Walk through the city and discover the hidden beauties of Luxembourg

Welcome to the beautiful tiny Luxembourg! In this article we will walk you around the city and let you know the main sites to visit in a walking distance. 

Grand Ducal Palace

Let’s begin this journey with the majestuous Grand Ducal Palace located in the center of the city! Today, the Duke uses the palace as a working place and rarely as a residential place. For example it is there that he welcomes foreign Heads of State or that he gives certain important receptions, such as the meal offered on the occasion of the National holiday, where he receives an average of 300 people.

During the summer months, the Luxembourg City Tourist Office has the honour of organising exclusive guided tours of the Grand Ducal Palace. Visitors can discover the inside of the Palace, including the Grand Duke’s office, the dining room and the Kings’ Lounge, to name a few. Worth taking the tour if you have some time! For more information, click here.

Tip: while walking in the Palace street, have a look at the strange poles on the other side, this lightened faces will look at you all the way you’re passing by….

The casemates of the Bock and Petrusse

 Continue your walk down to one of the main attractions of the city, the casemates, an extraordinary network of 23 km of underground galleries which have been carved into the rocks. They are unique in the world and bear witness to the glorious past of the legendary fortress city.

In 1994, UNESCO inscribed « Luxembourg, Old Quarters and Fortifications », including casemates, on the World Heritage List and since 1933, it is open to the public.

Chemin de la Corniche

Let’s go now in the direction of the “Chemin de la Corniche” or Walls of the Corniche. A walking path along the Bock’s side which offers a breathtaking view of the Grund and the Alzette Valley. 

Called the “most beautiful balcony in Europe” by the writer Batty Weber, this path is a must-see. The walk starts just next to the Casemates and takes you down in the lower part of the city, the Grund. 

The Grund district

If you don’t feel like walking down the Corniche to the Grund, you can also take the Pfaffenthal Panoramic elevator with a breathtaking view on the Grund, and part of the European business center just in front, accross the red bridge.

The Grund district is one of the most authentic and charming in the city of Luxembourg. It follows the meanders of the Petrusse river which flows into the Alzette, where you can also pass by the statue of the beautiful Melusina, the legendary luxembourgish mermaid. It offers the opportunity for charmingromantic outings apart from the animation of bars and restaurants in the evening. Walking in the Grund allows you to enjoy the peace and quiet of this area. 

Just lift your head to enjoy a sumptuous view of the green heights of the Upper Town or discover a detail about the historic buildings.

Some of its buildings are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Abbey of Neumünster. 

The judiciary city

After visiting the Grund district, take the Saint-Esprit elevator to go to the judiciary city. The judiciary city of Luxembourg is an architectural complex of the city of Luxembourg, located on the plateau of the Saint-Esprit. Its buildings are built in modern Moselle Baroque to match the surrounding area and were designed by Robert Krier. The city is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well.

Constitution Square

After that, reach out to the Constitution Square. This square also houses the monument of the « Gëlle Fra », the Golden Lady in Luxembourgish. 

The centerpiece of the monument is a 21-meter-tall granite obelisk.  On top of the obelisk stands a gilded bronze statue representing the goddess of victory or « Queen of Freedom » holding out a laurel wreath as if placing it upon the head of the nation. The statue is one of the symbols of Luxembourg today, symbol of the freedom and resistance of the local people.

From up there we have a magnificent view on the State bank, Petrusse valley and the Adolphe bridge.

Petrusse Parks

To finish this walk around the city, you can walk down to the Petrusse Parks. Set up in a more romantic spirit, the Petrusse Parks combine deep topography, bizarre rock formations, ruins of fortifications and a famous Skatepark, where folks from all over the world come to enjoy a ride there.

Feel free to let us know in a comment if you also enjoyed visiting these places, and if you discovered other legends about Luxembourg 🙂