How to spend 2 days in Luxembourg (2024)
DO YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HOW TO SPEND 2 DAYS IN LUXEMBOURG?
If you’ve ever spent evenings browsing online for cheap flights, you’re bound to have seen that Luxembourg is always an affordable destination to hop on a flight to.
Luxembourg is a country that was deemed the richest in the world for many years but is surprisingly cheap to visit as a tourist – if you know the best tips.
Spending 2 days in Luxembourg is pretty common because of the cheap flights- but you might not know how to spend it.
It’s a pretty small country after all, so how much can there be to do in such a small place?
Well, I’ve spent 2 days in Luxembourg and I can assure you, there is plenty!
Read on to find out how I spent 2 days in this beautiful country and made the most of my little time…
2 Days in Luxembourg: Day 1
Of course, how you spend your time in Luxembourg is going to greatly depend on where you’re staying. On my trip, I chose a small apartment in Beggen – just 10 minutes outside the city centre by bus.
Transport is completely free in Luxembourg – a great bonus! And the vast range of services makes it so easy to get from one side of the small country to the other in just a couple of hours. The well-developed transport links are key to jam-packing your trip.
The city of Luxembourg is very, very small. When I got off of the bus on the first morning I didn’t even realise I was right on the outskirts of the city.
Pfaffenthal Panoramic Elevator
After I had crossed over a small bridge with a beautiful view, I quickly saw my first to-do list attraction. Except, as I stood right outside of it, I quickly realised that it wasn’t really a tourist attraction at all – and more a mode of transport for locals.
The Pfaffenthal Panoramic Elevator takes about 20 seconds to ascend 75 m tall and makes it much easier for locals to get from the Azlette Valley to the city quarters of Ville Haute.
The walkway at the top is completely glass – allowing amazing views of the valley. While not built with tourism in mind – it is a must-do. The views that it gives at the top are stunning and show off Luxembourg’s interesting mix of architecture well.
On one side you’ll see a highly modern bridge and on the other – medieval towers and stone bridges. It is a great location for people-watching and is a great place to take panoramic photos.
Luxembourg City Centre Attractions
From the Pfaffenthal Panoramic Elevator, it is just a short walk to Ville Haute – the city centre. Often in Luxembourg, I found myself walking straight past important locations as many just blended in with the rest of the buildings. Some of the most notable stops that I would suggest visiting though are…
Luxembourg City Hall
Located just across from the tourist office, the City Hall is a beautiful building for a photo and inside has many leaflets available that would be of interest to tourists looking for things to do. It is a lovely building inside with exhibitions to tour. As far as I could understand it, the City Hall is free to explore and links to the Bierger-Center. This is a civic centre offering services for locals to complete personal admin.
Palais Grand-Ducal
The Palais Grand-Ducal is right in the heart of the city and is a mesmerising building. The guards outside, in traditional dress, parade up and down and ensure that visitors don’t get too close. It is an iconic and historic building that serves as the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Beyond being a family home the palace serves as a venue for state ceremonies, large receptions and grand banquets.
Nathalie Bonn Chocolate House
Directly facing the Palais Grand-Ducal, I found a quaint little chocolate shop that had a huge range of high-end chocolate creations. A visit to the Nathalie Bonn Chocolate House should not be missed by chocolate enthusiasts and connoisseurs. This charming establishment offers the opportunity to savour some of the finest handmade chocolates in the country – and at reasonable prices for handmade creations.
Cathedral Notre-Dame de Luxembourg
Cathedral Notre-Dame de Luxembourg may not be as grand as the one that you are familiar with in Paris but it is beautiful and grand nonetheless. Constructed in 1613, it is the only cathedral in the entirety of Luxembourg. The stained glass windows in particular are so intricate and deserve to be admired.
Casemates du Bock
Casemates du Bock are the prime tourist attraction in the city and are astonishing to look at. The Castmates is a fascinating historical site that offers a glimpse into the country’s medieval past.
These underground tunnels and fortifications were originally built in the 17th century and expanded over time to create an extensive network of defences. Visitors can enjoy wandering through the winding corridors and panoramic views of Luxembourg City from the elevated vantage points. The views over Grund are particularly beautiful.
If you’re a history buff then this location is a must-do, but if you’re tight for time or not overly interested in the workings of Casemates then I would skip paying for a ticket and instead just admire the structure from the path or various bridges that overlook it.
