What to do in Luxembourg? How best to get there?
Discussion
I'm travelling on business to Luxembourg (one of the few western European countries I've never been to) for the third week of January. While there I'll be working at a customer site outside the capital city. The original plan was to fly on Sunday and then spend Monday through Thursday working at the site, and travel back to the UK on Friday. But it's quite possible that I'll finish my work by the end of Tuesday or during Wednesday, in which case I'll be at a loose end afterwards. I've not been before and due to the nature of the customer site I can't imagine any socialising after work. So I'm wondering whether there's anything to keep me occupied? I enjoy art galleries, museums (especially car-related), concerts, theatre and good food is a massive thing for me. I'm aware that public transport is free in Luxembourg and there's a train that runs from the centre of the city to the customer's site in about 25 minutes. So I won't require a car for that journey, but if there's not much to do in the city centre, then maybe not having a car might be annoying.
But now the company is planning a gathering at the office in Paris the following week and I'm expected to be there for most of that week so there's little point in heading home after my work in Luxembourg is complete. So I'm trying to figure out various permutations of flying (I'm near Windsor 15 minutes taxi ride from Heathrow), Eurostar (never done that when I visit the office as it's a pain to get to St. Pancras) and driving. The uncertainty of how many days I'll need to visit the customer site makes planning a little more complicated!
Apparently the train from Luxembourg to Paris via Metz and Gare de Bar-le-Duc takes nearly 5 hours. Or there's one going via Metz and Nancy which takes 4h30 minutes. Or I can take the train east to Saarbrucken and then get on a TGV from there which takes 3h40 minutes. Or take a one-hour flight.
If you have any personal experience of Luxembourg and its surroundings, what do you recommend visiting? I already have the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art on my list. Any travelling tips also welcome. Thanks!
But now the company is planning a gathering at the office in Paris the following week and I'm expected to be there for most of that week so there's little point in heading home after my work in Luxembourg is complete. So I'm trying to figure out various permutations of flying (I'm near Windsor 15 minutes taxi ride from Heathrow), Eurostar (never done that when I visit the office as it's a pain to get to St. Pancras) and driving. The uncertainty of how many days I'll need to visit the customer site makes planning a little more complicated!
Apparently the train from Luxembourg to Paris via Metz and Gare de Bar-le-Duc takes nearly 5 hours. Or there's one going via Metz and Nancy which takes 4h30 minutes. Or I can take the train east to Saarbrucken and then get on a TGV from there which takes 3h40 minutes. Or take a one-hour flight.
If you have any personal experience of Luxembourg and its surroundings, what do you recommend visiting? I already have the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art on my list. Any travelling tips also welcome. Thanks!
I think I'd personally be looking at two separate trips if I was expecting an early finish in Lux the first week.
If you do join the trips, the train to Paris is excellent and definitely the way to travel, although the flights are not bad despite the misery of Paris CdeG Airport.
I'm about to catch a flight myself so will add more later.
If you do join the trips, the train to Paris is excellent and definitely the way to travel, although the flights are not bad despite the misery of Paris CdeG Airport.
I'm about to catch a flight myself so will add more later.
I'm home now, so a few more thoughts.
The capital is very nice, but it's small. The ramparts and old fortifications are interesting to explore and there are the museum and the art gallery close to the Grand Duc's Palace. In late January it can be very cold, so things like the tourist train ride (which I normally highly recommend) might not be very appealing. You can easily spend a few days in the City, but you'll have seen most of it within a single day and, as mentioned, some things might feel weather dependant.
There are loads of decent restaurants, but 'Luxembourgish cuisine' isn't really a thing. You're unlikely to get a poor meal anywhere and there is plenty of fine dining if you want it.
Much of what I'd otherwise recommend depends on your means of travel. As you note, all public transport is free and it's clean and punctual. Nonetheless, it's inevitably limiting in terms of seeing other parts of the country if you don't have a car. Driving here is a decent option and takes under 4 hours from the channel ports. If you have a car the Battle of the Bulge museum at Bastogne is worth a visit, and we're close to the Nurburgring if that's your thing. Other cities like Trier will become readily do-able in the time you have, and a tour around Luxembourg is a must. The old castle at Vianden is on a nice little road trip and Remich on the Moselle is a nice drive.
