Europe – Luxembourg – Woke and Awake Travel

TO & FROM:

Being just over two hour flight from Dublin , Luxembourg is a lovely short hop for a weekend break. You have choice of two airlines both Luxair & Ryanair fly direct from Dublin and to maximise time we flew out with one & returned on the other airline both fly into Luxembourg’s only airport just 8km outside Luxembourg’s city centre . There is good access to /from the airport by bus or taxi available just outside the terminal.

Figure 1 – City by night

As Luxembourg has such a fantastic geographical location within Europe you may even decide to combine trip to Luxembourg with few days over the border in Germany /France /Belgium all reachable by train or car or a flight will take you further into each.

We opted to stay in the centre on the Kirchberg Plateau where you will find two good hotels side by side 5* Sofitel Luxembourg le Grand Ducal & 4* Hotel Novotel Suites Luxembourg , you can choose pending your requirements.

Figure 2 – The Old Quarter

Although a small country – it covers less than 1,650 square kilometers and has a population of just under 600,000 – Luxembourg (or in full, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) delivers considerable diversity. While many of the country’s top attractions and points of interest lie in vibrant Luxembourg City, the old quarter of which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luxembourg’s many small towns are lovely and well worth exploring. It’s also an easy country to travel around, whether on foot in the capital city, on a driving tour through the picturesque countryside, or town-hopping by train. Old fortresses and beautiful castles complement the scene, making it a popular tourist destination.

Figure 3 :Bock Casemates

Day 1 – Out & About

Kirchberg – As above we opted to stay on the Kirchberg plateau which links to the old town by the imposing Red Bridge. The Kirchberg glass-defined facades houses various official institutions including the Luxembourg seat of the European Union, as well as the Philarmonie and MUDAM Museum of Modern Art, designed by the architect whose work includes the iconic glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris.

Grund – the charming area in Lower Luxembourg is one not to be missed particularly the UNESCO-listed Neumünster Abbey & Bock Casemates . You can take the Saint Esprit lift to explore the valley. It especially comes alive at night with some excellent dining to be had here, including the Michelin-starred Kamakura and Mosconi.

A must also is a visit to Luxembourg’s own Notre-Dame (the country’s only cathedral) dates back to the early 17th century; it’s built in the Gothic tradition, with Renaissance decor elements. The cathedral also contains the tomb of John the Blind.

We took in some shopping today also as shops do close Sunday!! Lots of good restaurants in the city & as always like to do we dined in a restaurant serving more local /European food Bei De Bouwen on one night. we always try to have an Indian meal on our travels around the world & were not disappointed in Luxembourg where we had a delicious Indian meal in Restaurant New Delhi rated in Top 10 restaurants of Luxembourg.

Figure 4 – Luxembourg Bridge Board

Day 2 – Out & About

Today we started at the very interesting Villa Vauban Art Museum which has changing exhibitions based on its own collections – European art from the 17th – 19th century and Luxembourgish art from the 20th and 21st centuries. While for lunch & afternoon tour we travelled little outside the city through the beautiful countryside to the vineyard of Caves St Martin, see 2 unders useful links. In the refreshing darkness of the underground galleries, with the latter stretching over one kilometer, we explored & discovered the secrets of the high quality St Martin wines and crémants. And finished with a little tasting of their Cremant & a grand premier cru wine.