Discover Luxembourg City

Why visit Luxembourg City

Luxembourg City is one of the most underrated and spectacular capitals in Europe — the small but staggeringly wealthy capital of the Grand Duchy, perched on a sheer sandstone plateau split by two deep gorges (the Petrusse and Alzette valleys), with the medieval old town up top and the wonderfully preserved Grund and Clausen districts down in the green valleys below. The UNESCO-listed historic core is anchored by the 16th-century Grand Ducal Palace (the residence of Grand Duke Henri, with summer guided tours), the dramatic Place d'Armes, and the medieval Bock Casemates — a 23km network of underground military tunnels carved into the cliff over four centuries, of which 17km still exists and 1.7km is open to visit. The walk along the Chemin de la Corniche (called 'Europe's most beautiful balcony' by Luxembourgish writer Batty Weber) along the cliff edge gives breathtaking views down to the Grund and across to the modern Kirchberg plateau where the EU institutions are concentrated. The brilliant MUDAM contemporary art museum by I.M. Pei (the same architect as the Louvre Pyramid) is essential. Don't miss the Bock Promontory at sunset, the moving Moselle wine villages 30 minutes east, or a day trip to the bizarre and beautiful Mullerthal region known as 'Little Switzerland'.