8 Best Sights in Luxembourg

The reservoir was dammed in 1961 to create a long-term source of drinking water for Luxembourg. Chunks of it are still off-limits because of this, but there's plenty to explore. In summer, solar-powered boats (May–October) take you on two-hour tours of the water. Mercifully, no motorboats are allowed here, but on warm days the lake fills with windsurfers, paddlers, and wild swimmers. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and SUPs from the youth hostel in Lultzhausen in July and August, and for walkers, there are some 90 km (56 miles) of trails to explore (maps are at the visitor center). But if you'd rather relax, several beaches line the shores at Insenborn, Lultzhausen, and across the water at Liefrange, with a more secluded stretch found just past the Burfelt viewing platform. This is where locals come to escape for the day. 

You can pick up the map for this architectural walk (free) at the tourism office in town. The route is a breezy 5 km (3 miles) and is a great way to explore a city that, on the surface at least, doesn't appear all that attractive at first. Much of the center was built at the turn of the 20th century, as the iron-ore industry gathered steam. Architects were shipped in from France, Belgium, and Germany, with the era's dominating styles of neo-Gothic, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau seen across magnificent turreted corner houses, the stately town hall, and imperious mansions built for the moguls of the era. 

Built in the late-Gothic style, this cathedral has a fine portal sculpted by Daniel Muller of Freiburg and an attractive Baroque organ gallery. During the fortnight of national pilgrimage starting on the third Sunday after Easter, large numbers of Luxembourgers flock to their cathedral. The closing ceremony, attended by the royal family, is an event no politician can afford to miss, regardless of party and persuasion. The crypt, down a broad staircase, contains the tomb of John the Blind, the gallant 14th-century king of Bohemia and Count of Luxembourg, who fell at the Battle of Crécy in France during the Hundred Years' War. Here, too, are the tombs of the grand-ducal dynasty.

Building began on the castle around 927 AD and it later passed down through the Counts of Esch, who gradually expanded its fortifications. At one point their kingdom stretched to Diekirch, but by 1330 their light had been extinguished, with many of their number lost to the Crusades. Today, visitors can scrabble the two main sections left standing, including what remains of the original keep and the 15th-century round watchtower. 

This cheerful government-run animal sanctuary perches high in the Gaalgebierg hills above the town. The walk up is a bracing plod through the forest park, and once there, you'll find an array of ancient domestic species, including deer, big-horned sheep, goats, and cattle. The tree-house café, in particular, is a congenial spot to while away a lunch hour. Note: there's no public transport here that doesn't require a 20-minute walk. 

In 1732, the Austrian rulers of the city strengthened the Grunewald Front, expanding the original fortifications to the northeast. They built Fort Thungen, which was enlarged and reinforced a century later. Today, its casements, tunnels, and mines host the excellent Musée Draï Eechelen that details the building’s history and eventual demolition along with the rest of the city’s defenses in the 1867 Treaty of London. 

Once considered dank and squalid, this is one of the oldest parts of the city. Historically, it was where the capital's craftsmen once lived. Today, its houses demand enormous sums—even by Luxembourg standards. In recent years, it has become a popular going-out area. You'll find chic restaurants and exclusive clubs among the skylighted, renovated town houses and what used to be tumbledown laborers' homes. If you don't fancy the steep walk, an elevator goes to the Upper Town's Plateau du Saint-Esprit. 

Between Stolzembourg and Vianden stretches a pretty promenade. This 8.5-km (5-mile) boardwalk trail parades the edge of the lower basin of the river north of town, away from the road. It's a breathtaking stroll and not too difficult to walk or cycle. It takes around two hours to complete, and if you want, you can always get the No. 570 bus back. Its starting point is opposite the Tourist Information Office.