I was meaning to visit this neigbouring country for ages , and this week I finally made it, almost 35 degrees Celsius, I grab my back and start my road trip to Lux. It seemed a great idea for a weekend getaway, given the size of the country. I thought I would have the city mastered in a few hours. Nestled in-between Belgium, France and Germany I was planning on heading out-of-town for a weekend dose of nature. Several rivers run through Luxembourg including the Moselle river, which marks the border with Germany. It is also home to many international financial institutions.
Little I know there were too many things to see and to visit.
And I’ll be honest with you, I arrived not knowing much about it at all, but I love country site and mountain, Luxembourg City is built around a ravine, which makes for some dramatic Cliffside scenery, while the center of town is full of grand architecture, a palace, cathedrals, and pastel-colored buildings, the medieval city makes for a great hours wandering and enjoying the view.
The Grand Ducal Palace
Located in the city center near to Place Guillaume II , you can admire the artwork and wander along the long corridors. Dating back to the 16th century , the palace is the official residence of Grand Duke Henry. destroyed by a gunpowder explosion (1554), the town hall was rebuilt 20 years later. In the middle of the 18th century the former City Scales were added as an extension, whereas the Parliament was built as an annex in 1859. Since 1890 the main building has served as the Grand Dukes' official residence. From 1992 to 1995 it was restored thoroughly. During the summer months, visitors can take a look behind the scenes of the grand ducal Palace.
The old town is my favorite place, with beautiful alleys, I love to have a cuppa and watch people enjoying summer sun. Almost every cobblestone has an extensive backstory. You will certainly stumble upon an interesting historical location every two steps and marvel at the mixture of medieval architecture, baroque facades and weathered city walls.
After my cuppa, I wander to the castle ruins at La Rochette, amazing view , These impressive castle ruins date back to the 11th century although most of the castle was destroyed in the 16th century. 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.
The second day , I decided to go for a ride to Vianden and visit the castle, it is a massive and stunning is straight out of a fairytales and is sits high above on a mountain ( for me ) . This castle has a story that relates to the king of the Netherlands, who carries the title Count of Vianden. Whilst you are here, make sure you go to the village and have a stroll and enjoying the local specialty.
After our castle visit, I decided to go off the beaten track and visit the little Echternach with the Roman remains at where a large Roman Villa had once stood. some real Roman ruins. Laid out exactly as the Villa would have been it was easy to see where the rooms would have been, I found the Bath House with its underfloor heating and some lovely Roman columns, although some of the walls had obviously been added to give the overall impression, Echternach is a charming town formed around the ancient walls of an abbey founded in 698. The town lies along the River Sûre and the border of Germany. Stroll through the town center’s maze of medieval architecture, including ruins of the old city walls. Relax near the scenic lakeside or join local festivities of music, theater and folklore.
I do enjoy my long weekend in this beautiful country and will definitely return when the weather not almost killing me……….
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