There were these cows all over the city. It was weird, because you’d be walking around and you’d turn a corner and suddenly you’d be face-to-face with the dreaded Green Cow! Or, there was the one that was divided in half by a wall and…Read More

There were these cows all over the city. It was weird, because you’d be walking around and you’d turn a corner and suddenly you’d be face-to-face with the dreaded Green Cow! Or, there was the one that was divided in half by a wall and different on either side of it. Very strange. I am happy to report that (I have determined by exhaustive methods) that no real animals were harmed in the creation of these displays, or in the taking of the photos. Please do take a look at the photos below.

We never could find anything out about why there were painted plaster cows all over the Old Town, but I have my suspicions, based on an experience we had with a woman working in a booth selling snacks and tourist items in the Place de la Constitution. She was a bit of a cow, you see.

Now, I can’t speak a word of French, but my friend had studied it and could do okay. My problem is that I can’t pronounce the words, as I always want to give them a Spanish twist. So I let her do most of the talking, though English was often sufficient. So we approached the counter at this little booth while we were waiting for the Pétrusse Express. We could see that they sold ice cream bars, as they had a plastic picture mat with all the choices on the wall and then on the counter. My friend pointed to one of the ice creams and the girl mumbled something I did not understand, but the general impression I had was that they didn’t have those. With some more hand motioning and a little bit of French, my friend did manage to obtain an ice cream.

So now it was my turn to deal with the chipper counter girl. They had some packs of assorted Luxembourgish stamps on display, and I picked up one and set it on the counter. The main reason I was there was because I was desperate for a bottle of water, but they didn’t have anything nearby to point to. I tried asking in English, and then I even asked in Spanish just for good measure (I didn’t try my Gaelic—maybe next time). So I was standing there, looking at this girl, who was looking back at me and holding her head up with her elbows on the counter, giving me this look as if she might fall asleep at any moment and it was entirely my fault. So I asked my friend what the French for water was. So I repeated what she said, as best I could, "Oh."

Assuredly this was not the most aesthetically-pleasing sound ever produced, but I thought it just might accomplish the task at hand. Instead, it elicited a very strange reaction: the heaviest sigh ever exhaled on the entire planet, I’m fairly confident. Then, the girl languidly reached for a calculator and punched in some numbers and then turned it around for me to see. I tried saying no, and pointing to the massive pile of water bottles in the corner of the booth, just out of her reach, but she didn’t comprehend. I asked for the water again, and still she stared. Finally my friend came back to the counter and asked for the water, and we both energetically pointed at the water, and finally finally finally the girl turned around to see what we were pointing out. Success!

If you go to the Place de la Constitution in Luxembourg City and try to buy a water or anything else from this booth, you too will know if you have met, the Most Unhappy Counter Clerk Ever to Have Lived on Earth. Cow.

As Rick Steves would say "Sometimes you need a vacation from your your vacation." So we loaded the rental with Ardennes ham sandwiches, Mosel wine and our beloved backpacks and headed south from Vianden on Highway 17 and then east at Diekirch for 10 miles to the Le…Read More

As Rick Steves would say "Sometimes you need a vacation from your your vacation." So we loaded the rental with Ardennes ham sandwiches, Mosel wine and our beloved backpacks and headed south from Vianden on Highway 17 and then east at Diekirch for 10 miles to the Le Mullenthal, aka La Petite Swiss, or Luxembourg's Little Switzerland.

We turned west toward village Mullenthal where the Sure River meets the Creek Erwz Noire, parked the car in the first slot and rushed to the trail on the other side of the creek almost hidden by the canopy of trees. What a treat! Cool refreshing non-city air, a wide slightly bumpy trail guarded on one side by carved sandstone cliffs and brushed by the splashing creek on the other. We strolled quietly for a while and then bound up the cliffs by stone stairs to admire the spetacular scenery from a lofty plateau.

