1 destination · 10 things to do

Luxembourg

Luxembourg City is the small capital with the big view: a fortress town on a rocky plateau, cut through by the deep green gorges of the Alzette and the Pétrusse, with church spires, bridges and old ramparts stacked above riverside quarters like the Grund. For centuries it was one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, and its old quarters and fortifications are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can walk the Chemin de la Corniche, often called the most beautiful balcony in Europe, go underground into the Bock Casemates, ride a glass lift down to Pfaffenthal and spend a rainy afternoon in museums that are compact, excellent and often free. Beyond the city, the fairy-tale castle of Vianden rises above the Our valley in the Ardennes. Public transport is free across the country, so getting around costs nothing. This guide books the tickets worth booking, points you to the free sights that matter most, and matches you to the right hotel, from a Relais and Châteaux hideaway on the Place d’Armes to a good-value base by the station.