Your perfect itinerary for a weekend in Luxembourg road trip

I’ve been so curious about Luxembourg for so long! This past week, I took a road trip with my parents-in-law to Germany and Luxembourg, which included a weekend in Luxembourg by car. This itinerary is a bit relaxed compared to some other Luxembourg itineraries, but I hope that it gives you the chance to see this lovely country. A weekend is just the right amount to get a taste of Luxembourg.

• Notes on traveling in Luxembourg
• Day One: Luxembourg City, LaRochette, and hiking in Mullerthal*.
• Overnight stay in Beaufort
• Day Two: Beaufort and Vianden Castle.

Notes on traveling in Luxembourg

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This is an itinerary that can be done by public transit, however for maximum flexibility, you’ll want to have a car as Luxembourg is pretty small. This is only a taste of the highlights of Luxembourg, so you’ll need to have longer to see more without rushing through! You might want to add more to day two, but that’s up to you!

The itinerary includes hiking in Mullerthal, seeing Luxembourg City, exploring the castle ruins at LaRochette, seeing Beaufort, and admiring the stunning Vianden Castle as well as where I stayed/ate. The budget was fairly low for Luxembourg: 80 euros per night for a cozy guesthouse in a small picturesque town, 10-15 euros for attractions, and 5 euros for parking, and 15 euros for dinner.

Starting off your weekend in Luxembourg: Day 1

Luxembourg has a small airport that you can utilize, however it’s also quite close to Trier and Metz. I got here by driving a rental car from the Netherlands via Germany. The total time for our trip starting in the Hague was five days with stopping in Mosel Valley, Monschau, Aachen, and Valkenburg to/from Luxembourg with our weekend.

Luxembourg City: Morning

After watching Bad Banks (a German/Luxembourgish television show) filmed in Luxembourg City, I was dying to see Luxembourg City after seeing stunning shots of the casemates at night within the show! You can certainly spend longer in Luxembourg City, but despite the beauty, we found getting in/out of the city quite stressful in terms of driving.

We parked near Parking Saint-Esprit (Indigo) prior to admiring the views from the charming Grund neighborhood. There’s a fantastic lookout as soon as you get out of the parking lot near the court! You’ll want to descend to see the medieval streets below. After a short wander, follow the pretty streets to find the Palace of the Grand Duke, which is open for tours in summers.

I wholeheartedly recommend stopping off at the slightly pricey, but worth it Chocolate House for a bit of cake and coffee to start off your day. From here, you’ll want to go to the Casemates, which was part of an early fortified castle in Luxembourg. Over time, the walls were strengthened to the degree that Luxembourg was eventually referred to as the “Gibraltar of the North.” These UNESCO recognized tunnels are impressive to see and provide impressive views over Luxembourg City. There’s a late morning tour, so check ahead for hours/tour times!

Stop off at LaRochette Chateau ruins

After a relaxing morning exploring Luxembourg City, you’ll most likely drive through LaRochette. These impressive castle ruins date back to the 11th century although most of the castle was destroyed in the 16th century. I went in the offseason, so the castle was closed to visitors. As a result, I can’t say whether it was worth the admission fee to go inside.

It’s still impressive to admire the castle on foot as you take the loop trail surrounding the castle that is free to the public. You can reach it by walking from town or driving up to the castle prior to parking. The loop should take about 20 minutes and you might meet a friendly guard cat who demands pets in the name of his Lod. 😉

Hiking in the Mullerthal*

Luxembourg is famous for its nature within the Netherlands! You might want to swap hiking with Beaufort the other day during your weekend if the weather isn’t great. The Mullerthal is a stunning landscape filled with giant rocks and lush forest and it’s a delight to hike here. There are many well-marked trails here to follow, but Schiessentümpel Cascade is a great place to start.

You’ll want to bring sneakers with good grip as the ground can be a bit slippery after rains due to the leaves on the grounds. You don’t need to be overly fit to hike in the Mullerthal, but you need to be prepared for some stairs in the rock.

Overnight stay in Beaufort

Beaufort is a charming town in Luxembourg that is famous for its impressive medieval castle. We stayed at L’Auberge Rustique, a charming guesthouse with views of the castle from some windows. A room cost 80 euros per night. (You can opt for an authentic Luxembourgish dinner for about 18-20 euros prepared by the host within the cozy tavern.)

We ended up eating massive and delicious pizzas (~10 euros) at the casual yet friendly Hostellerie de Beaufort. Luxembourg has a large population of Portuguese descent, so consider opting for Restaurant Douro for a great Portuguese meal as recommended by a Luxembourgish acquaintance! Otherwise, you can visit Brasserie Beim Adelheid for a nice sit-down meal made with regional ingredients.

Day 2: Castles in Beaufort and Vianden

In the morning, we stopped into the local bakery in Beaufort Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Marques for delicious coffee and pastries to start off our day. There was an impressive choice, including some Portuguese Pastel de Natas. (You can walk here from the guesthouse in the morning.)

Beaufort Castle

Beaufort Castle partially dates back to the 11th century. It was built within a valley on a large rock and as soon as you walk into the valley, it’s hard not to be impressed with the old ruins. The castle was partially destroyed in the Thirty Year War, but you can view the “new castle” next door that is not open to the public. Beaufort Castle, like many others in Luxembourg, is only in spring, summer, and early fall with guided tours in the late mornings. You can still admire the castle if it’s not open.

Vianden and Vianden Castle

I was blown away by Vianden Castle. This stunning castle is straight out of a fairytale and it sits high above on a mountain above the town. The castle has a rich history that relates to the King of the Netherlands today, who carries the title Count of Vianden.

I’ve visited a lot of castles and I was very impressed by the museum within the castle, which is a combination of Gothic and Renaissance building styles. A self-guided tour of the castle will allow you to wind through this large and impressive fortified castle that was once a Roman fort. I was quite impressed by the Byzantine room with its massive windows. It should take 1-2 hours to see the castle. There’s a small cafe where you can enjoy a coffee or tea afterward.

After seeing the castle, you’ll want to explore the town of Vianden itself. The drive up to the castle is absolutely beautiful, so be sure to take at least an hour to walk around the picturesque cobblestoned streets. Victor Hugo called this charming Luxembourg town home after being taken by its castle. You can see what would have been his view from his home (within a hotel turned museum) from the bridge that crosses the river!

Have you been to Luxembourg?