84 Best Sights in Luxembourg

Built by Vauban, the brilliant French military engineer, in the 17th century on the site of a former monastery, the Citadelle has typically wedge-shape fortifications. The "prow" affords wraparound views of the three spires of the cathedral, the curve of the Alzette, and the glass towers of the Kirchberg plateau beyond.

The Diewelselter, an impressive dolmen (stone altar) attributed to the Celts, stands south of Diekirch, overlooking the town. No one is sure who piled the great stones that form this ancient arch—or how they did it.

Less than a mile south of the town center lies an artificial lake. Visitors can't swim in the water, but it is surrounded by trails, making it good for cycling (you can rent a bike next to the youth hostel) or a pleasant stroll. In summer, it often hosts an open-air cinema. The remains of a Roman villa (free) can also be found just north of the water.  

The largest and oldest church in Esch-sur-Alzette was built in neo-Gothic style by Charles Arendt, a truly prolific state architect who designed and restored many buildings across Luxembourg in the prewar years. Inside you'll find some impressive murals. 

In the center of the pedestrian zone, the Eglise St-Laurent, a small, ancient Romanesque church, has portions dating from the 5th century. It was first built over the foundations of a Roman temple, the older parts functioning as a cemetery. In 1961, that lower section was uncovered and with it about 30 Merovingian sarcophagi, many of them containing intact skeletons. Since 1978, the cemetery has been restored and open to the public. Some of the ancient foundations of the church can be seen through a grate in the nave; you may enter the crypt by an exterior door on the right of the building.

Eglise St-Martin is considered the grand duchy's second most important church, after Notre-Dame in Luxembourg City. The intricate and masterful blue mosaics that grace the ceiling dome were created in the 1920s by the monk Notker Becker, and the dramatic representations of the Stations of the Cross were done by Dominique Lang, one of Luxembourg's most famous painters and a native of Dudelange.

On a hill just behind the basilica, a church stands on the remains of a Roman castellum and shows, in its spare architecture, signs of Merovingian, Romanesque, and Gothic influence. Hour-long private tours (€60) of it can be booked at the tourism office. 

The 13th-century Gothic Eglise Trinitaire once functioned as a Trinitarian monastery. Its ancient cloisters have since been restored to sparkling modernity. Inside the church, the main altar is a dazzling affair, made in 1758 in the Rococo style, with every inch of its gilt and marble put to good use. Meanwhile, the recumbent effigy of Marie de Spanheim (who died around 1400) preserves the memory of the last descendant of the Counts of Vianden.  

Around 2 km (1 mile) south of the city lies the nature reserve of Ellergron, a former ore extraction zone that has been rewilded. The best way to get there is to walk. Take the lift next to the railway station to the bridge over the tracks and you'll find yourself in Gaalgebierg park. From there, the reserve is well signed. Once you arrive, a visitor center outlines the surrounding trails. You'll also find the Musée Mine Cockerill (Cockerill Mining Museum), which is set in the old mine workings that date back to 1887, now mostly inhabited by bats. By 1929, it was hauling 422,000 tons of ore out of the ground, fueling the country's economic boom. Interesting displays and relics scatter the old mine, dissecting its history. 

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. 

The General Patton Memorial Museum is dedicated to the American general who liberated Ettelbruck on Christmas Day 1944 and is filled with photographs and relics from the World War II era. A lifesize statue of Patton himself, in full combat gear, stands just outside of town.

From the parking lot of Hamm's American Military Cemetery, a small road, about 1 km (½ mi) long, leads to Sandweiler, and across an intersection to the German Military Cemetery, which shelters more than twice as many war dead. Blunt stone crosses identify multiple burial sites, some marked with names and serial numbers, others marked simply Ein Deutscher Soldat (a German soldier).

On Luxembourg's pedestrian-only shopping street the same brands vie for your attention as in New York; but then, investment bankers have pockets here as deep as anywhere else. Pastry shops and sidewalk cafés add the middle-class touch so typical of Luxembourg. There are pooper-scooper automats for the poodles, and the occasional street musician will, as likely as not, be playing a Bach partita.

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. 

The Jardin des Papillons (Butterfly Garden) seethes with fluttering wildlife, from butterflies to birds to tropical insects, all enclosed in an attractive greenhouse.

