Luxembourg City

Luxembourg City sits about 70 km southwest of Saarbrücken, reached in 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes by direct Regionalexpress/CFL train from Saarbrücken Hauptbahnhof, or by car in about an hour via the A620/A4 motorway. The fortified old town perches on a rocky promontory above the Petrusse and Alzette river valleys, its Bock Casemates and ramparts forming part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A one-day itinerary suits a morning walk along the Chemin de la Corniche, often called Europe's most beautiful balcony for its views over the Grund and Petrusse valleys, followed by the Bock Casemates tunnels carved into the cliff face. Late morning or midday is a good time for the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Grand Ducal Palace in the old town center. Afternoon can be spent in the modern Kirchberg financial district or a walk down into the Grund quarter along the Alzette river, connected to the upper town by the Pfaffenthal funicular and a public elevator. Since all public transport within Luxembourg City, including buses and trams, is free of charge, moving between the upper town, Kirchberg, and the Grund costs nothing. The Place d'Armes and surrounding streets hold cafes and restaurants for lunch, from sandwich shops to Luxembourgish restaurants serving judd mat gaardebounen. Luxembourg City works well as a year-round trip; the casemates and covered old-town streets make it a reasonable choice even in poorer weather.