Luxembourg City – the Little Capital with Big Views

I had wanted to visit Luxembourg for a number of years, so when I was in Brussels last year for a city break, adding a day-trip to Luxembourg City was a must!  However, if you wish to follow in my footsteps and do this trip, be prepared for a long day: the train from Brussels to Luxembourg City takes over 3 hours each way, but the journey is scenic, travelling through the Ardennes region of south-east Belgium.

I had read-up on the city so knew that a big feature were the gorges formed by the Pétrusse and Alzette Rivers which snake their way around the city centre, but when I saw the sheer-sided gorges with my own eyes I was blown away!  The deep valleys form a natural fortification for the historic city with massive bridges needed to connect much of the old town with the more modern areas.  Alongside the rivers, in the valley floor, are quaint buildings, historic churches and lush gardens adding to the feast for your eyes.

A particularly pretty stretch to walk along is the Chemin de la Corniche on the eastern edge of the historic city centre, with the Alzette River and the area of Grund far below.  This path follows the route of the city walls – seeing how thick and tall the walls of the buildings and fortifications are, it’s easy to imagine the city being almost impenetrable as numerous European invaders waged battle in the area over the centuries.

Away from the gorges, the city is also very picturesque, with small alleyways, a grand palace (the home of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the Palais Grand Ducal, is situated right in the city centre) and beautiful churches.  There is definitely enough to fill your time on a day-trip.  After all, you may find yourself lingering longer than you expect along the top of the battlements, just soaking in the view!