36 Hours in Luxembourg City

I think we got off on the wrong foot with little Luxembourg.

Our journey by train from Amsterdam was met with sudden route changes, extending our transit time to a full seven hours – which meant we were filled with a bit of regret before we even arrived. And though in many parts of Europe, a car would be considered a burden, we soon found that we also regretted not renting one in Luxembourg City, as we found ourselves somewhat confined within the city walls.

Still – determined to make the most out of our time, here’s what we recommend from 36 hours spent in this very unique city:

LUXEMBOURG CITY FOOD & DRINK

Chiche!

Chiche! | 20 Av. Pasteur, 2310 Luxembourg

Chiche! was our saving grace the first night in Luxembourg City. It was open a little later than some of the other restaurants and – most importantly – it’s open on Sunday. Chiche! offers a vast selection of Middle-Eastern dishes, some familiar to us and others not. It’s best to order a few hot and cold dishes to share. You may find a new favorite!

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Chiggeri

Chiggeri | 15 Rue du N, 2229 Luxembourg

We always try to have lunch at spendier restaurants because they tend to offer a better value. Chiggeri provides a wonderful prix-fixe menu with a single meat entree that changes daily (a fish and vegetarian entree are offered as well, though they remain on the menu over the course of the full week), with the option to add a starter and/or dessert. The portions were generous, and there are several Luxembourgish wines on the menu, if you wish.

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Ready?!

Ready?! was very busy at the time of our visit, as the school day had just ended. We watched in awe as the shop suddenly flooded with teenagers looking for a sugary beverage or a pastry. We kept to our usual – a flat white and a pourover – and were not disappointed. A perfect place to stop for a quick snack, and they also offer a light lunch as well.

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Mu Luxembourg

Mu Luxembourg | 40 Bd d'Avranches, 1160 Luxembourg

A hotel bar is a rare recommendation on this blog, but here’s one: Mu Luxembourg. Located at the top of the Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal hotel, it offers a sweeping view of the city. For the cost of a beer (about €6 each), you can pull two chairs up to the the window and watch the lights twinkle below.

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Bloom Specialty Coffee Shop

Bloom Specialty Coffee Shop | 101 Rue Adolphe Fischer, 1521 Luxembourg

Bloom coffee shop doesn’t offer a wide menu – but that’s precisely what makes them so good. They offer a limited selection of items for breakfast, and everything we had was exceptional. We shared two breakfasts of juice, toast and homemade jam, and pain au chocolat, along with coffee. A breakfast out is a treat for us, and Bloom made the first meal of the day feel extra-special.

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Knopes Cafe

Knopes Cafe | 18 Rue Dicks, 1417 Luxembourg

A “yeps” in our book (sorry, I had to), Knopes Cafe carefully sources their beans and provides a comfortable place to relax and enjoy. We were perfectly cozy on the cold day of our visit, and lots of people were settled in with their laptops to begin their work for the day.

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:buvette

:buvette | Place des Rotondes, 2448 Luxembourg

:buvette doesn’t have great reviews online, and to be honest, we don’t really understand why. Yes, it was very quiet on the Monday evening we visited, but the space is quite comfortable and it fills a gap in available places to go out and grab a drink at the start of the week. Luxembourg has very little to offer in terms of nightlife; if :buvette were near our home, we could definitely see spending evenings with friends there, playing ping pong or some of their lawn games over a local brew.

LUXEMBOURG CITY SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS

Casemates du Bock

Casemates du Bock | 10 Mnt de Clausen, 1343 Luxembourg

On a whim we purchased entries to the Casemates du Bock. The Casemates are tunnels located underneath the city’s buildings – essential during war but unnecessary in these peaceful times. During the 1800s, the city discovered they were impossible to remove without damaging the infrastructure – and so they remain for tourists to explore. The tunnels offer a more unique view of the city than above, and you can explore as much or as little as you’d like.

