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Luxembourg Travel Information

Introduction | History | Culture | Getting There & Getting Around
Attractions | Facts for the Traveler

Introduction

Not even big enough on most maps of Europe to contain the letters of its name, Lilliputian Luxembourg makes up in snazz what it lacks in size. It has a wealth of verdant landscapes crisscrossed by rivers and dotted with the sort of rural hamlets that most people associate with fairy tales.

Its charms are myriad and its people are justifiably proud of their heritage. The nation's motto is inscribed everywhere throughout Luxembourg City, the capital - Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin - 'We want to remain what we are'. After a visit, you're sure to hope they do.

A respected member of the European Union, a role model of international finance and a benchmark in comparisons of quality of life, Luxembourg enjoys a prosperity that nations many times larger aspire toward and envy.

The north of the country lures outdoors enthusiasts with sylvan settings promising fabulous skiing and hiking. The Moselle Valley, just east of Luxembourg City, is one of Europe's most idyllic wine-producing regions. And the capital is no more than an hour's drive from anywhere else in the country, so you can truly get a sense of the lay of the land without spending eons running around.

Full country name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Luxemburg, Letzeburg)
Area: 2,586 sq km
Population: 454,157
Capital city: Luxembourg
People: 70% nationals (Celtic stock, with French and German), 30% resident foreigners (mostly Belgian, French, German, Italian and Portuguese)
Language: Luxembourgish; Letzeburgesch, French, German, English
Religion: 97% Roman Catholic
Government: constitutional monarchy
President: Grand Duke Henri

GDP: US$21.94 billion
GDP per head: US$48,900
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 1.5%
Major industries: Banking, Insurance sectors, Agriculture, Iron and steel, plastic and rubber, chemicals, mechanical and electrical equipment, tourism
Major trading partners: EU (esp. Belgium, France, Germany, UK, Netherlands)
Member of EU: yes

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History

The language of Luxembourg is Luxembourgish, a blend of old German and Frankish elements. The official language of the civil service, law, and parliament is French, although criminal and legal debates are conducted partly in Luxembourgish and police case files are recorded in German. German is the primary language of the press. French and German are taught in the schools, with German spoken mainly at the primary level and French at the secondary level.

June 9, 1815, after 400 years of domination by various European nations, Luxembourg was made a grand duchy by the Congress of Vienna. It was granted political autonomy in 1838 under King William I of the Netherlands, who also was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The country considers 1835 to be its year of independence. In 1867, Luxembourg was recognized as independent and guaranteed perpetual neutrality. After being occupied by Germany in both World Wars, however, Luxembourg abandoned neutrality and became a charter member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.

The present sovereign, Grand Duke Jean, succeeded his mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte, on November 12, 1964. Grand Duke Jean's eldest son, Prince Henri, was appointed "Lieutenant Représentant" (Hereditary Grand Duke) on March 4, 1998. On December 24, 1999, Prime Minister Juncker announced Grand Duke Jean's decision to abdicate the throne in September 2000, in favor of Prince Henri who assumed the title and constitutional duties of Grand Duke.

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Culture

Over a 400-year period, Luxembourg Castle (Château de Luxembourg) was repeatedly attacked and rebuilt by the Spaniards, Austrians, French, and Dutch, successively, to become the strongest fortress in Europe after Gibraltar. One such reinforcement was undertaken by the French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, who redesigned the city's defensive fortifications after having orchestrated its siege in 1684 in the service of Louis XIV.

The Grand Ducal Palace (Palais Grand-Ducal) is home to the royal family, heirs of William I (1772–1843), king of The Netherlands and grand duke of Luxembourg (1815–40). The palace dates from 1572, and later additions were made in 1895. After renovations were completed in the 1990s, portions of the palace were opened to the public.

The heart of the old town is the Fish Market (Marché-aux-Poissons), around which stand several 17th- and 18th-century buildings, including the mansion housing the Luxembourg National Museum (National Museum of History and Art). Um Bock, a 13th-century building and the city's oldest, is also located at the Fish Market. Among the city's other cultural institutions are the Jean-Pierre Pescatore Museum (1966) of fine arts and the History Museum of the City of Luxembourg (1996). At the town of Hamm 4 miles (6 km) to the east is a World War II military cemetery with the graves of more than 5,000 U.S. soldiers, including those of Brigadier General Edward Betts and General George S. Patton, Jr.

