Luxembourg City

Why Luxembourg City works

Luxembourg City's layout is defined by its geography as much as its history: the old town sits on a rocky plateau, cut through by the Alzette and Pétrusse valleys, with the Grund and Clausen quarters tucked into the gorge floor nearly 70 metres below the ramparts above. The Bock Casemates, a network of tunnels and galleries carved into the cliff face by Spanish, French, and Austrian occupiers from the 17th century onward, once held enough space to shelter the entire population during sieges — visitors can walk sections of the 23-kilometre network today, with windows cut into the rock giving unexpected views over the valley. Above, Chemin de la Corniche — nicknamed "Europe's most beautiful balcony" — traces the old fortifications with views down over Grund's slate roofs, the Alzette curling below, and the Neumünster Abbey, now a cultural centre, set right at the river's edge. Place Guillaume II and Place d'Armes anchor the upper town's café life, while the Grand Ducal Palace, still an official residence, holds a changing-of-the-guard ceremony each morning. As one of the EU's institutional capitals, Luxembourg City punches well above its size for museums and dining, with the MUDAM contemporary art museum, designed by I.M. Pei, among the standouts just beyond the old fortifications.

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