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Tucked between Belgium, France and Germany, Luxembourg is a small yet fascinating country with plenty to offer.
Despite its modest size (2,586 km² compared to London’s 1,572 km²), Luxembourg is one of the world’s wealthiest countries (per capita), a significant financial hub, and one of three European capitals that host European Union institutions.
It’s hard to say what Luxembourg is known for because it’s a little under the tourist radar for us Brits, but you’ll find some beautiful landscapes, lush green forests, rolling hills, historic castles, the UNESCO-listed Old Town of Luxembourg City, a picturesque wine region, and great roads to drive!
Unbelievably, public transport is free in Luxembourg.
You read that right – public transport is free!
From buses to trains and trams, you won’t have to worry about paying to get around on public transport.
However, we recommend driving around the country.
Not only are the roads great, but public transport may be relatively slow to reach some of the places listed below.
You will get by speaking English in Luxembourg, but French, Luxembourgish and German are the official languages.
When you enter some places listed below, you may not find any English on the information boards; look for the English guides to help you understand the displays.
Explore with the Luxembourg Card
While exploring the country, we used the Luxembourg Card.
It’s similar to the London Pass, granting you access to more than 70 attractions nationwide.
At every paid-entry venue we visited, the Luxembourg Card was accepted.
Many are in Luxembourg City, and some are on this list.
You can choose one, two, or three days, so if you plan to explore Luxembourg City and beyond, you can pick a length that suits you.
1 | Explore Luxembourg City
There are more things to do in Luxembourg than on this list, so we’ve reserved the rest for our post about the best things to do in Luxembourg City to keep everything in the city together in one post.
Luxembourg City is the capital of Luxembourg and one of Europe’s smallest capital cities.
To give you a scale, London is approximately 1,572 km², and Luxembourg City covers approximately 51 km².
Despite its size, there are plenty of things to do, from exploring its old quarters and fortifications (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to admiring its views (it’s built on a rocky outcrop carved by the Alzette and the Pétrusse rivers) and visiting its many museums.
Read: Things to do in Luxembourg City
2 | Visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery
The Luxembourg American Cemetery is an impressive and immaculate memorial to 5,070 American soldiers who died during the Second World War.
Many of the soldiers buried here lost their lives in the Battle of the Bulge and in the advance to the Rhine River.
The cemetery is striking, with seemingly endless rows of white Italian marble crosses and Stars of David marking the graves.
The cemetery is immaculate, too, thanks to the American Battle Monuments Commission, who maintain it.
You’ll find two Medal of Honour recipients in the cemetery. Still, the most famous resident is General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. 3rd Army after the Allied invasion of Normandy, France.
Patton wasn’t killed in battle but died as a result of a car crash while on his way to a hunting ground and requested to be buried alongside other soldiers of the U.S. 3rd Army.
📍 50 Val du Scheid, 2517 Hamm Luxembourg
💷 Free
🕙 Daily, 9 am–5 pm
3 | Visit the German Military Cemetery
Just 1.5km from the Luxembourg American Cemetery lies the Sandweiler German War Cemetery.
It’s the final resting place for over 10,900 German soldiers who died during the Second World War.
With towering trees and up to four names per headstone, the German cemetery is an understated site that starkly contrasts with the American Cemetery.
Despite not celebrating the German defeat, the cemetery is a sobering reminder of all the lives lost in the war. Unlike the American cemetery, which the American Battle Monuments Commission maintains, the German cemetery is maintained by volunteers and donations.
💷 Free
🕙 Open 24 hours
4 | Go Wine Tasting
The Moselle Valley is the heart of Luxembourg’s wine industry, home to over 400 wine growers and producers.
It’s a picturesque area of Luxembourg that stretches along the Moselle River.
And where there are vineyards, there are wine-tasting opportunities!
If you know your wines, some produced in Luxembourg include Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Crémant, Elbling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Rivaner.
We visited Caves Beissel (by private appointment, thanks to family connections!), but a quick Google will show you plenty of wineries between Remich and Grevenmacher.
5 | Visit Echternach
Echternach is the oldest town in Luxembourg and one of Europe’s earliest centres of culture and Christianisation.
It’s a charming little town on the bank of the Sûre River, with Germany on the opposite side.
Echternach is also the gateway to the Müllerthal region, often called “Little Switzerland,” which we’ll discuss next.
One of the main attractions of Echternach is the Abbey of Echternach.
It was founded by Saint Willibrord from Northumberland, who established a Benedictine abbey in 698.
In the abbey’s crypt, you’ll find a magnificent white marble sarcophagus containing the remains of Saint Willibrord.
Aside from its Christian heritage, Echternach is famous for its hopping procession.
Thousands of pilgrims and spectators gather on Whit Tuesday to participate in the procession in honour of Saint Willibrord, which takes them to the saint’s tomb.
6 | Explore Vianden Castle
Vianden Castle is an impressive example of a medieval castle and undoubtedly the most visited, iconic, beautiful and well-preserved Castle in Luxembourg.
Vianden Castle was once the seat of the powerful Counts of Vianden and dates back to the 10th century.
The castle was built between the 10th and 13th centuries, with additions, but what you see today is only partially original.
An interesting part of the castle’s history is that, in 1820, it was sold at a public auction to a citizen of Vianden. The new owner, Wenzel Coster, began demolishing the buildings and selling the materials.
