the business district.
Kirchberg’s public park is a green and well used oasis close to that shopping heaven. The park has a natural (probably) bowl acting as a focal point. Nature bathe whilst admiring your new purchases. The park is delightful.
A city centre highlight was a busker all over an electric violin. The 2 compositions I heard – Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ and the much copied ‘Hallelujah’ were both gorgeous and haunting.
Trier
An hours train ride transport one to another town and another country. Doesn’t that sound great? Trier is Germany’s oldest town boasting 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Bit greedy.
A pleasant 10 minute stroll from the station bring eager sightseers to the old town and Porta Nigra. The remarkedly preserved Roman Gate welcomes visitors a tad more enthusiastically than perhaps it did 2,000 years ago.
Behind the imposing Porta Nigra is the main square – Hauptmarkt. Half timbered buildings dating back to the 15th century surround the 1595 Market Fountain depicting something religious.
Trier is a genuinely lovely place to wander. A Basilica dates back to the 4th Century, a Jesuit Church traces its origins to the 14th century, the House of the Three Magi demonstrates how to keep up with the Schmidts -13th century style. A wander through the burbs rewards worthy wanderers with a Roman Amphitheatre. And on the return wander other assorted Roman ruins magically appeared.
Trier is situated on the Mosel River, a tributary of the Rhine. We couldn’t find it. A friendly, if mildly bemused local, directed us. It was pretty. Not a feature of Trier. All that fancy architecture perhaps giving it an inferiority complex.
Food consisted of a bratwurst mit bread and an obscenely large slice of cherry crumble. We shared the latter. Though disgustingly disgusting that Bratwurst was delicious.
Beer in Trier
Trier, though smaller, proved a better destination than Luxembourg City for crafted liquid sustenance. Trierer Petrusbräu Brewery (www.triererpetrusbraeu.de) was an odd place. No tap room, no seating (a bench was kindly provided) and possibly a car repair garage in a lesser incarnation. We sat in their petit carpark shaded by one the brewery’s Transit Vans. We received perplexed peeks. And tried to appear as if we had planned this all along. Which we hadn’t.
Beer is served out of a hatch looking straight into the brewery workings. The only one they had on tap was an amber ale. And when I say on tap this necessitated a spanner, baby blow torch and a certain amount of effort. Basically, straight from the tank.
It slowly dawned, being the clever people we believe ourselves to be, that the carpark was for punters, usually in cars, ordering bottled beer or filling – or returning – growers and kegs.
Nevertheless, the beer – more old school than the hugely hopped varietal – was excellent, cheap and cold. The chap who went to so much effort, and spoke better English the me, couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful. I felt almost guilty.
We think it’s opposite a convent. Give them a go. The brewery not the convent.
Craftprotz Kreativbierbar (https://craftprotz-kreativbierbar.de/) is – dare I say – a conventional tap house – great beer, friendly staff and presumably dog friendly. Their logo is fab.
Twelve taps, a bottle shop next door (both with seating) on an attractive thoroughfare create a wonderful locale to enjoy an ale and people ogle. I likely would still be there if Sus hadn’t suggested (strongly) a train back to Luxembourg might be a marginally better option.
Trier is an hour train journey from Luxembourg. It’s a beautiful and fascinating town, a must if you have the time.
Old City of Luxembourg
Is stupidly pretty. Located on the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers, protected on one side by a steep, rocky outcrop, the old city had been continuously fortified since that clever Count Siegfried in the 10th century. Some chaps from Burgundy and the Habsburg’s continued the process before the Spanish properly went to town in the 17th century. In later centuries, the French, Austrians and Prussians all arrived, built and left leaving their own legacies. It became one of the strongest fortresses in Europe.
Following that pesky 1867 Treaty of London the majority of the fortifications were tragically demolished. Happily, for tourists with little more than a spot of lite carving on their minds, many vestiges representative of all these eras remain. These include a number of gates, forts, bastions, redoubts and casemates.
Encased by these structures of war is the late mediaeval old city itself – a wonderful place to explore, eat and drink. Again. Any stroll should include time by the river and a clamber onto what those Victorian vandals left of the walls. The latter affords stupendous views down into the old city.
The old city has 2 Michelin star restaurants – conveniently opposite each other – a French style wine bar and a recently reopened pub offering live music. Lucky locals.
The old city is genuinely gorgeous and, if you only have a day, spend it there.
The Store was easily the choice locale for a spot of the craft stuff in Luxembourg (11 Av. de la Liberté, 1931 Gare Luxembourg). I’d discovered The Store before Sus’s arrival and returned after several million steps (iPhone pedometer) meandering the old city. The Store has 6-8 taps and several beer fridges. Inside space is limited though a number of large benches outside offer alternative people watching options. The staff are fabulous.
We’d booked, that evening, seats for a tap takeover by the French (yep, French) Piggy Brewing Brewing Company. Excellent ales (‘Abeba Groove’ a particular favourite), friendly locals and gorgeous weather all made for a most palatable end to the day.
Chateau de Vianden
Is a little under an hour by train plus a 25 minute bus ride to Vianden from Luxembourg. And because the Chateau is in the Grand Duchy all that travel is free. Incredible. And, as with the train trip to Trier, offers passengers a glimpse of the Luxembourg outside of eh…Luxembourg (City). Lush and dotted with small towns and villages from what we saw.
Chateau de Vianden was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries, criminally sold piece by piece in the 19th century before falling into a state of ruin in modern times. In 1977 the Grand Duke of Luxembourg transferred it to state ownership instituting a restoration to its former glory.
From afar you might be walking into a Disney fairytale – without fireworks or talking animals. Once inside the restoration becomes apparent, and for me, diminishes a little the overall spectacle. However, don’t go thinking Chateau de Vianden is a cheap Disney pastiche of its former self. It isn’t. The mediaeval building is very much in evidence offering a peek into what the Chateau once was. Spectacular. And, in many ways, still is.
And do make time for Vianden, the town Chateau de Vianden (spoiler) looms over. Benignly I like to think. The small town, sitting charmingly on the River Our (yep, really) is worth an hour of anyone’s meandering.
The following day was our last. An evening flight meant, once luggage safely deposited at the train station ($5 per bag), we were free to explore. Sus suggested riding the tram to its final destination. We did. It went 2 stops. Should have gone the other way. So we did.
The Trams are delightful. And busy. It’s not difficult to understand why – air conditioned, efficient, airy and plentiful. The half hour journey glided serenely past – all adjacent to the route – the University, National Library, the Philharmonic, European Parliament and Luxexpo, a huge conference and concert space.
This part of the city appears modern, recently developed and worthy a gander. Use the trams, as we did, as a hop on hop off bus service. But better. And cheaper.
Final Thoughts
Some cities are just a bit rubbish – LA and Rio spring quickly to mind. Others, though perfectly pleasant, are over hyped – Paris and Sydney. Luxembourg quietly exceeds expectations. We both loved it and I, especially, was sorry to leave.
Luxembourg City is expensive and, perhaps for some, lacks a little soul. I, however, could happily live there. Just not for ever.
And finally, Sus has recently become an Independent Travel Agent for InteleTravel. You can book your next trip on her website: https://susantuttle.inteletravel.uk/booktravel.cfm OR contact her for great deals: susan_tuttle_2006@yahoo.co.uk. She’d be happy to help!
Many thanks for reading (Tony Leigh, July 2023).
Tony's Travel Blog 