Lady’s Guide to a Day Trip to Luxembourg

Today I want to share my guide to a day trip to Luxembourg. Sandwiched between France, Germany, and Belgium, this grand duchy is one of the most unique places to visit in Europe.

Day Trip to Luxembourg

A few weeks ago I came to an exciting realization. By the end of this year I will have been to 49 countries in my life and 24 countries this year alone.

But I wasn’t satisfied. 49? It’s not 50. 24? It’s not 25. Unhappy with the numbers, I immediately racked my brain for an easy trip that would bump up the count to 50 and 25, respectively.

Within seconds, the light bulb in my head lit up and I was on the Eurostar website booking my next trip: Luxembourg! The tiny duchy would have the privilege of hosting my epic one-day journey to country number 50.

London to Luxembourg

A few weeks later, I woke up at 4:15am to catch the Eurostar to Luxembourg. Off I went, jetting through the English countryside, through the Channel Tunnel, and out into Belgium.

I arrived in Brussels with 20 minutes to buy a ticket for my onward train before continuing my trip from London to Luxembourg. Then came the sluggish 3-hour journey to the fabled duchy of 50th-country lore.

It wasn’t all bad. The fall colors in Belgium rivaled those of beautiful New England as the train chugged slowly through ravines of brilliantly colored foliage.

There were tiny lakes and small villages, as well as plenty of cows and sheep grazing lazily in sunny green pastures. When that wasn’t enough, I had The Economist to entertain me.

Luxembourg City

The train spit me out into the misty rain of Luxembourg City just before 1pm, and my day trip to Luxembourg officially began.

Walking into the station, I noticed that the lights were off and the power was out. Wasn’t this supposed to be the country with the highest nominal GDP per capita in the world?

Undeterred by the lack of electricity, I walked from the station to the old town munching on a tuna panino.

I took in the gorgeous autumn leaves in the deep gorge of the Petrusse Valley and crossed the Pont Adolphe to head into the city center.

Old Town

Luxembourg City’s old town is a perfect story-book village, complete with cobblestone streets, ivy-clad castle ramparts, and Louis Vuitton stores.

I spent some time wandering aimlessly through quiet town squares and past the Palais Grand-Ducal, then found myself at the edge of the city at the casemate walls.

The casemates offered a stunning view of the Grund quarter below, where the city plunges dramatically into a ravine with a quiet river flanked by historic churches and monasteries.

I followed the walls until I reached Notre-Dame Cathedral, at which point the sun came out and made the entire city sparkle in post-rain splendor. It was the perfect way to end my day trip to Luxembourg.

Luxembourg to London

Back on the train, I passed three more hours with The Economist on my way back to Brussels.

It was dark when I arrived at the Gare Central, but I knew exactly how I wanted to spend the two hours before my Eurostar back to London: eating.

I left the gare and took a nostalgic walk past the apartment where I lived when I was working in Brussels, then high-tailed it to my favorite frites stand for a greasy paper cone filled with ketchup-smothered fries.

Frites in hand, I walked through the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, a beautiful covered market in the city center.

Passing by Neuhaus, one of the well-known Belgian chocolatiers, I couldn’t resist buying some sweets for the trip home. My favorite? The Tintin tins!

I headed out of the galleries and walked to the Grand Place, by far the most stunning site in Brussels.

The historic architecture was illuminated in the night by hanging lights, and it made me nostalgic for my days of living in the EU capital.

Stuffed full of fries but unable to resist eating more, I stopped for a Belgian waffle. Munching and walking, I made my way to a restaurant that was one of my favorites during my time in Belgium.

There I enjoyed a Kriek beer with my good friend The Economist. Yes, we spent a lot of quality time together on this trip.

Day Trip to Luxembourg: The Verdict

My Eurostar back to London felt long after such an extensive day of train travel. It was certainly one of my most ambitious day trips from London to Europe.

Arriving at St. Pancras at 10:30pm with three new passport stamps, three different countries, and 11 hours of train travel in one day, I took the tube home to Hampstead and fell into bed.

Country number 50 was quite a journey for one day of traveling. To prevent myself from repeating it anytime soon, I sent in my passport for renewal yesterday. No international travel for this lady for 15 business days.

But given how much I enjoyed my day trip to Luxembourg, I’m sure I’ll be ready to go again as soon as my new passport arrives. All I have to do is think of where to go for country number 51.

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