In general the roads are great fun to drive and in fantastic condition. You could then drive on to Paris of course for your next meetings.
If you do decide to drive I'd be happy to suggest a few routes and places to see.
The train to Paris is a better option than flying, with Eurostar home being a nice way to travel, although there has been a lot of disruption to Eurostar over this festive period.
Do update the thread. There are a few PHers in Lux so if you did want to meet up for a beer in the City that's very possible.
The capital is very nice, but it's small. The ramparts and old fortifications are interesting to explore and there are the museum and the art gallery close to the Grand Duc's Palace. In late January it can be very cold, so things like the tourist train ride (which I normally highly recommend) might not be very appealing. You can easily spend a few days in the City, but you'll have seen most of it within a single day and, as mentioned, some things might feel weather dependant.
There are loads of decent restaurants, but 'Luxembourgish cuisine' isn't really a thing. You're unlikely to get a poor meal anywhere and there is plenty of fine dining if you want it.
Much of what I'd otherwise recommend depends on your means of travel. As you note, all public transport is free and it's clean and punctual. Nonetheless, it's inevitably limiting in terms of seeing other parts of the country if you don't have a car. Driving here is a decent option and takes under 4 hours from the channel ports. If you have a car the Battle of the Bulge museum at Bastogne is worth a visit, and we're close to the Nurburgring if that's your thing. Other cities like Trier will become readily do-able in the time you have, and a tour around Luxembourg is a must. The old castle at Vianden is on a nice little road trip and Remich on the Moselle is a nice drive.
In general the roads are great fun to drive and in fantastic condition. You could then drive on to Paris of course for your next meetings.
If you do decide to drive I'd be happy to suggest a few routes and places to see.
The train to Paris is a better option than flying, with Eurostar home being a nice way to travel, although there has been a lot of disruption to Eurostar over this festive period.
Do update the thread. There are a few PHers in Lux so if you did want to meet up for a beer in the City that's very possible.
I stopped off in Lux for 24hrs whilst driving back from our Stuttgart office.
Here's what I did:
Constitution Square
Place d’Armes
Place Guillaume
Luxembourg Hotel de Villa
Statue of Charlotte
Palais Grand Ducal
Saint Michaels Church
Bock Casements
Chemin de la Corniche
Notre Dame Cathedral
Scott’s Pub
Holy Ghost Citadel
In this order they form a walking tour that can take as long as you want it to.
There's also an open top bus tour that I enjoyed as well.
I really enjoyed Lux and would happily return for a long weekend.
Here's what I did:
Constitution Square
Place d’Armes
Place Guillaume
Luxembourg Hotel de Villa
Statue of Charlotte
Palais Grand Ducal
Saint Michaels Church
Bock Casements
Chemin de la Corniche
Notre Dame Cathedral
Scott’s Pub
Holy Ghost Citadel
In this order they form a walking tour that can take as long as you want it to.
There's also an open top bus tour that I enjoyed as well.
I really enjoyed Lux and would happily return for a long weekend.
I now need to be in Paris by Sunday evening at the latest, which means that it's barely worth flying home on Friday only to have to get on another plane on Sunday afternoon. But if I finish early than it's going to be a lot of dossing days at the company's expense and that doesn't really sit right with me. I guess I'll have to play it by ear in terms of what I do and when.
Thanks for sharing your touristic itinerary K50DEL - that gives me some good ideas!
Thanks for sharing your touristic itinerary K50DEL - that gives me some good ideas!
As others have said, there's not going to be much to keep you occupied for more than a day or so if you don't have a car to get out of the city. There are a few museums apart from the MoMA, but none that will occupy more than an hour or so. There's no Louvre here 
Given its location, there are quite a few war-related things to see, but you'll need a car for most of them. There are a some small museums in the centre/north of the country (Diekirch, Ettelbruck, and Clervaux), and many places have memorials to battles etc..The American cemetery (resting place of General Patton) just outside the city is also worth a visit if you have any interest in that direction.
There also is a small motor museum in Diekirch as well (https://www.cnvh.lu/) but I've never been. They have an MG exhibition on at the moment I think.