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Getting There & Getting Around

The international airport, Findel, is 6km (4mi) east of the capital and is serviced by frequent buses. The national airline, Luxair, flies to a number of European destinations, including Amsterdam, Athens and London. Other airlines fly to Cuba, Iceland, Morocco, Russia, Tenerife and the USA. The departure tax (f120) is included in the price of tickets.

Eurail, Inter-Rail, Europass and Flexipass are valid on Luxembourg's train system, as is the Benelux Tourrail pass, which is also good on Luxembourg Railways' bus routes. Buses and trains connect the capital to all of Europe's major cities as well as many neighbouring towns and villages.

The major automobile routes into and out of the Grand Duchy include the A4 to Brussels and Paris, the A31 via Dudelange to France and the A48 via Trier to Germany.

The touristy MV Princesse Marie-Astrid plies the Moselle River en route from Schengen, at the southernmost tip of Luxembourg, to Bernkastel and Trier in Germany during the summer.

Getting Around

Unlike its Benelux partners, Luxembourg does not have an extensive railway system, so getting around once you leave the main north-south line can take time. The bus network, on the other hand, is thorough, and the fare system for both networks is simple, with unlimited day tickets and standard charges for set lengths of travel. Almost all railway stations have luggage storage facilities, but many bus terminals do not.

Luxembourg's road network is very good. Drivers must by law wear seatbelts, and all driving is done on the right. The price of fuel is among the cheapest in Western Europe - so much so that German and Belgian drivers are known to swing across the border to fill up. Conversely, car rental is expensive, though it may be your best bet for short stays. Be sure to ask about insurance, taxes (TVA) and unlimited kilometres.

Outside of the capital, public transportation consists mainly of taxis, which hike their fees by 25% on Sundays. Bicycle rental is an option, though it's not as popular here as in the rest of Western Europe.

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Attractions

Luxembourg City

Perched high on a promontory overlooking the Pétrusse and Alzette Valleys, the Grand Duchy's capital solemnly sits like a thousand-year-old gargoyle. In 963 AD, on a rocky outcrop known as the Bock, Sigefroid, Count of Ardennes, laid the cornerstone of a fortress that would become Luxembourg City. Although Sigefroid's fortress no longer exists - after nine centuries of attacks and occupations, his castle and most of its fortifications were blown up by the townsfolk in the latter half of the 19th century - the views and what little remains of the original structure continue to inspire.

Of the fortress' remnants, the labyrinthine casemates are the most impressive to modern visitors. Built in 1644 while the fortress was under Spanish domination, the casemates are a honeycomb of damp chambers and connecting tunnels hewn from the belly of the Bock. Originally 23km (14mi) of subterranean defensive passageways, some as much as 40m (131ft) deep, the casemates were soon the envy of Europe's warmongers - so much so that they earned Luxembourg the nickname 'Gibraltar of the North'. The reputation proved persistent when during WWI and WWII the casemates were used as bomb shelters for 35,000 people. Today, the casemates are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and 17km (11mi) of them are open to the public.

Winding down from the Bock, the pedestrian promenade known as the Chemin de la Corniche has been called 'Europe's most beautiful balcony'. At its southern base, the Citadelle du St Esprit provides superb panoramas of both the valleys and the Grund, or lower town, a picturesque, cobblestoned quarter that's home to the bulk of the city's meagre nightlife. Just west of the northern end of the Chemin is the Grand Ducal Palace.

The city is easily covered on foot. Most of the sights are along the southern rim of the old town, where strollers will also find scores of scenic lookouts and serene parks. The old town is based around two large pedestrian squares, Place d'Armes and Place Guillaume. The city's modern commercial center is across the Pétrusse Valley to the south, connected by two bridges, Pont Adolphe and Pont Passerelle. The Pétrusse and Alzette Rivers meet in the city centre.

Ardennes

Known as the Eisléck or Oesling, the Luxembourg Ardennes are the Grand Duchy's northernmost - and most spectacular - region. Winding valleys, fast-flowing rivers, verdant plateaus and towering castles combine to make the region hugely popular among visitors and residents alike. Of the three main towns, Clervaux is the most accessible, Vianden is the most touristic, and Wiltz ... well, it's very nearby to the hamlet of Esch-sur-Sûre, which attracts a staggering number of visitors solely because of its location.

Clervaux has two main sights: its feudal castle, in the town centre, and the turreted Benedictine abbey high in the forest above. The castle houses several exhibits, including Edward Steichen's photography collection, Family of Man. Though it's not much more than a village, Vianden's attractions stack up pretty well in a country this small. Besides the pervasive 9th-century charm, its most noted feature is the central chateau, a photographer's dream. Try to take a peek from the chairlift that climbs the nearby hill between Easter and mid-October. The village's other ace is the former home of then-exiled French author Victor Hugo, who lived here in the 1860s.