You’ll find an information centre, shop, taverna, galleries, chapel, crypt, halls and a few other things to explore inside the castle!
📍 Mnt du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg
💷 Paid entry
7 | Explore Little Switzerland
The Müllerthal region, often called Luxembourg’s “Little Switzerland,” is renowned for its landscapes and outdoor activities.
The region has dramatic rock formations, dense forests, and scenic valleys.
It’s a great place to visit if you like cycling, walking, or enjoy the great outdoors.
The Müllerthal Trail is a walking trail that stretches over 112 kilometres through the region.
It comprises three primary and four extra routes and takes you through the best of the region.
The Ramblers’ Association considers it one of Europe’s best trails.
The following three places on this list are also in Little Switzerland.
8 | Explore Medieval Castle Beaufort
Castle Beaufort is a ruined medieval fortress in Beaufort, dating back to the 11th century.
It was expanded and fortified over the centuries, between 1050 and 1650, and although much of the castle remains a ruin, with floors and rooms missing, you can still enter the prison and the torture chamber.
Inside the torture chamber, you’ll find a few of the items they might have used back in the day to extract information, punish crimes, or even enforce obedience.
Next door, you’ll see the noticeably newer Renaissance castle.
It’s over 350 years old and remains largely unchanged since it was built.
General access to the castle is only to the medieval side.
The Renaissance Castle is accessible only on guided tours and can be booked via the website below.
📍 24 Rue du Château, 6313 Beaufort, Luxembourg
💷 Paid entry
🕙 Open daily
9 | Enjoy the Views from Aquatower Berdorf
There are loads of water towers in Luxembourg, and their purpose is, of course, to store and distribute water.
You’ll usually see them on the outskirts of towns around the country.
As big architecture fans, we noticed some towers stood out as masterpieces.
Some are concrete triumphs, and others are works of art.
And one has a couple of secrets.
It features an exhibition and viewing platform.
Inside the 55-metre tower, an exhibition on the 10th floor tells how Luxembourgers found and stored water, and the viewing platform on the 15th floor offers impressive views over the Mullerthal region.
The tower is still in use, storing water between the 10th and 15th floors.
Aquatower Berdorf isn’t open year-round or every day, so check the website below for the latest hours.
📍 106 A Rue de Consdorf, 6551 Berdorf, Luxembourg
💷 Paid entry
🕙 Check the website above
10 | Explore Larochette Castle
The ruins of Larochette Castle date back to the 11th century, and what remains today is mainly due to a fire in 1565.
Perched on a prominent mountain spur, the castle’s commanding position offers an impressive view over Larochette.
Although much of the castle remains, one section, known as Criechinger House, has been refurbished over the years with a new roof, stairwell, floors, and renovated walls. The space is now used for photo and art exhibitions and small concerts.
📍 Mnt du Château, 7622 Larochette, Luxembourg
💷 Paid entry
11 | Head underground at MNM Rumelange
The National Mining Museum (Musée National des Mines, MNM) is dedicated to Luxembourg’s industrial mining history, including the extraction of iron ore from the Walert mine.
It’s a unique attraction in Luxembourg—we overlooked the country’s industrial past because its financial sector is so prevalent today.
We went on the ‘mine and train guided tour’, which involved entering the mine via the train, jumping off, and exploring the mine galleries.
Inside, we had an English audio guide (since the tour guide spoke German) that explained the mine’s history and how it, its workers, and its equipment evolved over the 70 years or so it was open.
You’ll see along the massive galleries and into huge voids created by miners and their explosives, with locomotives, wagons, and other equipment and machinery dotted around, once used to extract iron ore.
The spread of equipment inside is quite impressive.
It was a fascinating tour, and if anything, we would have liked even more information.
📍 Carreau de la Mine Walert, 3, 3714 Rumelange, Luxembourg
💷 Paid entry
🌍 mnm.lu
12 | Meander down the Moselle
Although we mentioned the Moselle region for wine tasting, it’s worth repeating because it offers more than just wine.
There are excellent cycling routes along the Luxembourg and German sides of the river, where you can cycle along the river and even through the vineyards on the German side.
We recommend parking at Remich and cycling to Grevenmacher and back.
It’s a 25-mile round-trip, primarily flat, picturesque, and very enjoyable.
But if cycling isn’t your thing, Remich is also worth exploring.
It’s a small town with plenty of cafes and restaurants, and it even has events going on.
It’s also home to boats that take you on a river cruise.
If you do nothing else, drive to Remich and follow the road alongside the river northbound to Grevenmacher—you won’t regret it!
It’s a beautiful drive where you can admire the vineyards and landscape from the comfort of your car.
Map
Here’s a map of all the places listed in our guide to help you plan and navigate your visit.
Is Luxembourg worth visiting?
Yes, Luxembourg is worth visiting. It’s a fascinating little country with a rich history and plenty of things to do. We have family in Luxembourg and have visited many times, and we are always finding new things to do. Luxembourg City has a lot to offer, and there are plenty of other things to do around the rest of the country, from visiting the wine region to exploring quaint villages and ruined castles.
How long in Luxembourg is enough?
Despite its small size, Luxembourg offers plenty to do. You’d be hard-pressed to get around the entire country in less than a week. If you enjoy walking and cycling, you might want to allow enough time to explore the great outdoors, plus a couple of days to explore Luxembourg City comfortably.
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