Not a lot going on culture-wise at this time of year either, at least in spring/summer there are plenty of concerts, festivals etc. going on. I've checked the bigger music venues (Rockhal, Atelier, Rotondes) and the agendas are very light in January. Having said that, there are many smaller venues so something might pop up: https://www.supermiro.lu/en/luxembourg/search
If you like fine dining there are plenty of options. There are even tables available at La Distillerie the weekend you might be here (thanks, January!) which is one of the most intriguing meals I've ever had. https://www.bourglinster.lu/en/booking-la-distille...
Other than that, Les Copains d'Abord, Wine House, Vinoteca, and Um Plateau are more affordable but still very good in the city centre. You'll need to book in advance for most though, and watch the opening hours because Luxembourg is weird (some restaurants don't open AT ALL at the weekend
)
If you do want to try Luxembourgish cuisine, Um Dierfgen and Siegfried are the obvious choices.
As CgD says though, even with the current delays because of works on the line to Metz, the train to Paris is under 2h30m and a very pleasant way to travel if you end up going straight to Paris.
If you are here at the weekend then the Philharmonie has a guided tour which is worth a couple of hours if you have any interest in music and/or architecture. https://www.philharmonie.lu/de/programm/guided-tou...
Given its location, there are quite a few war-related things to see, but you'll need a car for most of them. There are a some small museums in the centre/north of the country (Diekirch, Ettelbruck, and Clervaux), and many places have memorials to battles etc..The American cemetery (resting place of General Patton) just outside the city is also worth a visit if you have any interest in that direction.
There also is a small motor museum in Diekirch as well (https://www.cnvh.lu/) but I've never been. They have an MG exhibition on at the moment I think.
Not a lot going on culture-wise at this time of year either, at least in spring/summer there are plenty of concerts, festivals etc. going on. I've checked the bigger music venues (Rockhal, Atelier, Rotondes) and the agendas are very light in January. Having said that, there are many smaller venues so something might pop up: https://www.supermiro.lu/en/luxembourg/search
If you like fine dining there are plenty of options. There are even tables available at La Distillerie the weekend you might be here (thanks, January!) which is one of the most intriguing meals I've ever had. https://www.bourglinster.lu/en/booking-la-distille...
Other than that, Les Copains d'Abord, Wine House, Vinoteca, and Um Plateau are more affordable but still very good in the city centre. You'll need to book in advance for most though, and watch the opening hours because Luxembourg is weird (some restaurants don't open AT ALL at the weekend
)If you do want to try Luxembourgish cuisine, Um Dierfgen and Siegfried are the obvious choices.
As CgD says though, even with the current delays because of works on the line to Metz, the train to Paris is under 2h30m and a very pleasant way to travel if you end up going straight to Paris.
If you are here at the weekend then the Philharmonie has a guided tour which is worth a couple of hours if you have any interest in music and/or architecture. https://www.philharmonie.lu/de/programm/guided-tou...
Well it’s been quite a different trip than I’d hoped for. The plane over from Heathrow was delayed a little due to the need to get as many aircraft out before the storm hit. Quite how delaying departures gets more out I’m not sure!
I’d booked an apartment a couple of minutes walk from the main station as I hate being cooped up in a hotel room and I’ll have to do that all next week. But my choice of location wasn’t ideal as there’s the tram running outside and it wakes me at 6am every morning as it thunders past. And it also manages to spoil my enjoyment of Jack Reacher on the giant TV in the living room in the evenings.
Getting to the customer site and as easy unlike the work that I’ve been doing. Countless problems have meant that I haven’t left site until 7.30pm every evening meaning that by the time I get back I’m tired and not really wanting so go out and explore. The same was true this evening but I’ve forced myself to get to a nicer area of town where there are lots of restaurants and I’m having some lovely seafood at L’Osteria. Some of the best octopus I’ve had in a long time!