Following the twisting trail below toward Mullenthal, the village gave its name to the area, lead to a beautiful waterfall called "Schiessentunpel" topped by a arched mossy stone bridge which crossed back to benches and a cool shade for our lunch.Close

Admire the views from Viaduct/Passerelle crossing the gorgeous Petrusse Valley. You are so high up, you get to see the old city, the fortress, the trees (all in beautiful golden colors of autumn), the valley underneath with a little river running through. It is simply…Read More

Admire the views from Viaduct/Passerelle crossing the gorgeous Petrusse Valley. You are so high up, you get to see the old city, the fortress, the trees (all in beautiful golden colors of autumn), the valley underneath with a little river running through. It is simply breathtaking. The oher bridge is the Adolphe Bridge, which is also known as the New Bridge. Close

The rail line from Luxembourg to Liege penetrates the heart of the Ardennes Forest, site of the infamous World War II Battle of the Bulge. At Ettelbruck, an intermediate station, there’s a public square and monument honoring American General George S. Patton. At Clervaux, another…Read More

The rail line from Luxembourg to Liege penetrates the heart of the Ardennes Forest, site of the infamous World War II Battle of the Bulge. At Ettelbruck, an intermediate station, there’s a public square and monument honoring American General George S. Patton. At Clervaux, another stop, there’s a museum devoted to the battle itself.

The route is scenic as well as historic, winding through steep, attractively-forested hills and valleys with many quaint small-town train stations and other old buildings along the way. The railroad provides a far more intimate view of the countryside than a highway would, and seeing this terrain up-close will help you understand why the Battle of the Bulge was such a long and bloody one.

Just a short round trip from Luxembourg to Ettelbruck, Diekirch or Clervaux and back will introduce you to the Ardennes and provide two chances to photograph Old City Luxembourg from the high viaduct over the Alzette River Valley. (This viaduct is NOT safe to walk across.) Otherwise, I’d recommend making the Luxembourg-Liege trip part of a longer itinerary.

The rail trip from Luxembourg to Brussels isn’t as scenic as the one through the Ardennes, but it’s on a high-speed train that will get you there in less than three hours. This is another route that I’d suggest incorporating into a longer itinerary. I first discovered Luxembourg as a stopover on a roundabout circle trip from Amsterdam to Paris and back. My latest visit was on a Copenhagen-Brussels journey. My third? Not sure yet, but there WILL be one. It’s hard to go wrong adding a day in Luxembourg to any European itinerary.

Luxembourg City is the country's transportation hub and there are many day or 1/2 day trips via train/bus that are worth doing. My favourite was to 2 towns famous for their castles. One was Vianden & I've devoted a separate journal to it.…Read More

Luxembourg City is the country's transportation hub and there are many day or 1/2 day trips via train/bus that are worth doing. My favourite was to 2 towns famous for their castles. One was Vianden & I've devoted a separate journal to it. The other is Clervaux & it was actually the easiest to get to. The train trip takes about 1 hr. followed by a 10 min. walk into the centre of town. If you have your own car, it's even easier.

Clervaux Castle reminded me of a large manor house in France's Loire Valley. It's all white with grey roof & is very pretty. There are only 3 sections open for viewing - each houses a museum. One is a war museum (closed during my visit), another highlights the Castles of Luxembourg and the 3rd, and my favourite, holds the Family of Man exhibit. This is a collection of photo portraits taken throughout the world in the 1950s. Very moving & worth the visit (Free with the Lux. card).

Behind the castle those with energy to burn can follow the road up the hill to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Maurice and St. Maur. Along the way, there are a few breaks in the trees that allow for great views of the town below. The Abbey was locked when I got there but it's a pretty sight with lots of green trees, birds chirping, etc. There is parking for vehicles at the top if you choose to drive. If you're lucky, the monks will be hosting a concert of their Gregorian chants. Clervaux has numerous little restaurants & cafes and the town is worth at least a 1/2 day visit.Close

A short bus or combo train/bus ride will take you to Clervaux from Vianden. As well as a 12th century castle, there is a large twin spired church and a Franciscan monastery on the hill above town. Although a bit steep, the walk to…Read More

A short bus or combo train/bus ride will take you to Clervaux from Vianden. As well as a 12th century castle, there is a large twin spired church and a Franciscan monastery on the hill above town. Although a bit steep, the walk to the monastery is enjoyable as you get great views over the town. There is a well stocked gift shop selling lots of regligious articles in the monastery. As well, it's possible to attend a concert to hear the chanting of the monks - supposedly they are well known throughout Europe. You would need to enquire in advance re: dates for this. I didn't find Clervaux castle as interesting as the one in Vianden because there were only a few areas open to the public. The Family of Man photo exhibit at the castle is a compilation of pictures of people taken in the 1950s from around the world and is worth a visit. There are also two museums housed at the castle-one dedicated to the military and another with models of ancient Luxembourg castles. Each of these three areas have separate entry fees although they are free with the Luxembourg tourist card that you can get at the Tourist Information Centre. Otherwise, the cost is only a few dollars. Clervaux isn't as compact as Vianden (the train & bus station is about a 10 min. walk from the centre of town) but was still worth a visit. There were a number of outdoor cafes and restaurants where you could stop for a drink or have a meal. From Luxembourg City, a direct train to Clervaux takes about 1 hour. Close

