Tourism and Sightseeing in Luxembourg

Tools:

The city of Luxembourg is on the UNESCO World Heritage List on account of it's historical importance and beauty.

Tourist Office

The Luxembourg city tourist office is located very close to the Place d'Armes on the adjoining Place Guillaume.

The National Tourist organization is also helpful for getting information and planning trips.
Office National du Tourisme
PO Box 1001
L-1010 Luxembourg
Tel: (+352) 42 82 82-1
email: info@ont.lu

Sightseeing

The marvelous center is composed of many beautiful and historical buildings. This are has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site and is protected. Wander the streets of the area to see why it has been singled out.

Grand-Ducal Palace
Built as the Town Hall in the 16th century, the elegant structure was adopted by the Luxembourg royal family in the 19th century. It is now the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
In summer, admirers can take a guided tour of the residence. Tours are organized by the city tourist office.

Luxembourg Fortress
This impressive structure has changed hands many times over its existence. Italian, Spanish, Belgian, French, Austrian, Dutch and Prussian engineers have all been involved in its evolution. Much of the fortress has been dismantled, but visitors can still see the base of a stone tower and belfry known as the "hollow tooth". A museum at the site illustrates its history and offers entry to the casemates- a network of man-made underground caverns that once stretched 13-miles.
The casements are open from March 1st to October 31st. During that time, opening hours are every day from 10 until 17.
Tickets: Adults 1.75 euro, Children 1 euro
Contact: 4796-3061

Luxembourg Old Town
An example of why this area is protected by UNESCO, the old town is made up of cobbled streets and historic buildings. It's small size makes it the perfect place to walk and discover.

Place d'Armes
Known as the city's "sitting room", this tree-lined square has many outdoor cafes and a central bandstand. Sit, watch, and relax.

Notre-Dame Cathedral
Built in the 17th century, the cathedral overlooks the Petrusse Valley. The baroque gallery was carved in 1622 by Daniel Muller. The apse contains "The Comforter of the Afflicted", a wooden statue of Madonna and Child. The tomb of "John the Blind" (one of Luxembourg's medieval rulers, father to Charles IV) is in the crypt.

Gelle Fra Memorial
Known in English as the "Golden Lady", this statue on the goddess Nike appears atop a gigantic column. It was created in 1923 to commemorate the Luxembourgers who lost their lives in the first world war. Nazis removed the statue in 1940, but it was restored and once again sits in a place of power.

Domaine Thermal
This health resort offers some of the best of Luxembourg. Gorgeous vineyards, woods, and luxury. The resort has thermal baths, a health center, fitness center, and recreation facilities (tennis, golf, squash, fencing, archery, horseback riding, and an outdoor pool).

Tours

Luxembourg's visitors have a variety of sites to see and tours that take them there.

The North of Luxembourg, or "Oesling" can be explored on specialized tours. Organized by the Association of Regional Tourist Offices, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and the National Institute of Further Education, tours are available from 1 hour to full day excursions.

    Prices:
  • 1 hour: 35 euro
  • 2 hours: 55 euro
  • 3 hours: 65 euro
  • Full-day (5 hours): 130 euro
  • additional hours (or parts thereof) are charged at 15 Euro
Contact the offices by phone (352 84 93 25 27) or e-mail (guides.ardennes@vo.lu).

iTour offers a self guided look at the city. A hand held computer is provided for visitors to explore at their own speed. There are over 1.5 hours of information on more than 50 stations. The music was also composed for the tour.
Available in German, English, French and Luxembourgish, the tour can be rented at the Luxembourg City Tourist Office.

  • 3 hours: 7.50 euro
  • All day long: 10 euro
  • Additional pair of earphones: 2.50 euro

The Petrusse Express miniature train is a fun way to discover the city. A set of headphones provides the History of the city. The train runs from May to October.

The hop-on hop-off city sightseeing bus is another great method for exploring the city.

Festivals

National Day - The Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte, the celebration is held on June 23rd. The parade features the Grand-Duke and his family and firework displays. In Luxembourg City, the festivities occur opposite the Grand Duke Palace and Place Guillaume II.

Musical Spring - Since 1983 this musical festival includes classical, jazz, pop and world music. usually held from March until May.

Festival International Echternach - International music festival in Echternach with classical music concerts from May to July and jazz concerts in September.

Summer in the City - Annual event in the City of Luxembourg throughout the months of June, July, August and September. The program includes street theater, open-air cinema, markets, exhibitions and concerts.

New Orleans Meets Luxembourg - This three-day festival at the end of May or beginning of June features jazz and gospel music from New Orleans plus culinary specialities from Louisiana and street parades.

Festival de Wiltz - Open-air classical music, opera, jazz, theater and dance festival from the end of June until the end of July in the town of Wiltz.

MeYouZik - One-day world music festival in July. Concerts are free of charge and take place on Place Guillaume II and rue du St-Esprit.

DirActors International Film Festival - Features short films directed by actors/directors from Luxembourg and abroad. Takes place in October.

Winterlights - Every winter the City of Luxembourg presents Winterlights, a multitude of free events, concerts, exhibitions and performances. There is a Christmas market with traditional food and Gluhwein. Occurs from late November until Christmas Eve.

Discounts

The LuxembourgCard can be an excellent value for visitor. It includes free transport and entrance to 56 attractions throughout the country. The card can be purchased for 1, 2 or 3 days for one person or for a family of 2-5 people. Prices range, with a one day pass for one person costing 10 euro, and 3 days for a family costing 48 euro.

Update 1/03/2011


Tools:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest WhatsApp Addthis

Recommended Partners

Learn a language

Babbel is an international success with millions of active subscribers and ranked as the world's #1 innovative company in education.

Why Babbel?

Learn and review on your own schedule: Mobile, tablet or desktop compatible, with lessons about 10-15 min.

Expert-made courses: Learn the basics or focus on topics like travel, culture, or business.

Start speaking right away: Learn to speak a new language naturally and conversationally.

Every learner is different: Each course is based on your native language and personal interests.

Remember everything: Babbel employs proven cognitive techniques that move new vocab to your long-term memory.

Refine your pronunciation: Practise speaking and improve your pronunciation with speech recognition technology.

Try Babbel for free today

Registration with Babbel is completely free of charge and the first lesson in every course is FREE to try (Depending on the language you choose, that's 30-80 free lessons!).

If you want full access to Babbel's courses, simply choose a subscription that works best for you. Buy with confidence: 20-day money back guarantee!


Do you have comments or personal information to communicate about this article? Add your comment.


Find more definitions and general answers on expatriation issues in the Expat FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

Go to the Forum to talk more about tourism and sightseeing in Luxembourg, entertainment.