Despite the travails at work (pun totally intended) I have managed to finish a day ahead of schedule. I’d thought this would give me a day free to explore before my train to Paris on Friday but alas another customer needs my assistance urgently. With this customer I can work remotely. I have about two days work to try to compress into a day tomorrow so it’s going to be an early start and a late finish. So that’s my idea of a day and a half or exploration up in smoke. Maybe I’ll have Friday morning to see something if I don’t have more work heaped upon me…
From my viewpoint on the swift, smooth and clean double-decker train carriage I can see that Luxembourg is very much a car nation. I’ve seen far more cars than people here and a bit of googlage tells me that Lux has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the world. That’s despite public transport being totally free here. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I imagine anyone reading this will be far more familiar with Luxembourg than I am. But I’ve enjoyed speaking French and German left right and centre and from what I e seen so far I’d be more than happy to return. Our customer has expressed interest in asking me back to do more work that would take at least another week to carry out. So it sounds like I’ll find myself back here soon!
I’d booked an apartment a couple of minutes walk from the main station as I hate being cooped up in a hotel room and I’ll have to do that all next week. But my choice of location wasn’t ideal as there’s the tram running outside and it wakes me at 6am every morning as it thunders past. And it also manages to spoil my enjoyment of Jack Reacher on the giant TV in the living room in the evenings.
Getting to the customer site and as easy unlike the work that I’ve been doing. Countless problems have meant that I haven’t left site until 7.30pm every evening meaning that by the time I get back I’m tired and not really wanting so go out and explore. The same was true this evening but I’ve forced myself to get to a nicer area of town where there are lots of restaurants and I’m having some lovely seafood at L’Osteria. Some of the best octopus I’ve had in a long time!
Despite the travails at work (pun totally intended) I have managed to finish a day ahead of schedule. I’d thought this would give me a day free to explore before my train to Paris on Friday but alas another customer needs my assistance urgently. With this customer I can work remotely. I have about two days work to try to compress into a day tomorrow so it’s going to be an early start and a late finish. So that’s my idea of a day and a half or exploration up in smoke. Maybe I’ll have Friday morning to see something if I don’t have more work heaped upon me…
From my viewpoint on the swift, smooth and clean double-decker train carriage I can see that Luxembourg is very much a car nation. I’ve seen far more cars than people here and a bit of googlage tells me that Lux has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the world. That’s despite public transport being totally free here. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I imagine anyone reading this will be far more familiar with Luxembourg than I am. But I’ve enjoyed speaking French and German left right and centre and from what I e seen so far I’d be more than happy to return. Our customer has expressed interest in asking me back to do more work that would take at least another week to carry out. So it sounds like I’ll find myself back here soon!
paul.deitch said:
Next time you go back try and visit the big Shell service station on the motorway. It's the highest volume throughput site in the world with a shop to match.
I'm guessing you need a car for that! While I have plenty of those at home, I couldn't fit one in my luggage!LunarOne said:
I now need to be in Paris by Sunday evening at the latest, which means that it's barely worth flying home on Friday only to have to get on another plane on Sunday afternoon. But if I finish early than it's going to be a lot of dossing days at the company's expense and that doesn't really sit right with me. I guess I'll have to play it by ear in terms of what I do and when.
Thanks for sharing your touristic itinerary K50DEL - that gives me some good ideas!
If you have the weekend to spare, there’s an amazing car museum in Mulhouse and it’s not tooooo far to drive if you’ve a few days to kill. Thanks for sharing your touristic itinerary K50DEL - that gives me some good ideas!
paul.deitch said:
Next time you go back try and visit the big Shell service station on the motorway. It's the highest volume throughput site in the world with a shop to match.
My impression from frequent stops is that over 75% of the footfall is French from just over the border stocking up on cheaper fuel, fags and some dearer groceries such as coffee. LunarOne said:
paul.deitch said:
Next time you go back try and visit the big Shell service station on the motorway. It's the highest volume throughput site in the world with a shop to match.
I'm guessing you need a car for that! While I have plenty of those at home, I couldn't fit one in my luggage!PlywoodPascal said:
Totally agreed, I used to live in saarbrucken and it was always fun to stop in Luxembourg for fuel and an over at the massive service stations.
I stopped in the Q8 on the A6 on my way back to Calais, can't say I noticed it being huge - where's the Shell, I'll try and stop there next time!It’s on the A3 northbound at Berchem.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berchem_service_st...
It’s not worth a detour though. It is after all just a big petrol station!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berchem_service_st...
It’s not worth a detour though. It is after all just a big petrol station!
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