Built on the side of a small plateau, Wiltz is more spacious but less of a charmer than either of its neighbors. The Ville Haute (High Town) has most of the sights, but the train station is down below in the Ville Basse. South of town, the tiny village of Esch-sur-Sûre perches on a rocky peninsula skirted by the Sûre River and lorded over by steep cliffs and a ruined castle. Don't come here looking for peace and solitude, but come here nonetheless.

The E421 heads north out of the capital toward the Ardennes. There are also trains every few hours to Clervaux from Luxembourg City. To get to Wiltz and Esch-sur-Sûre, take the Clervaux train and transfer at Kautenbach. To reach Vianden, take the Ettelbrück train from the capital and transfer to a connecting bus. Buses also run to and from several of the larger towns in the region. None of these trips takes more than an hour and a half.

Moselle Valley

Wine tasting is the obvious attraction of the Moselle Valley, and if you like sweet, fruity whites, then the trip is well worthwhile. The valley's Route du Vin, or Wine Road, begins at Waserbillig and follows the Moselle River south through the wine region's capital at Grevenmacher and beyond to the picturesque villages of Wormeldange, Remich and Schengen.

The Cellars of Poll-Fabaire in the hillside village of Wormeldange are worth a visit, as are the larger Caves Bernard-Massard in Grevenmacher and St Martin in Remich. All three are open for tours and tippling from late spring to early fall. Each village celebrates nearly all stages of the wine-making process during the festival season from August through November.

The beautiful Moselle River, which marks southern Luxembourg's border with Germany, is known to locals as the 'Wine River'. April through September, its waters are plied daily by the MV Princesse Marie-Astrid, a tourist boat that hits all the major sipping-spots from Schengen, at the southernmost tip of Luxembourg, to Bernkastel, Germany.

The Moselle Valley begins less than half an hour's drive east of the capital along E44. Trains to Germany stop in Wasserbillig, and buses from the capital run to Grevenmacher with frequent connections to towns in the south.

Mullerthal (Little Switzerland)

This region is where Luxembourgers come to play. Centered around the old Christian town of Echternach, in a pocket of woodland northeast of the capital, the area's hiking, cycling and rock climbing also make it one of the most touristed areas in the country. Head west of town to the walking paths, which wind through rocky chasms and waterfalls to Berdorf, 6km (4mi) away, and on to the crumbling remains of Beaufort castle.

If you're in Echternach on Whitsunday (the 7th Sunday after Easter), wave your hankies with the locals celebrating the pageant of St Willibrord, Luxembourg's only saint, who lived in town in the 8th century. His mortal remains now lie in a white marble sarcophagus in the town's basilica. Behind the basilica, there's also an interesting Benedictine abbey.

To reach Echternach, take the E29 northeast of the capital about 50km (30mi). The town is on the Sûre River, midway along the German border.

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Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Citizens of many countries - including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA and virtually all of Western Europe - require only a passport to enter Luxembourg for stays of up to 3 months.
Time: GMT/UTC +1
Dialling Code: 352
Electricity: 220V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go

Springtime, the choicest time of year to visit, brings a riot of wildflowers and ushers in celebrations and folk festivals nationwide. The weather from spring through fall is usually good for outdoors activities - so long as you don't mind rain. Winter is not as extreme in Luxembourg as it can be in nearby countries, so if you find yourself visiting during the colder months, you needn't weigh yourself down with polar gear.

Events

For a small country, Luxembourg is big on festivals. The liveliest national events are Carnival, held six weeks before Easter; Bürgsonndeg (Bonfire Day), the following week; and National Day, on 23 June, which is celebrated with parties and revelry akin to those on New Year's Eve, particularly in Luxembourg City. Also in the capital and definitely worth catching are Octave, a Catholic festival held from late April to early May that climaxes with a street parade headed up by the royal family; and Schueberfouer, a fortnight's worth of fair-type fun held in late August that features a cavalcade of decorated sheep joining in the streetside revelry.

East of the capital, the Müllerthal town of Echternach celebrates Whitsunday (the 7th Sunday after Easter) with a handkerchief pageant in honor of St Willibrord, a local boy made good, whose remains you can visit in the town's basilica. That same weekend, up in Ardennes, the town of Wiltz celebrates its yearly Broom Flower festival with parades and colourful floats. The Moselle Valley's wine festivals begin in August and run through November's 'New Wine' celebration in Wormeldange.

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