A Day in Luxembourg City: Hidden Fortresses, French Pastries & Fairytale Views
- Jon Holden-Makings
- Jul 18
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 27
From gluten-free morning pastries to ancient fortress tunnels and buzzing gay-friendly vibes, here’s our whirlwind day navigating Luxembourg City - with extra tips for sightseeing like the local photographers and queer travellers we are.
Our train pulled into the main train station in Luxembourg City after traveling around 3 hours from Brussels through the hills and forests of the Walloon countryside - and we were pleased to stretch our legs. The heat of the day hadn't fully set in yet, but we could tell it was going to be a scorcher as the cloudless sky shimmered in the late morning sun.
Luxembourg Train Station's baroque stained glass and domed ceilings offered us a cool respite where we could stock up on bottled water before we headed out into the heat. The station, despite it's beautiful architecture, is in a bit of an odd corner of the city - surrounded by chain hotels and the kind of European mid-rises that you find everywhere from Oslo to Athens. The modern trams that clatter across the streets outside of the station offered us our first real glimpse at the progressive and forward thinking culture here in Luxembourg. Since 2020 all public transport is free, from the trams to the buses, and even regional trains, allowing commuters and tourists alike totally unbridled transport across the city come rain or shine.
We jumped on one of the rainbow-coloured trams - perhaps the colour choice is a nod to Luxembourg's position as one of Europe's most LGBTQ-friendly countries - and glided swiftly a couple of stops towards the Place des Martyrs.
Now this was the Luxembourg City I was expecting, the broad and open square flanked on one side by a grand, columned building complete with Luxemburgish flags, crests and statues - a large bank building it turns out, but no-wonder the grand scale given Luxembourg's position as the wealthiest country in Europe by GDP - and we headed in the direction for our first stop: Breakfast at Chambelland.
Breakfast at Chambelland Luxembourg
Chambelland, a 100% gluten-free French-style Patisserie is a small chain, with outlets in Paris, Brussels, and Luxembourg, and despite it's diminutive size knocks out an unbelievable amount of gluten-free goodies like Financiers, Choux buns, Pain de Sucre, Focaccia Sandwiches filled with charcuterie and cheese, and the perfect selection of gluten-free patisserie favourites. Now, a slight side-bar, if you were to ask me what I miss eating most since succumbing to my gluten-intolerance it would hands down be a perfect, French Tarte au Pommes. The snap of the bronze shortcrust pastry, coupled with the sweet sliced glazed apples remind me of summer holidays camping in Normandy with my family; my Mum and I sharing the last slice before playing a game of pétanque in the warm evening air. Just the smell of one can take me back to these happy memories so I am forever on the look out for a Gluten-Free version done well.
(If you were to ask Ash, his most missed thing would be a proper fried donut - my future London posts will probably touch on our favourite we've found)
I excitedly ordered our breakfast treats; a Tarte au Poires and a Tarte au Pommes, with two cappuccinos, and a small choux pastry each on the side. Okay, it's not the most health-conscious of breakfasts, but the gluten-free amongst you will understand the need for taking opportunities when they present themselves. The pastries arrived and were beautifully presented, with a dusting of icing-sugar and the bronze pastry I remember from my childhood. The first bite of the sweet apple encased in the perfect short pastry sent me catapulting back to my childhood memories (as I know it would) and was totally bliss. It's rare to find a place where we can eat everything on the menu - let alone somewhere focused on pastries and French-treats - but I would fly back to Luxembourg just to try have another Chambelland Tarte au Pommes.
Wandering the Ville Haute
A couple more steps along the Avenue de la Libertie brought us to the high Pont Adolph Bridge, the gateway to the Old Town of Luxembourg City. Luxembourg City often gets given the nickname 'The Gibraltar of the North' for it's historically defensible position on a plateau in the sharp bend of the Pétrusse river, which carves an impenetrably deep gorge right through the centre of the city. So when I say the Pont Adolph is high, it is vertigo inducingly so, but it's all worth it for the showstopping views towards the spires and battlements of the UNESCO-protected old city.
We turned right at the end of the bridge and walked for a moment along the high battlement gardens, former defensive walls build here to keep out would-be-conquering forces to the South and East, now turned into pretty gardens and public spaces giving amazing views of the wooded valley floor (arguably Luxembourg City's finest outdoor space if you can face the ascent back up afterwards) and a huge war memorial topped with a glittering golden statue, the Gëlle Fra. We admired the view from here for a moment hand-in-hand; Luxembourg City may be quiet but we're the kind of couple that value the kind of comfort and romance that comes with being able to live openly while traveling, rather than just a thumpingly diverse nightlife.
