When I booked my train to Luxembourg with a friend, everyone kept asking, "But what are you going to do there?" As if that wasn't enough, the weather forecast didn't exactly boost our optimism! And yet, this quick little weekend getaway turned out to be quite lovely. It happened to coincide with a street arts festival, Streeta(rt)nimation, which usually takes place in early August, so there were tons of unique performances popping up all over the city!
Day 1 - Saturday
We caught the 7:45 AM train from Gare de l'Est, sleeping in would have to wait for another day! Two hours later, we arrived, and luckily, our hotel room was already ready. I have to mention the hotel because it was pretty great: stylish, modern, clean... and it had a beautiful glass-walled shower visible from the bed. Pretty funny when you're traveling with a friend instead of your partner!!!
The Upper Town (Haute-Ville)
We set off to explore the Pétrusse Valley, a nice way to reach the city center while getting a bit of greenery. Just be careful with the misleading names: the Pétrusse Valley is really just a few hundred meters of natural riverbanks south of the Upper Town. It was a very pleasant morning stroll up to the Adolphe Bridge, where we decided to head back up to the Upper Town for lunch. We found ourselves at the Place de la Constitution with its Monument of Remembrance, which offers a charming view of the valley. We then took a quick look at the Notre-Dame Cathedral right next door.
We made a quick stop at the Tourist Office nearby to grab a city map, then ended up at the Place Guillaume II right in the middle of the market. Vegetables, flowers, cheese, pastries... everything was there, and we almost regretted not heading straight home afterward so we could stock up! We wandered around aimlessly and stumbled upon the famous street filled with hanging umbrellas, Rue Philippe II, so pretty!
Our Favorite: The Chemin de la Corniche
We kept walking, passed the Saint-Michel church, and found ourselves at the start of the Chemin de la Corniche. It’s honestly a must-do because the view over the Alzette River and the Grund district is stunning. Along the river, we even had a snack by picking blackberries, despite the thorns and nettles!
After a little break on a terrace to soak up the sun, we went back to the Pétrusse Valley to cover the half we hadn't seen yet. Back at the Adolphe Bridge, we headed back up to the Upper Town to walk through Ed J. Klein Park. Nothing too special, just a small pond and a nice playground for kids, but once again, it was a great dose of nature.
The Museums
Once we crossed the park, we had the bright idea to head toward the museum area in the Clausen district. We got a bit lost on the paths, which turned into a bit of a workout before we finally reached the top. All that just to see the MUDAM (Museum of Modern Art) and the Draï Eechelen, a fortress museum. Still, it was cool to photograph the two very different architectural styles side-by-side. We then had to descend via some poorly marked paths to get back toward the center... and hike back up to the Upper Town, of course! After a well-deserved dinner following all that exercise, we headed back to rest our poor, aching legs.
Day 2 - Sunday
The American Cemetery
On the second day, the rain finally arrived... but we headed to the American Cemetery anyway. Although smaller than the one in Normandy, it’s still impressive and perfectly maintained. Dating back to the end of World War II, over 5,000 American soldiers are buried there, many of whom fell during the Battle of the Bulge.
The Bock Casemates
Once we finished our tour, we got caught in a thunderstorm, so we ducked into one of the neighborhood's small restaurants for a bit of shelter. Once the rain let up, we went back into town to visit the Bock Casemates, a visit we’d saved for this day since we suspected the rain might show up. It’s a network of tunnels carved into the rock for military defense. The oldest parts date back to the 17th century, when Luxembourg belonged to the Spanish crown. It’s a real underground labyrinth, with some surprising views of the region!
We hung around the city a bit longer to check out the Grand Ducal Palace, east of the Upper Town, then, given the weather, we headed back to pick up our bags at the hotel before going to the station for our trip home.
In short, I definitely wouldn't have spent a full week in Luxembourg, but for a short weekend getaway to get out of Paris, it was perfect. Having no expectations of the city, everything was a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend taking a trip there if you're ever in the area! Here is the photo album from this weekend.
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