Day trips & escapes

Luxembourg With Kids: A Two-Day Plan That Actually Works

5 min read

Children on the Pfaffenthal panoramic lift with the valley behind

Day 1: the capital as a playground

Kids love the lifts here, and there are three free ones. Start with the Pfaffenthal panoramic lift on Plateau du Saint-Esprit — a glass box that drops 70 metres in 30 seconds. At the bottom, walk 10 minutes along the Alzette to the Pfaffenthal funicular, ride it up, then cross the Red Bridge on tram 1 to Kirchberg. Lunch at Aloyse Raths or the Auchan food court (unglamorous but has everything). Afternoon at the Parc Merveilleux in Bettembourg — a proper family park with animals, mini-train and playgrounds, 15 minutes by train from Gare (12 euros adult, 8 euros child).

Day 2: Vianden and the chairlift

Train to Ettelbruck, bus to Vianden. The castle interior can be dry for small kids, but the chairlift up the ridge and the walk back down through the woods is the winning combination — pack snacks. Back in town, the small Trickfilm museum on Grand Rue is free and shows animation history. Lunch at a gromperekichelcher stand on the market square. Home by late afternoon.

Sleep both nights in the capital rather than moving bags. Family rooms at Hotel Parc Plaza in Limpertsberg or the Novotel Kirchberg both work — Kirchberg has more space for tired children in the evening, Limpertsberg is closer to Parc Municipal for morning runs.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Bock Casemates okay for young kids?

Fine for confident walkers over six. There are steep stairs, low ceilings and dark passages — a toddler in a carrier is manageable, a toddler on foot is not.

What about strollers on the Old Town cobbles?

Manageable but bumpy. The Corniche and Kirchberg are much smoother. Skip the Grund descent with a stroller — use the free lift both ways.