From our vantage point we could see the towers of the Cathedral Notre-Dame rising out of the Old Town, and just beyond it, the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Luxembourg, our next stop, walking through pretty fountain-clad squares complete with cafes spilling out onto the street. The centre of the Ville Haute is small and super easy to walk around, so it took us no time at all to reach the Palace - the golden brickwork carved into patterns and decorations and the walls rose up to ceremonial balconies and glinting spires. It may very well be one of the smallest palaces I've seen in our tours around Europe, but it is by no means lesser, with every inch of the building gleaming in gold, or adorned with flags and Grand Ducal crests, highlighting the pride and patriotism the Luxemburgish have in their history and culture.
We weaved our way past the palace gates and ducked down alleyways that were becoming increasingly narrow, until the view opened up in front of us. We had now crossed the plateau and had emerged on the Chemin de Corniche, Europe's most beautiful balcony, running along the eastern flank of the Ville Haute and giving lofty views out over the Alzette valley. This time, rather than trees and leafy paths, the valley bottom was filled with the ancient district of Ville Basse and it's chocolate box, half-timbered buildings and lofty churches, behind which rose the grand battlements of the Casemates du Bock, a huge fortification carved into the very rocks of the gorge, rising steeply from the town in a way that wouldn't look out of place in a Tolkien story. The Corniche walk followed the very edge of the precipice all the way to the Casemates, providing a cinematic panorama of both high and low towns, and so we turned left and walked in that direction - admiring the view as we went.
Descending into the Casemates du Bock
The Casemates, a vast network of underground tunnels - being part-fortification and part-historic shelter - provided us with some well-needed respite from the early afternoon sun. The temperatures had really climbed while we walked along the Chemin de Corniche and my fair skin was starting to feel a little warm to the touch, so a subterranean decent couldn't have been better timed. The Casemates are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing, and date back to the 1600's when this part of the world was under Spanish Rule. Luxembourg, like much of the Low Countries, have been fought over and occupied by almost every European power going (The Spanish, Austrians, French, and Prussians alike have all had a stink in charge) so it's really no wonder Luxembourg City is so heavily fortified - with walls and forts crowning every high point you can see from the Casemates.
The Casemates, at their peak were an underground labyrinth stretching over 17km through the plateau - and even in World War 2 had enough space to evacuate 35,000 people underground to shelter from air raids - but today you can only visit the core of that system on a guided ticket. Even so, it is still clearly a massive site, with some tunnels forking off into the darkness and others ending at huge windows carved out of the stone, high above the Ville Basse and providing a unique (and very photogenic) vantage point from halfway up the cliff.
Strolling the Ville Basse
Exiting the Casemates back at the Ville Haute, we wandered peacefully through the shade of the trees overlooking the small, riverside Pfaffenthal district and downhill towards the riverside district of Ville Basse. The path was steep but at least we were going downhill in this heat. We crossed back under the Pont du Chateau which connects the Casemates du Bock with the rest of the Old Town, somewhat resembling a huge Roman Aqueduct with graceful arches spanning across the road, and walked along the short path that took us directly under the rock cut windows we had been stood at minutes earlier towards the River Alzette. The air down here was significantly cooler, and the small vineyards and manicured gardens that ran from this path down to the river bank were sweet with roses and pelargoniums, adding to the fairytale scene we found ourselves in. The bridge that crosses the river into the Ville Basse is part of a even older system of city walls that run along this part of the valley, complete with murder holes and portcullis slots and all the things that a 10 year old me would have pointed at gleefully. The views across to the tall Abbey de Neumunster rising from the banks of the river and surrounded by storybook weeping-willows, with the walls of the Ville Haute rising behind, looked like a concoction of the Brothers Grimm.
The vibe in the Ville Basse are much quieter than the bustling streets and squares of the high town, with much more greenery, and a more peaceful connection with the river that passes through; all shaded courtyards and riverside terraces rather than grand squares. We stopped on the Pont du Grund, crossing back over the river and took a moment to watch the ducks swimming underneath. Luxembourg City is filled with these really beautiful, quiet moments, each one we enjoyed arm in arm, totally immersed at this point in the Snow White fantasy we'd found ourselves in.
After winding through the layers of Luxembourg City - from quiet gluten-free breakfasts to ancient fortress tunnels and postcard-worthy vies - it's clear that this tiny capital has a big heart. It's a place where history hums beneath your feet, where modern style and medieval charm coexist, and where even in just one day, you feel like you've uncovered something special. Whether you're here for a pit stop or a deeper dive, Luxembourg City has a way of surprising you in all the best ways.
While Luxembourg might be small, it punches well above its weight when it comes to rights and inclusion. The city is quietly welcoming, with a progressive spirit and a laid-back attitude making it one of the best cities we've been to for a quiet city break. If you’re visiting with your partner, you’ll likely feel safe and seen throughout your stay.
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