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Pont Adolphe

Pont Adolphe | Uewerstad, 2320 Luxembourg

The Pont Adolphe spans the Pétrusse – and offers great views looking at it and also looking away from it. My recommendation? Cross via the pedestrian footpaths underneath on both sides (just watch out for bikes!), and head further afield to get a good view of the full bridge.

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Wandering on Foot

Being without a car and not wanting to deal with wonky public transit, we skipped a bus ride over to the Moselle region in favor of simply wandering – and I don’t regret it at all (well, not too much, at least!). Luxembourg City is made for wandering; paths crisscross and wind up and down the hillsides and it’s easier to put away the map on your phone and just let your feet pull you through. You never know what you may stumble upon!

LUXEMBOURG CITY SHOPPING

Akabo Buttek

Akabo Buttek | 8 Rue de Bonnevoie, 1260 Luxembourg

Akabo was a really lovely surprise – an ethical fashion beacon amongst a sea of fast-fashion consumer culture in the surrounding shops. Selling only fair- and sustainable-fashion, Akabo carries brands such as Recolution, Veja, People Tree, and Kuyichi.

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Bagatelle Concept Store

Bagatelle Concept Store | 18, rueDicks, 1417 Luxembourg

Bagatelle is a concept store located in the back of Knopes Cafe, and offers a selection of women’s and men’s clothing, as well as accessories and vinyl records. There is truly something for everyone, at all price points.

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Jeff de Bruges

Jeff de Bruges | Multiple Locations

We hadn’t yet made it to Belgium yet at this point in our trip, but that didn’t mean we weren’t craving chocolate! A stop at Jeff de Bruges is a perfect way to satiate that craving. Pick up a piece or two for an afternoon treat, or buy one of their many boxed options for a gift for a lucky loved one.

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Monoprix

Monoprix | Multiple Locations

We always pop in to a Monoprix at some point during a visit to France, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the French chain store has locations in Luxembourg. Generally I advocate for shopping at local markets and vendors whenever possible; however Monoprix does offer the advantage of consistency and a large assortment of product. The Monoprix in Luxembourg sold several bottles of local wines as well as Champagne at a very cheap price (we later learned that it’s not uncommon for people to pop over to Luxembourg to buy their alcohol, as it can be much cheaper).

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: LUXEMBOURG CITY

Luxembourg is tiny on the map, but once you’ve arrived, it can feel quite large. Trains to Luxembourg seem to arrive direct from a select few origin cities; if we had to do it over, we would have booked a flight in or rented a car. Speaking of cars, cars are king in the city, and I highly recommend renting one if you plan to visit for more than a day or two even though parking may be a bit of a challenge. Luxembourg City itself can be explored in a day, and from there, I would suggest heading to the Moselle to rent a bike and visit wineries, or heading north of the city in a vehicle to explore the country’s castles.

Lodging can be found most anywhere in the city; our Airbnb’s proximity to the main train station was helpful for an easy arrival and departure. The language we encountered most frequently was French, but many people also spoke English.

Luxembourg City has little to offer in the way of nightlife, and much of the city felt quiet after 8 p.m. We did feel a bit unsafe in certain parts of the city (mostly near the train station) and we encountered many people just standing in the street late at night, potentially up to no good. This was a vast change from Amsterdam, one of the safest-feeling cities we’ve ever visited.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Raw Silk Top
Black Skinny Jeans
Necklace*
Crossbody Bag*
Sneakers*
Cardigan*

Cozy was the name of the game during this trip to Luxembourg. The temperature dropped fast after we arrived – we went from highs in the seventies down to lows in the thirties – and this woolen sweater kept me warmer than my leather jacket. I always, always prefer natural fibers over synthetics, and the nubby raw silk of the T-top and these stretchy-yet-substantial jeans really pulled their weight. This is a look I’ll likely be repeating on future trips!

*this item is no longer available, and I've linked a similar product

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Have you ever visited Luxembourg? Do you have any favorite spots to add to this list?