This small town is right on the bank of the Moselle River, with Germany across the River. It is in the heart of wine country and is well known for sparkling and white wine production. You can visit the St. Martin Wine…Read More

This small town is right on the bank of the Moselle River, with Germany across the River. It is in the heart of wine country and is well known for sparkling and white wine production. You can visit the St. Martin Wine Cellars (53 rte. de Stadtbredimus, phone 69 90 91). These are underground wine caves/cellars that have been cut into the rock and offer tours and tastings. It is off the main highway into Remich and close to a bus stop. There is also a restaurant with indoor and outdoor patio dining during the summer. Remich has a cute little tourist train that takes visitors on an hour tour of the town and surrounding areas but I arrived on a very rainy day and the train wasn't running. The Musel II and Musel III are boats that cruise along the Moselle River, passing vineyards and small towns along the way. Depending on the boat, the ride lasts either one or two hours. Close

This region, in the north of the country, is filled with lush green forests and hills. It’s pretty rural and with public transportation, I spent a fair bit of time waiting for connections. Many of the famous battles during the Battle of…Read More

This region, in the north of the country, is filled with lush green forests and hills. It’s pretty rural and with public transportation, I spent a fair bit of time waiting for connections.

Many of the famous battles during the Battle of the Bulge happened here and areas like Diekirch, Ettlebruck and Nothum pay tribute to the thousands of men who fought and died here.

My interest was in a more romantic vein and I nicknamed the Ardennes "Castle Country" because there were a number of little towns like Wiltz, Vianden and Clervaux that had centuries old castles to explore.

My favourite was Vianden with its castle which was built between the 11th and 14th centuries. The town itself was filled with interesting little shops and restaurants scattered below the castle but the most fun I had was getting to the castle via the chair lift that soared high above the River Our and provided panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The town of Clervaux was very easy to get to from Luxembourg City via train and the walk to the castle took about 20 minutes from the station. Clervaux seemed larger and more commercial than Vianden and was only about 1/2 hour ride from the Belgian border. Unlike Vianden, much of the castle was closed to visitors but the museums and photographic displays inside were worth a visit.

From a distance, Bourscheid Castle with its six turrets looks like a place where Sleeping Beauty would be waiting for her prince. The castle was originally built in the 10th century and enlarged in later years.

I didn't get to see everything I wanted so hopefully, I’ll get to Wiltz on my next trip to explore its castle and surrounding forests.

The Ardennes seemed to be the area of Luxembourg that was least touched by time and an extremely scenic and relaxing area to visit. Next time, I'll rent a car which will make sightseeing in the area much easier.

The old town is a UNESCO heritage site, and the ruins of the castle from 963 can still be seen. The Place d'Armes is a large square that is surrounded by lots of restaurants and cafes and is a great place for people…Read More

The old town is a UNESCO heritage site, and the ruins of the castle from 963 can still be seen. The Place d'Armes is a large square that is surrounded by lots of restaurants and cafes and is a great place for people watching. This is a relaxing city to tour because there are lots of historical sights to see but most are within easy walking distance of each other. Although the city (and country) are small, it is very clean and there are never the hordes of tourists that you'd encounter in Bruges, Amsterdam or any of the other major Benelux cities.

At night, the lights reflect off the The Cathedral of Notre Dame which contains the tomb of a 14th century Count of Luxembourg. The Petrusse Express is a tourist train that takes people on a tour of the old part of Luxembourg City.

Built between 1572-74 to serve as the City Hall, the Renaissance style building near Place d'Armes has been the Grand Ducal Palace since 1890. It is sometimes open for tours but best to check dates and times at the Tourist Information Centre.

I rode my bicycle from Echternach to Vianden. The route is along the river and so easy to follow. You wind along the river and then through farms and apple orchards. Vianden is a beautiful town dominated by the chateau. The narrow cobblestone streets that…Read More

I rode my bicycle from Echternach to Vianden. The route is along the river and so easy to follow. You wind along the river and then through farms and apple orchards. Vianden is a beautiful town dominated by the chateau. The narrow cobblestone streets that lead up to the chateau are charming and the people people I met were quite friendly. You can tour the chateau which has been under construction for quite some time. The chateau is tastefully reconstructed, but is more impressive from the outside.

The cozy youth hostel is located near the entrance to the chateau and the staff is quite friendly.