Day trips & escapes

A Long Weekend in Luxembourg: 3 Days, 3 Regions

5 min read

Moselle vineyards above Remich in autumn

Friday: Luxembourg City

Assuming you land Thursday evening, drop bags in Ville Haute and eat locally — Brasserie Guillaume on Place Guillaume II for oysters and a steak, around $55 a head. Friday morning start at the Corniche at 9am, do the Bock Casemates by 10:30, walk to Grund via the Pfaffenthal lift, and lunch at Beim Renert. Afternoon is for the Palace guided tour (bookable July-September only, $15) or the National Museum of Art and History ($7, closed Mondays).

Friday dinner at Um Plateau in Clausen — book ahead, it fills. Walk the Corniche after dark. Sleep at Hotel Simoncini or Hotel Le Place d’Armes in Ville Haute so Saturday's early train is walkable to the station via the Passerelle bridge, about 15 minutes.

Saturday: Vianden and the Ardennes

Train to Ettelbruck 8:30, bus to Vianden by 10am. Castle until noon, lunch at Auberge Aal Veinen, chairlift and riverside walk in the afternoon. If you have energy, take bus 570 onward to Clervaux and see the Family of Man photo exhibition in the castle ($6, closed Mondays) — it's a UNESCO Memory of the World listing and takes about 90 minutes. Return train to Luxembourg has you back by 7pm.

Alternative Saturday: swap Clervaux for Echternach and the Mullerthal, if you’d rather hike sandstone gorges than see more castles. Direct bus 110 from central station to Echternach takes an hour. Dinner Saturday back in the city at Bick Stuff in Belair for modern bistro cooking around $40. Sleep another night in Ville Haute — moving hotels for one night isn’t worth it.

Sunday: Moselle wine country

Bus 175 from Hamilius to Remich (50 minutes). Arrive by 10am and walk the Moselle promenade — it's flat, planted with plane trees, and the German bank is visible across the river. At 11am book a tasting at Caves St Martin ($10 for 4 wines) or Domaines Vinsmoselle, both a short walk from the centre. Lunch at Brasserie de la Poste on the promenade with a bottle of Riesling, around $40 a head.

Afternoon walk up into the vineyards for the panorama, or take bus 450 up to Wormeldange for more tastings. Return to Luxembourg by 6pm. If you fly Sunday night, book a Kirchberg airport hotel; if Monday, one last dinner at Ma Langue Sourit in Moutfort is worth the taxi for the Michelin star (yes, Luxembourg does have several).

Frequently asked questions

Can I do all three regions without a car?

Yes — trains and buses cover every stop above and cost nothing. You’ll spend 90 minutes to two hours in transit each way, which is fine if you plan around it.

Which region should I skip if I only have two full days?

Skip the Moselle first. Vianden and the city are the two experiences most different from each other and from home; wine tasting you can do closer to where you live.