Luxembourg is a small but rich country in Europe. It is easy to miss in the maps but make its presence felt with its high per capita GDP. It is 53 times higher than India. We may be the 4th or 5th largest country in terms of GDP, but if the top 5% of rich people are removed, it is filled with poor people.
Let me get back to the travel story. I recently travelled to the Netherlands on an official visit and had a weekend to spare. Luxembourg was 3.5 hour’s drive and it looked like a good destination. Clear skies were predicted on that weekend. What else do I need?
In this post, let me bring up some salient points about Luxembourg.
Where is Luxembourg?
Luxembourg is a country sandwiched between Belgium, Germany and France. The Schengen agreement was signed in the border town of Schengen signifying the open borders in Europe. It is about 4 hour’s drive from Amsterdam and Paris.
Transportation
Luxembourg is connected with Paris and Brussels by direct trains. Trains run to a few cities in Germany. If you are travelling from a different location, you need to change trains to reach Luxembourg. Luxembourg also has an airport with some good connections.
Public transport is free in Luxembourg. It makes complete sense to use it. While it works well in Luxembourg city, it may not be convenient if you want to visit the countryside. Of course, public transport reaches many parts of Luxembourg, but you lose time while waiting for the bus. So, it is better to have a car if you are visiting places outside the city.
I had a rental car, and it was convenient for me during my travel. I did not like to drive inside Luxembourg City. Hence, I parked it my car in a parking garage near the historic city and then walked.
Do I need cash?
The currency is Euro and hence there is no hassle of conversion. But, I did not use cash anywhere in Luxembourg. Credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) were accepted everywhere.
Safety in Luxembourg
It is one of the safest countries in the world. I had absolutely no problem walking or driving alone in the night. People are also super helpful. For example, I did foolish things in a parking garage in Luxembourg City due to confusion. In Bengaluru, I would have received a heavy load of invectives for such things. But in Luxembourg, people helped me to come out of the mess.
Food
The experience is similar to other European cities. For vegetarians, there are options in most of the restaurants. There are some Indian and Nepali restaurants in Luxembourg City. In general, no concerns about food.
Hotels and guesthouses
Luxembourg is an expensive country and the hotel rates are high. Since I had a car, I also needed a hotel with a parking place. But, on the positive side, I could choose to stay in the outskirts. That’s what I did!! The hotel I stayed in was closed during weekends, but I received key codes and instructions on entering it. Simple!!
Language
French is the primary language. I do not speak French, but I could manage easily with English. No concerns at all.
Fuel price
A positive surprise was the fuel price in Luxembourg. It was much cheaper than the Netherlands!!
Places to see
Many people visit Luxembourg City during the weekend. The historic town is beautiful and has the typical look of any European city. The unique aspect is the lower and upper quarters with steep cliffs. It gives a different perspective of the city.
There are many castles in the country. The important ones are Vianden, Bourscheid, Clervaux and many more. The countryside is very scenic.
The eastern part of Luxembourg has many trekking trails. The Mullerthal has many hiking trails running for 112 km. I hiked on a couple of trails visiting Schiessentümpel waterfall and Kallektuffquell.
Schengen on the southern end of the country has a museum. This is the place where the Schengen agreement was signed.
Final words
Luxembourg is a beautiful country. I found the countryside better than the city. It is indeed worth visiting this place when you are in any of the neighbouring countries.
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