Day trips & escapes

Luxembourg in Two Days: City Plus One Big Day Trip

5 min read

Vianden Castle seen from the Our valley

Day 1: Luxembourg City core

Follow the one-day plan compressed slightly: Corniche and Bock Casemates 9am to noon, lunch in Ville Haute, Pfaffenthal lift and Grund 2pm to 5pm, dinner in Clausen or Grund. The difference is you can add the MUDAM at Kirchberg in the late morning if you’re keen — take tram line T1 from Hamilius (free), 12 minutes to Philharmonie/Mudam stop. Give it 90 minutes maximum and be back in the old town by 1pm for lunch.

For dinner on night one, go to Am Tiirmschen on Rue de l’Eau for Luxembourgish classics in a stone-vaulted room — Bouneschlupp and Kniddelen for around $45 a head with wine. Sleep in Ville Haute again: Hotel Vauban on Place Guillaume II is solid at around $140 and lets you drop bags before day two.

Day 2: Vianden and the north

Leave the city by 8:30am. Train from Luxembourg central to Ettelbruck (35 minutes, free), then bus 570 to Vianden (25 minutes, free). You arrive under the castle around 10am. Walk up through the old town — it's steep but short, 15 minutes — and enter the castle at opening. Give it 90 minutes; the restored halls and the arms room are the highlights. At noon ride the chairlift up the opposite hillside ($5 return, seasonal) for the classic photo back at the castle.

Lunch at Auberge Aal Veinen for wood-grilled meats around $25, or grab a Bratwurst from the riverside stalls in summer. Afternoon: walk the Our riverbank, visit the Victor Hugo house (small, 45 minutes, $4), and if time permits take the bus to the SEO pumped-storage plant viewpoint. Return bus and train has you back in Luxembourg by 6pm.

Evening and where to sleep

You have two choices for night two. Stay in Vianden for a much quieter evening — Hotel Heintz on Grand-Rue is a charming old coaching inn at around $110, and the castle is floodlit until 11pm which is stunning from the bridge. Or return to Luxembourg City and eat somewhere you missed on night one, like Bouneweger Stuff in Bonnevoie for Luxembourgish comfort food at reasonable prices.

If it's your last night and you have an early flight, sleep at a Kirchberg hotel like Melia — 15 minutes to the airport by taxi and directly on the free tram back into town. Do not attempt Vianden as a half-day trip; you need the full day to make the transport worthwhile.

Frequently asked questions

Should day two be Vianden or the Moselle?

Vianden if you want one big memorable sight and don’t mind buses. Moselle if you’d rather drink wine and walk flat riverbanks. Vianden wins for first-time visitors; the castle is genuinely world-class.

Is public transport really free for the Vianden trip?

Yes, all trains and buses within Luxembourg are free. Only the chairlift, castle entry and museum cost money. Bring cash for the chairlift as card readers can be slow.