Larochette has the striking step-gabled Larochette Castle, which looks out over the town. The castle is privately owned and occupied, but adjoining ruins from an earlier incarnation (with evocative views over the small houses below) may be visited. An easy footpath, or a nice driving road, leads from town up to the ruins.

At Hamm you'll find the American Military Cemetery, where General George Patton chose to be buried with his men. More than 5,000 soldiers of the Third Army were buried here, having died on Luxembourg soil; there are also 117 graves of unknown soldiers. Each grave is marked with either a Star of David or a simple cross, but they are not separated by race, rank, religion, or origin—except for the 22 pairs of brothers, who lie side by side. Only Patton's cross, identical to the others, stands by itself.

Discreetly tucked behind the main square on Place Princesse Maria Theresa is a World War II Memorial. The humble plaque and surrounding flags honor the 6th Armored Division of the U.S. Army, which liberated the city.

In 1870, the French novelist Victor Hugo was still living in exile from his country, after openly criticizing the autocratic rule of Napoléon III. The bulk of his 19 years in the wilderness was spent in the Channel Islands, where he wrote his best-known works. But before he finally returned to France, he spent three months in Vianden, and the town has never forgotten it. The Maison de Victor Hugo is set within the house in which he lived, and celebrates his life with photos, documents, tall tales (it is claimed he stopped a house burning down), and other memorabilia. His writings and works are in French, but an excellent free audio guide narrates the story of his home and the objects found here in English, so it's well worth a visit. 

In the oldest part of town, the site of the old fish market, you can walk on streets once walked by the ancient Romans.

The beginnings of Le Domaine Thermal date back to 1840; now it's a state-of-the-art, full-service health and sports facility and hotel. You’ll find classic spa treatments, including thermal baths, massages, manicures, aromatherapy, and mud baths, as well as a health club. Day passes are available. 

Swathed in the scent of eucalyptus, Mondorf Le Domaine Thermal/Mondorf Le Club is a state-of-the-art, full-service health and sport facility. You'll find classic spa treatments, including thermal baths, massages, manicures, aromatherapy, and mud baths, as well as health-club features such as a climbing wall and yoga and aerobics classes. Day passes and longer packages are available. Call ahead for special offers.

Commemorating Luxembourg's World War II victims, the stark granite-and-steel monument suggests the prisons and concentration camps where they suffered. The walls of the small chapel, containing a symbolic tombstone, are made entirely of stained glass. It was as a direct result of its war experiences that Luxembourg abandoned traditional neutrality for international cooperation.

Romans first set up a military camp at the base of what is now Mount St-Jean in AD 275. The site was later a stop during the First Crusade, and by the 12th century, the location of a monastery built for the Order of St. Jean of Jerusalem. The current castle ruins—which include the foundation, a small chapel, and a tower—date from the 1550s, and are cared for by the local historical society. Atop Mt. St-Jean, the commanding view goes deep into Luxembourg to the north and France to the south.

Partially underground, this clever museum traces the development of the city over 1,000 years, working its way up through the centuries as you ascend floors. Its lowest levels show the town's preserved ancient stonework. From a glass-wall elevator, you can also enjoy a wonderful view of the ravine from the upper floors. There's free entry every Thursday from 6 to 8. 

The Musée d'Histoire de la Ville de Vianden covers several Vianden-linked themes, ranging from antiques dating from the 16th century, a recreated former bakery, a blacksmith's forge, and a history of the city, to the life and times of local hero Edmond de la Fontaine (1823-91), who wrote comic operettas under the pseudonym Dicks.

In the Middle Ages, Echternach was known throughout the Western world for the exquisite illumination (miniature illustrations) that accompanied the hand-copied texts produced by the Benedictine abbey's scriptorium. The original abbey is long gone, but a quadrant of abbey buildings from the 18th century remains. The books displayed here are painstakingly executed reproductions of the originals, down to their gem-studded covers. 

A new Musée de l'Histoire de la Ville de Diekirch is scheduled to open in 2012, and will contain two sarcophagi and remains found under the church, along with well-preserved Roman mosaics from the 4th century, found two blocks away. Diekirch is riddled with remains of Roman culture, though most of its treasures were carried away by invading Franks.