Where I take visiting guests

Three days in Luxembourg - our ultimate itinerary for weekend guests

We always enjoy having guests visit us in Luxembourg as it gives us the chance to show off how great the Grand Duchy is. Cramming everything into one weekend can be a tough ask though. So, we’ve compiled our favourite bits into a three-day guide. The itinerary runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening.

Friday evening

Apero at the Sofitel Hotel

Once you’ve collected your guests from the airport or train station and dropped their bags off, we recommend heading straight to the Sofitel Grand Ducal Hotel in the city centre for a drink in the hotel’s Observatory Bar. The bar offers magnificent views of the city and a comfortable setting from which you can brief your guests on the personalised itinerary you’ve prepared for them (don’t worry, we’ll keep it secret).

If they won’t be staying with you and need accommodation, we suggest putting them up at the Sofitel Grand Ducal as it is very comfortable and centrally located, meaning most places you’ll visit are in short walking distance. The Novotel Hotel next door to the Sofitel is slightly cheaper and just as nice. If they prefer a boutique hotel right in the heart of the city, we recommend the Hotel Place d’Armes, it’s a super luxurious hotel with unique character (think wooden beams and Designers’ Guild wallpaper...so dreamy!). But that does come with a hefty pricetag so if you would like something boutique but still affordable, La Pipistrelle is a luxury B&B that will leave your guests wanting to come back for more.

A brisk walk before dinner

Once you’ve finished your drinks at the Sofitel, cross the Passarelle bridge and head towards the bustling Place D’Armes centre square. Make sure to stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Golden Lady statue and Place Guillaume II along the way for photos. For dinner, we recommend eating at one of the restaurants overlooking Place D’Armes. Grand Café and Au P’tite Max both serve decent food and aren’t overly pricey. If your guests are keen to try traditional Luxembourgish cuisine, we suggest popping into Brasserie Um Dierfgen for some Kniddelen, flour dumplings with speck, and Judd mat Gaardebounen, smoked pork collar with broad beans.

For seafood & beef lovers, a staple Luxembourgish restaurant which has never failed us is Brasserie Guillhaume. We recommend getting one of their seafood platters (here’s a tip, they actually sell their fresh seafood so if you are hosting dinner at home it’d be a good idea to order some platters from them in advance) and also the beef carpaccio with fries.

A night out out in town!

After dinner make your way east and walk past the Grand Ducal Palace, the official seat of Luxembourg’s head of state. This is Luxembourg’s crown jewel so leave plenty of time for photos. Then grab a glass of wine at La Bulle du Vin, or a cocktail from Go Ten. For your next drink, head over to Urban, a popular expat hangout. Their gin & tonic menu goes on for days and we aren’t complaining! If your guests love cocktails, Octans is also a hit and you can also try some really delicious wine and sushi at Dipso, which is open till 3-4am!

Saturday

The Grand Ducal Palace and lunch

Start your Saturday morning where you left off the previous night and make your way to the Grand Ducal Palace. The palace is open to the public between July and September, so should your guests be visiting in the summer months be sure to book a tour.

Across from the grand palace is The Chocolate House Bonn where your guests can stop for a hot chocolate. Once you’ve conquered the grand palace (and your hot chocolate), wander around the cobblestone streets towards the National Museum of History and Art, where your guests can delve into Luxembourg’s rich history.

By now your guests should be feeling a bit peckish. In the summer months, we usually grab lunch at Njörd café and sit outside the museum on the patio area. In the winter months, we usually opt for lunch upstairs at The Chocolate House, where there’s a restaurant serving a range of quiches and sandwiches.

Visit the WWII shelters

After lunch, head over to the Casemates du Bock just off rue Sigefroi. In the summer, the place is open to visitors and you can walk through the remnants of World War II shelters. It’s worth stopping by the area in the winter months as well, as you can take in stunning views of the old city from the viewing decks.

Walk down to the old city

If your guests don’t mind stretching their legs, we recommend walking down Montée de Clausen towards the old town, with stops at Münster Tower and Neumünster Abbey. The best route from Clausen to Neumünster Abbey is along the jogging path on the east side of the river. The entire walk from the casemates to the old town usually takes two hours at a leisurely pace. Another option is to take the new Pfaffenthal lift for scenic views of the city and walk south towards Grund. When you arrive at Grund take a selfie, or group photo, on the bridge at rue Münster overlooking the river. By now you’ll need a little rest, so soak up the sun with a pint at Scott’s Pub, or a glass of wine at Vins Fins.

Evening drinks and escape games

Next up, take the lift from Grund up to the Cité Judiciare. Depending on how your guests feel, you may decide to do a little shopping. I usually coax my friends into an escape game at Timequest, followed by drinks and dinner at Konrad. If you want to splash out a bit, we suggest taking your guests for a fancy dinner at Le Sud in Clausen or Clairefontaine in town. Those looking for a change of scenery may decide to take their guests out of town to Echternach or Esch-Sur-Sûre.

A more trendy spot for drinks would be Paname, we love the cocktails there and it’s a great night out!

For guests wanting to dance and hit the clubs, we would recommend Gotham and Hitch.

Sunday

Brunch and museums

By Sunday, we usually find our guests want to take things a little easy before starting their journey back home. We normally opt for a light schedule starting with a lazy Sunday brunch at Bouneweger Stuff, followed by a trip to Mudam and the nearby Fortress Museum. If your guests can stay in town for dinner, take them to Palais de Chine in the city centre for some dumplings and crispy duck.