Day trips & escapes
One Week in Luxembourg: A Day-by-Day Plan That Isn’t Padded
5 min read
Hiker on a sandstone trail in the Mullerthal near Echternach
Days 1-2: the capital
Two full days in Luxembourg City is the right dose. Day 1: Old Town, Casemates, Grund, and dinner in Clausen. Day 2: Kirchberg in the morning (Mudam, Philharmonie, European Court) and the National Museum of History and Art in the afternoon, then the Pétrusse valley walk before dinner. Sleep both nights in Ville Haute or Gare. Hotel Parc Belair is a good mid-range option in Belair if the centre is booked; it's 15 minutes on bus 12.
Days 3-4: north to the Ardennes
Pick up a rental car on day 3 morning. Drive to Vianden (45 minutes), tour the castle, sleep at Hotel Oranienburg in the town centre. Day 4: drive to Clervaux for the Family of Man, then to Esch-sur-Sûre for the reservoir and ruined castle. Sleep in Clervaux at the Koener hotel or return to Vianden.
Days 5-6: Mullerthal
Drive 45 minutes south-east to Echternach. The Mullerthal Trail Route 2 loops through sandstone canyons — 12 km, four hours, genuinely spectacular for a landlocked country. Beaufort Castle is 15 minutes away. Sleep in Echternach at Hotel Bel Air or the smaller Hostellerie de la Basilique on the square. Day 6: hike another Mullerthal section or drive to Larochette for a quieter castle.
Day 7: Moselle finish
Drop the car in Remich and taxi or bus back to the city. Or keep it and do a Moselle tasting circuit — Domaine Alice Hartmann in Wormeldange, Caves St Martin in Remich, lunch at L'Écluse in Stadtbredimus. Sleep the final night at the Mondorf Parc Hotel for the thermal spa (day pass 25 euros), then out via Findel next morning.
Frequently asked questions
Is a full week too long for Luxembourg?
Only if you stay in the capital the whole time. Split across four bases with proper hiking days it fills honestly.
Can I do the week without a car?
Days 1-2 and 5-6 yes (Echternach has good bus links). Days 3-4 in the Ardennes are painful without a car — buses run but connections are slow.
Where to stay
Rooms worth pairing with this guide.
Ready to plan this trip?
Real prices for the places this piece names.