I could go on and on about things I saw on my morning in Luxembourg but the above list was my top few. All of the activities only took up about 3 hours of my morning and then I spent an extra 2 just having a walk around the city, getting my bearings and taking in the atmosphere.
I found a local fairground near Luxembourg Train Station to grab a quick bite to eat before planning the rest of my day out. Feeling like I’d spent enough time in the city I decided to take up the offer of one of Luxembourg’s many castles.
Because of how many castles Luxembourg has to offer I think it would be pretty silly to not explore at least one of them. Do your research before going so that you can decide which of the castles are most suited to you and look interesting.
Bourscheid Castle
I settled for Bourscheid Castle on the first day due to train availability and I thought that the pictures on Google looked intriguing. From Luxembourg Station, it took about 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach the castle – getting off the train in Ettelbruck to swap to a small bus that took us up the winding road to the summit which the castle ruins laid on.
Overall, I’d say the ruins were pretty interesting but there could perhaps be some more information on the walls to tell you exactly what you were looking at because some areas could be very hard to imagine. However, the staff member that greeted me was absolutely lovely and even offered to refill my water bottle.
I couldn’t fault the location for photo opportunities and by completing just a short walk up the road you could get a really clear viewpoint of the castle. There was also a small shop on site for souvenirs and snacks which I appreciated.
2 days in Luxembourg: Day 2
Day 2 started very early again so as to fit in everything on my itinerary. Leaving Beggen, I took a bus towards the music hall to admire the outside – I wouldn’t put this at the top of my list though of things to do, perhaps book yourself a ticket to a show to take in the full beauty of the Philharmonie, if you have the time of course.
EU Parliament Building
Having spent a day in Brussels, and having visited the EU Parliament there, I was intrigued to have a nosey at the EU Parliament Building in Luxembourg. It was very similar to the other experiences in that there is strict security on entering, so prepare to have your bags checked.
Guided tours of the building give great background information into how the area is utilised and its function as well as detail on the workings of the EU system. You can witness democracy in action by quietly observing debates in the main chambers – a particularly exciting activity for those that love politics.
Vianden Castle
Again, you should really look into which castles you’d like to visit while in Luxembourg but as far as reviews go, Vianden Castle is one of the most visited and well-loved. It’s in great condition and has a fantastic amount of resources that allow you to get a feel of how the castle would’ve operated centuries ago.
It’s quite a way out of the city centre, so allow plenty of travel time, but the journey is very worth it with the train and bus offering stunning views of the Luxembourgish countryside. The village of Vianden itself is also lovely to explore, with a great little bridge situated perfectly for taking photos with the castle towering above.
The facilities at the castle are great with a cafe, gift shop, toilets and lockers on site. There was also a large cinema-style screen which showed a video of the castle through time which was perfect to brush up on my history knowledge.
I’d say that Vianden Castle is the better of the two that I visited, but that’s down to personal preference and again timing, as Vianden is further away from Luxembourg City than Bourscheid.
Vianden Castle Chair Lift
Had I known in advance about this chair lift experience I definitely would’ve made time for it in my itinerary. Just a short distance from the castle, it offers a unique opportunity to travel to it in style rather than hiking the steep hill.
From an altitude of 220m to 440m, the short journey is the perfect time to take some panoramic photos of the valley below and the castle above. At an affordable price too, I’d highly recommend you take up the offer of a ride in the sky.
Back to Luxembourg City Centre
After my excursion, I headed back to the city centre to spend my final few hours exploring further and getting my hands on some souvenirs. I didn’t find it particularly hard to find souvenirs but do scout about the area a little to make sure you’re getting a good price.
Getting to the airport again is pretty easy from the city centre – as it is getting there. There are buses that run to the airport and they are very regular, especially on weekdays. Don’t stress too much about leaving loads of time to get to the airport because of this good access. And unless it’s the summer holidays I’d say that you’d be pretty safe only getting to the airport around an hour or hour and a half before your flight as the security is very small and efficient.
Final Thoughts: 2 Days in Luxembourg
Overall, I’d say 2 days in Luxembourg is plenty, if you’re not opposed to early starts and not much time to relax. Maybe extend your trip to 3 days if you’d like to take things more slowly.
There are plenty of panoramic views to take in around the city and many buildings to explore. Make sure to leave some time in your schedule to visit 1 or 2 castles – you won’t regret it!
If you have to choose one to visit then I’d suggest Vianden as it is interactive and very well preserved.
Enjoy your 2 days in Luxembourg, it’s an amazing city and an amazing country.
