Luxembourg

During the day, cross-border commuters who come to work liven up the heart of the city, which is frequented by 170 nationalities - a world record! The architectural patchwork of neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau architecture will guide your steps. Although Lëtzebuergesch is spoken in the streets, French is the other official language.

Between the Place d'Armes and William II squares, or along the Grande Rue, the fashion boutiques invite you to max out your credit card. In the evenings, this vibrant heart of the city welcomes its 120,000 inhabitants with their high purchasing power, who enjoy theatre culture, have fun in the trendy bars that rival those of London or Berlin, and delight their taste buds in the stylish restaurants, particularly in the ‘gastronomic island’, that has some of the  best addresses in town.

Exploring the Upper Town offers a thousand opportunities to marvel, from the Ducal Palace to Notre-Dame Cathedral, not forgetting the internationally renowned museums. A bucolic walk takes you along the corniche, with romantic views of the citadel and the pretty fortified Lower town. Don't hesitate to book your holiday from Montpellier!

Lose yourself in the picturesque districts of Grund and Clausen, on the banks of the meandering Alzette River, where you can sit on a café terrace. And don't forget to visit the casemates (or underground passages), evidence of the old fortifications that surrounded Luxembourg City, so much so that in the 18th century it was nicknamed the ‘Gibraltar of the North’! Round off your visit with a trip to the Kirchberg plateau, home to the European institutions and a major centre for contemporary urban development, with the Philharmonie concert hall designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc.

Sites and monuments

• The Cathedral of Notre-Dame du Luxembourg, a late Gothic masterpiece with flamboyant stained-glass windows. Its crypt houses the tombs of the ducal family.
• The Grand Ducal Palace in the Flemish Renaissance style, built in the 16th century and inhabited by Grand Duke Henri, the country's sovereign.
• The vast casemates of the Bock and Pétrusse, listed as UNESCO heritage sites and bearing witness to the fortifications that surrounded the city.
• The Benedictine Abbey of Neumünster, dating from the 17th century, has now been transformed into a cultural centre.
• The Kirchberg plateau, with its European institutions but also the military cemeteries of German and American soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulge.
• At the gates of the city, the Château de Bourglinster, which hosts festivals and concerts.

Museums

• In addition to the works on display, the Mudam Museum of Modern Art owes its success to the glass roof designed by Pei (architect of the Louvre Pyramid).
• Located in the patrician houses of the old town, the Luxembourg City History Museum immerses you in the thousand-year history of the City of Luxembourg.
• The Bank Museum presents collections of banknotes and coins in the former buildings of the Bank and Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat.
• Renovated in 2016, the National Museum of Natural History, housed in Saint John’s Hospice, entertains children and adults alike, with its stuffed animals and rich collection of minerals.
• From archaeology to popular traditions and the industrial era, the National Museum of History and Art offers an exquisite journey back in time...

Parks

• Above the city, the Kirchberg plateau is home to a spacious park created by the landscape architect Peter Latz, an ideal place for a breath of fresh air.

• To the south-east, towards the French and German borders, build up your strength in the spa town of Mondorf-les-Bains before breaking the bank at the casino. 
• Along the Moselle (south-east), Machtum is a delightful winegrowing village. Other must-see attractions: the wine museum in Ehnen, and the city of Schengen, made famous by the European agreements signed in 1985.
• You can hike on the marked trails of the Haute Sûre and Our natural parks to the north of the country (Ardennes). To be combined with a visit to the villages (Vianden, Wiltz, Clervaux or Esch-sur-Sûre) with their massive medieval castles.  

Dishes

• Judd Mat Gaardebounen - smoked pork loin, served with beans.
• Kuddelfleck - considered as the national dish, composed of tripe.
• Stäerzelen – exquisite, tasty smoked bacon and buckwheat dumplings
• Kriepsen - from Luxembourg-style crayfish

Dessert

• Quetschentaart - a delicious damson plum tart for dessert

Drinks*

• The Moselle vineyard produces wines with fine aromas.
• Beer is the everyday drink. In addition to microbreweries, Luxembourg Brewery, founded in 1871, produces Diekirch, Leffe and Stella-Artois. 
• Luxembourg is home to several natural springs with healing properties, such as Beckerich or Rosport.