Luxembourg: Castles & Nature

Overview

UPDATE 29 APRIL
THIS TRIP IS CONFIRMED, WE ARE GOING!!
YOU CAN NOW BOOK YOUR SPOT BY LEAVING YOUR NAME(S)
IN THE RESERVATION SYSTEM. YOU CAN ALSO SEND
A MESSAGE TO BOOKINGS@EXPATCLUB.ORG
PAYMENT FOLLOWS BY BANK TRANSFER.

YOU CAN EVEN COME LAST MINUTE TO THE BUS
SINCE WE TRAVEL WITH A 78-SEATER BUS 🙂

TICKETS ARE €100 PER PERSON (€60 CHILDREN)
INCL: ENTRANCE FEES + AUDIOGUIDE + COFFEE/TEA CROISSANT + LUNCH PACKAGE

VISITS TO LUXEMBOURG ARE PERMITTED WITHOUT PCR TEST OR QUARANTINE
TRAVEL FROM/TO BELGIUM IS NO PROBLEM ANYMORE

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST GIVE US A CALL AT 0495-345144 (EDGAR)

Our annual visit to Luxembourg City at the end of the summer holiday has always been a great success. Such a beautiful small capital, it is must-see for every expat in Brussels (except for those from Luxembourg of course). But the country is much more than its capital. It may be small, but it is surprisingly diverse and has so much to offer. Green hilly landscapes, winding rivers, castles and ruins, delightful villages, and historic buildings. Today we will explore some of the main destinations in our neighbouring country. We will start our trip at Vianden Castle, the top destination of the country, followed by a visit to the medieval city of Echternach on the German border, and a scenic drive through beautiful green and hilly Müllerthal or “Little Switzerland” region. How about that for a nice day out?

How to book?
Due to technical issues on this site we can no longer use the regular online reservation system. A new website will be launched soon. Until we only accept reservations without direct payments. Just fill out your name and answer the questions, and either make the payment by bank (€100 per ticket, €60 children) to BE89 3630 8012 6585 at the name of Xross Global Group BV. Or request a payment link while making the reservation and we’ll send it to you asap. Please note that you make an actual reservation. We hold a spot for you in the bus and reserve a lunch package.

Corona
Travel to/from Luxembourg is permitted without any additional requirements (test/quarantine). Social distancing measures are in place in Luxembourg. Various corona measures are in place in the bus (it can travel at full capacity). If you fall ill after reserving and you can show a positive test, you will be refunded. For more information, don’t hesitate to call 0495-345144 (Edgar).

Pictures

The Vianden Castle, Luxembourg's top tourist destination

We will enjoy a private guided tour through the castle.

From any angle this castle is impressive

Vianden Castle, our first stop on our Luxembourg trip - Raymond Thill - Shutterstock

Vianden Castle

Vianden Castle from the top of the chairlift | © Sergey Novikov - Shutterstock

The village of Vianden - © MinhThuan - Shutterstock

Echternach will be our second destination. A lovely historic city on the border with Germany.

The Echternach City Hall.

Luxembourg's Small Switzerland may not have huge mountains, but its landscape is just lovely. | © Anton Havelaar - Shutterstock

© Alice-D - Shutterstock

© Bernhard Klar - Shutterstock

Pristine nature in the Müllerthal | Christophe Francois - Shutterstock

With so many lovely sites to see, it is definitely a place to come back to you if you like walking around in nature.

A small but characteristic waterfall | © Marcel Derweduwen - Shutterstock

Enjoy a variety of landscapes in Luxembourg's Little Switzerland

Steep cliffs can be found through the region

by Anneke (own work), via Wikipedia Commons

The Müllerthal is known for its unique hiking opportunities.

Enjoy the scenery

We'll be travelling in the early fall, so the leaves may already change colours.

The Breechkaul | by Zinneke (own work), via Wikimedia Commons

We will pass by Larochette | by Christophe Finot (own work), via Wikimedia Commons

The impressive Bourscheid castle. Unfortunately we won't see this one today, but it's another reason to come back there.

