melaus

I have been in the UK for many years now but seldom have I ventured into Europe. One of my new year resolutions is to change that, alone. So, on a drunken night, I picked up the courage and booked myself a flight to Luxembourg.

A few weeks later, with no preparation whatsoever, I packed my bag, got to the airport, boarded the flight and found myself in Luxembourg. Luckily, my friend, Ben, came to the rescue and picked me up from the airport.

Adolphe Bridge

Frustrated with my lack of organisation (unusual for me, I know), Ben decided to show me around the city and give me a sense of direction. I was immediately struck by the winding roads, hilliness and old architecture of the city.

Luxembourgers have their priority sorted - a McDonald's cost nearly 3 pints (500 ml) of beer. So, to show my approval, I went to sample some of the local beers. Across my stay, I had the Bofferding, Battin and Clausel. They all tasted fine for me.

Overlooking Casemates du Bock (on the left) and Neumünster Abbey (across the river)

The city is built on where the old castle used to be, so you can see the old wall everywhere in the city. It was cool that you can actually walk along the medieval walls, in between "newer" buildings (19th century onwards).

Inside the Casemates

Casemates du Bock used to be this massive fortress system for defence purposes. Whilst a large part of it is cleared away following the neutralisation in 1867, 17 kilometres remained and it provides a great view to either side of the city.

Make sure you take one of the information leaflets, as there are minimal signs and no description of what you are seeing within the Bock.

Vianden Castle

Every travel blog I skimmed through whilst waiting for my delayed flight seemed to suggest Vianden is the place to be. Hence, with my chauffeur's (yep, still Ben) help, we drove up to Vianden.

The castle had roots from the 11th century but was left to ruins in the 19th century when it got into private hands. The purist of me would much prefer to have seen the original remains, but this "restoration" in the 20th century was not half bad.

View from the Castle

Another view from the Castle

Like many older cities and towns, Vianden is built in a gorge, with the castle at the top of the hill. This provides a lovely view over the river and greenery, as well as colourful buildings in the town.

I wish I got one of the audio guides as all the signage (like other attractions I have been to here in Luxembourg) are in French or German. Luckily, I got a personal translator so it did not turn out to be a problem. 😉

View of Castle from the lower part of Vianden

Whilst there are a lot of historical and scenic views in Luxembourg, there are also modern stuff to explore. The I.M. Pei-designed Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM) did not disappoint. The building was well-designed. It made the exhibits the centre of your attention, but still make you gasp at the design's attention to detail.

An installation in MUDAM

Cafe area in MUDAM

MUDAM and parts of the original Fort Thüngen site

MUDAM and sculpture

Many, like myself, know little of Luxembourg, but it turned out to be a good city escape. And interesting fact – Jean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourgish and was the Prime Minister of Luxembourg before becoming the President of the European Commission.

This might not be the solo trip I was planning to go on and the weather was gloomy, but I had a great time with good company. Most importantly, I did it! It shows that I can actually enjoy myself, and also found out the things I would rather avoid doing on my own (e.g. going to a clubby bar).

Thank you Ben and Luxembourg. Until next time, äddi! 🙋‍♂️

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