24 hours in...Luxembourg

Luxembourg was a real surprise. Before visiting I’d only known it through work as a financial centre, and expected it to be full of office blocks and not much else. How wrong I was…deep valleys, trees everywhere, mixed architecture, surprising vistas - one of the best cities I have visited this year.

Flights

  • Outbound: Saturday 29 September, British Airways, LHR-LUX, 07.25am.

  • Return: Sunday 30 September, British Airways, LUX-LHR, 9.30pm.

Airport transfers

  • Outbound & Return: Laziness kicked in I’m afraid and I got a taxi from the airport to the main train station and explored from there. On the way back I got a bus (for a fraction of the cost - around 2 euro) and was dropped off at the front door of the airport.

Hotel

  • La Pipistrelle (EUR185 per night). This time at the bottom of a hill - nestled in a tree lined valley, hidden amongst bars and houses, in a townhouse. My room (suite) was on the top floor - up two normal flights, then a spiral staircase to the summit. The room was great - big bed, and a nice bath in the middle of the (open) bathroom. Breakfast was EUR16 extra and was a simple continental selection (calling it a buffet would be generous). From the hotel to the city centre was a 15 minute walk - because it was uphill, not because it was that far away!

Activities

  • Luxembourg is a city you can truly explore on foot, which I did once I got my bearings on the compulsory open top bus tour.

  • Le Chemin de la Corniche - you kind of stumble across Le Chemin, which I did on Sunday morning after heading out from my hotel along the valley floor, following the flow of the river, and then deciding to head up the hill. The view of the valley and bridges is worth the hike.

  • Mudam Modern Art Museum - this was a fantastic modern art museum, although only the ground floor was open. Great restaurant too - where the buffet picture came from (yes that was only for one!).

  • Cathédrale Notre Dame - just to get my fix of stained glass.

  • Most of my time was spent wandering, which led me to bump into things like a brass band playing film scores in Place d’Armes for example. Very relaxing!