7 Best Things to Do On Your First Visit to Luxembourg (Free 48 Hour Guide)

Welcome to Luxembourg! If you're looking for a place that makes you feel fancy, with fairytale castles, delicious macarons and beautiful cafes - then you've come to the right place. We've gathered 7 of our favorite things to do in Luxembourg, as well as some things we wish we would have known before our visit. Whether you're looking to traverse through some old caves or see some beautiful churches, this small country will surprise you in all the best ways! Since the entirety of Luxembourg is only about 50 miles long, we recommend spending one or two days exploring the area, adding another if you really want to see the castles outside of the city.

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies, but these are our favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Car rentals are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you!

We always use Expedia's easy to use platform for comparing hotels.

To keep cell service while traveling, we always use Airalo’s easy eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the America's and Europe, and Klook for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is what we use for travel insurance.

Lastly, our packing list for any international or domestic travels.

Getting Around in Luxembourg & What to Expect

Before you take your own trip to Luxembourg, there's a few things you might want to know (or rather, things we wish we would have known before our visit). Lucky for you, we've put them all into this easy to read list. ;) If you're already there, then go ahead and skip this section and scroll down, we've put our 7 favorite things to do in Luxembourg below!

• Free Public Transportation - Something we never knew about before our visit earlier this month was that the entire country of Luxembourg has free public transportation. All the buses are free for both residents and visitors, meaning that anytime, anywhere you can just hop onto the local buses to get across the city - or out into the country to see some of the castles!
• Smaller than Rhode Island - As one of the smallest countries in the world, and one of 6 "micro-states" in Europe, Luxembourg is actually smaller than the US state of Rhode Island! The most shocking part - Luxembourg is only 51 miles long!!
• One of the Richest Countries in the World - In addition to being one of the smallest countries in the world, Luxembourg is also one of the richest (which you'll also see reflected in the day to day prices). Currently, according to GDP per capita, Luxembourg is actually the richest in the entire world!

Our Favorite Tours in Luxembourg : 
- Luxembourg City Guided E-Bike Tour
- 3 Hour Luxembourg Food Tour

7 Best Things to Do in Luxembourg

Like we mentioned above, Luxembourg is a small country, meaning you can do just about everything on our list within 48 hours. In addition to listing our 7 favorite things below, we've added the estimated time for each activity as well. In our personal experience, the best way to fully explore a city is to just wander around on your own and see where the day takes you, however, if you want a few things to do that we would whole heartedly recommend, then you've come to the right place. :)

1. Casemates du Bock
Arguably the most famous attraction in Luxembourg, the Casemates du Bock are hidden away along the Alzette River. Built in the 18th century, this cave system is one thing in Luxembourg you won't want to miss. The exhibit is fully self guided, and you'll have to purchase your tickets at the entrance for €8 per adult but the views from the cliffs overlooking the city are absolutely incredible. (Estimated Time : 2-3 Hours)

2. Notre Dame Cathedral
Even though Europe is filled with incredible churches, you might be looking to make a stop at one while you're visiting Luxembourg! We recommend checking out the Notre Dame Cathedral - a beautiful church established in 1613. If you want to visit another one during your trip, then head down to Saint Michael's Church near the Casemates du Bock. (Estimated Time : 1 Hour)

3. Old Quarter
Our best recommendation for exploring the Old Quarter is simply to wander around. From the Palace Grand Ducal to the Contemporary Art Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral to the Golden Lady, you'll find all sorts of hidden gems throughout the area. If you're not keen on exploring on your own, we recommend joining this walking and wine tasting tour! (Estimated Time : 3 Hours)

4. Kaale Kaffi
Luxembourg has many coffee shops, but in our opinion the best one is Kaale Kaffi. Even though it might also be the busiest, we promise you'll fall in love with the fancy interior. They don't have too much on the menu, but with all the gold decor, paintings, and comfy sofas and chairs it was truly a fun experience. (Estimated Time : 1 Hour)

5. Laduree
Located right in the heart of Old Town, Laduree might just have the best macarons you'll ever have. They're a little spendy at €3 each, but we promise they're worth it. They have an area inside for you to eat and enjoy your snacks, along with any other sweet treats you decide to get! Our favorite flavors were pistachio & salted caramel! (Estimated Time : 1 Hour)

6. Castles
Luxembourg is known for their multiple castles dotted throughout the countryside, and although we weren't able to visit any of them during our visit, we've heard they're truly incredible and some of the best in Europe. Our best recommendations for castle visits would be Vianden Castle, Beaufort Castle, Bourscheid Castle and Ansembourg Castle. ​(Estimated Time : 2-3 Hours per Castle)

7. Christmas Markets
Although we weren't there late enough in the fall/winter season for the Christmas Markets to open up, we've heard the market in Luxembourg is one of the best in Europe! With rides, stalls for souvenirs and gifts, and endless Christmas decorations, it pretty much takes up the entire city center! We recommend heading there in the afternoon so that you can see the festivities during the day, eat your weight in food, and see all the Christmas lights at night too! (Estimated Time : Half Day - Full Day)

Watch our Adventures in Luxembourg here!

Other Luxembourg blog posts :

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