Esch-sur-Sûre | Teunie (own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Reservoir closes to Esch-sur-Ssûre | Lake Nikilux (own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Esch-sur-Sûre, our final stop for the day. | wuppertaler (own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Program

As with any Expat Club trip, our schedule today is carefully designed so we can enjoy all the places. Still, all times below are tentative and depend also on external circumstances, such as weather and traffic conditions. For this trip, due to the exceptional corona circumstances, we do ask you for your understanding beforehand since some parts just may take longer, e.g. the highway / toilet stops, and visits may be slightly shorter. Key us that we would like to get out again, enjoy time in different surroundings, and return well on time in Brussels before the curfew.

07h30 – Departure from Place Schuman
08h45 – Coffee / toilet break Van der Valk restaurant (free coffee/tea)
11h30 – Arrival Vianden Castle & audio guide
13h00 – Departure to Echternach
13h45 – Arrival Echternach & visit to Basilica
14h45 – Tour through Müllerthal
17h00 – Arrival Esch-sur-Sûre
18h00 – Departure to Brussels
20h30 – Arrival Schuman

Vianden

Taking a top position in virtually every travel blog article about Luxembourg, Vianden Castle is a must-see destination. It’s on the applicant list to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and justifiably so. Its construction began in the 11^th century, but it was only finished 3 centuries later. Despite that it fell into ruins in the 19^th and 20^th century, and was only set to be restored from 1977 onwards, it now shines as beautiful example of Romanesque and gothic building styles. Its history is very rich and fascinating, and we will learn all about it during an hour of self-guided audiotour (included).

Echternach

Echternach counts as one of the country’s most beautiful towns. Located on the bank of the Sûre river, it is literally a bridge away from Germany. The city breathes a medieval appearnce with its narrow streets, ancient ramparts and aristocratic houses. We will explore it with a local guide who will also take us to the 7^th century (!) Benedictine Abbey. Its basilica is Luxembourg’s most important religious building. It contains a magnificent white sarcophagus that holds the remains of St. Willibrord.

Müllerthal

Probably the most beautiful area in Luxembourg is the beautiful Müllerthal, lovingly called Little Switzerland. During this daytrip we opt for a visit to Echternach, in combination with a scenic tour through this green part of the country. We visit various spots with a local guide and learn more about the history, nature and life of the Müllerthal.

Müllerthal
This region in Luxembourg is often called Little Switzerland. With its steep hills, slopes, panoramic viewpoints and lovely villages it is truly a beautiful area that is worth visiting. Since we are here only for a few hours to get acquainted with the country, so we will show you the best parts of this green part of the country. Our guide will therefore not only show us Echternach, but will also introduce you to the Müllerthal.

Larochette
On our scenic driver through the Müllerthal towards our final destination Esch-sur-Sûre we will pass through the lovely market town of Larochette. It its surrounded by woods while two old partially rebuilt castles tower above the village. We will make a quick stop here and have a look at the medieval market square and the church with its Art Nouveau frescos.

Esch-sur-Sûre
Expat Club always thinks carefully about the routes it is taking. That’s why our final stop is strategically on our way back to Brussels. Esch-sur-Sûre (927 AD) is a delightful must-visit destination in Luxembourg. Located in between high hills and encircled by the Sûre river, it is the perfect to place to end our visit before crossing the border again. We will have some free time to enjoy the local hospitality, get a bite to eat and take a few last pictures.

Transportation

We will be travelling with a comfortable 4* luxury coach from Lauwers Reizen. The seats are configured in Princess Class, which means you will have extra leg space and can recline your seat. This way you can get some extra rest. All seats have footrests as well. There is a (small) toilet on-board and a DVD system with three flat screens, so we can show you a nice movie or documentary outbound and/or inbound journey.

Echternach picture: by David Edgar (own work), via Wikipedia Commons
Müllerthal picture: by Anneke (own work), via Wikipedia Commons