The Luxembourg Ardennes
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Luxembourg Ardennes - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
20 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. Bourscheid Castle
Around 16 km (10 miles) east of Esch-sur-Sûre, you'll encounter the small town of Bourscheid. You'll likely drive through en route, so make sure to detour along the quiet, winding road up to the ruins of Bourscheid Castle. The building dates back to 1000 AD and was ruled by the Lords of Bourscheid for four centuries.
Schlasswee 1, Bourscheid, Éislek, 9140, Luxembourg99-0570Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7 -
2. Château de Clervaux / The Family of Man
The oldest parts of Clervaux Castle date back to the 12th century, when it was built on the order of Count Gerhard von Sponheim, a brother of the Count of Vianden. Over the centuries it expanded greatly, and it was from here that Philip de Lannoi (the ascendant of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) set forth in 1621 to make his fortune in America. But in the dying days of World War II, the first engagements of Germany's Ardennes Counteroffensive (Battle of the Bulge) saw the town and its historic buildings destroyed, as the tanks rolled in. The burned ruins of the castle fell into state hands thereafter, and it was heavily rebuilt. Inside, you'll now find a number of museums and exhibits, including the tiny Museum of the Battle of the Bulge, though this is little signed and is mostly a collection of weapons and shrapnel, and a museum of 1/100 scale models of Luxembourg's castle. But pride of place goes to The Family of Man exhibition of photography, the greatest artistic sight in the country. Two entire floors are taken up by this UNESCO-listed exhibition that was curated and assembled by the Luxembourg-born photographer Edward J. Steichen (1879--1973). In 1951, he invited entries for a collection of images that would record mankind in all its flawed wonder and mystery. He whittled the entries down from 2 million to around 500 and toured them around the world. Since 1994, it has been exhibited in Clervaux and remains one of the world's great cultural sights, charting war, life, death, happiness, sadness, family, and everything in between in simple black-and-white prints. A must-see.
Montée du Château 6, Clervaux, Éislek, 9701, Luxembourg27-8001Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
3. Château de Vianden
Driving around the last bend into Vianden, you're greeted by a full-length view of Vianden Castle rearing up on the hill, replete with conical spires, crenellation, step gables, and massive bulwarks. The castle was built on Roman foundations at the turn of the first millennium, though its most spectacular portions date from the 11th, 12th, and 15th centuries. Its near-pristine appearance is the result of massive restoration in the 20th century.
Mnt. du Château, Vianden, Éislek, 9408, Luxembourg83-41081-CastleSight Details
Rate Includes: €10 -
4. Upper Sûre Lake
The reservoir was dammed in 1961 to create a long-term source of drinking water for Luxembourg. Chunks of it are still off-limits because of this, but there's plenty to explore. In summer, solar-powered boats (May–October) take you on two-hour tours of the water. Mercifully, no motorboats are allowed here, but on warm days the lake fills with windsurfers, paddlers, and wild swimmers. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and SUPs from the youth hostel in Lultzhausen in July and August, and for walkers, there are some 90 km (56 miles) of trails to explore (maps are at the visitor center). But if you'd rather relax, several beaches line the shores at Insenborn, Lultzhausen, and across the water at Liefrange, with a more secluded stretch found just past the Burfelt viewing platform. This is where locals come to escape for the day.
Upper Sûre Lake, Esch-sur-Sûre, Éislek, LuxembourgSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
5. Abbaye de Clervaux
The Benedictine Abbey of Sts. Maurice and Maur was built in 1910 in the neo-Gothic style of France's famous Abbey of Cluny. It sits perched high above the town and the monks here lead a life of strict prayer and meditation. The abbey is best known for its Gregorian plainchant, which has even been released on albums. Daily visits are limited, though you can see a museum on abbey life in the crypt and visit the friendly shop (2:30–5:30 weekdays; 11:30–5:30 weekends), which sells apple juice made by the monks.
Pl. de l'Abbaye 1, Clervaux, Éislek, 9737, Luxembourg92-0072-guided tourSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
6. Ancient Cloth Factory
Set within the Natuurpark Visitor Center, this former cloth mill has an exhibition about wool spinning and cloth making. Textiles have been made at this site since the 16th century, though the current factory dates from hundreds of years later, and has been thoroughly restored. Visits include demonstrations of the old textile machinery, and you can buy the fruits of their labor in the shop, though they aren't cheap.
rte. de Lultzhausen 15, Esch-sur-Sûre, Éislek, 9650, Luxembourg89-93--311Sight Details
Rate Includes: €3 -
7. Bourscheid Castle
Following the green Sûre valley toward Goebelsmühle—along a quiet, winding road that is one of the most picturesque in the grand duchy—look for signs for Bourscheid Moulin-Plage, where you'll see the romantic ruins of Bourscheid Castle. It looms 500 ft above the Sûre River, with commanding views of three valleys. Restorations have made this rambling hodgepodge of towers and walls more accessible; the views are magnificent and there's a snack bar.
Schlasswee, Bourscheid, Éislek, Luxembourg+352-990-570Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Apr.–mid-Oct., daily 9:30–6; mid-Oct.–Mar., daily 11–4 -
8. Centre des Arts Pluriels
For a touch of high culture, visit the Centre des Arts Pluriels, on the Semois River. Opened in 2000, this performing-arts venue has a concert hall, a music conservatory, and a theater.
Centre des Arts Pluriels Ed. Juncker, Place Marie-Adélaïde, Ettelbruck, Éislek, Luxembourg+352-26 812-681 -
9. Diewelselter
The Diewelselter, an impressive dolmen (stone altar) attributed to the Celts, stands south of Diekirch, overlooking the town. No one is sure who piled the great stones that form this ancient arch—or how they did it.
Diekirch, Éislek, Luxembourg -
10. Eglise St-Laurent
In the center of the pedestrian zone, the Eglise St-Laurent, a small, ancient Romanesque church, has portions dating from the 5th century. It was first built over the foundations of a Roman temple, the older parts functioning as a cemetery. In 1961, that lower section was uncovered and with it about 30 Merovingian sarcophagi, many of them containing intact skeletons. Since 1978, the cemetery has been restored and open to the public. Some of the ancient foundations of the church can be seen through a grate in the nave; you may enter the crypt by an exterior door on the right of the building.
3, Liberation Square, Diekirch, Éislek, LuxembourgSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 10–12 and 2–6 -
11. Église Trinitaire
The 13th-century Gothic Eglise Trinitaire once functioned as a Trinitarian monastery. Its ancient cloisters have since been restored to sparkling modernity. Inside the church, the main altar is a dazzling affair, made in 1758 in the Rococo style, with every inch of its gilt and marble put to good use. Meanwhile, the recumbent effigy of Marie de Spanheim (who died around 1400) preserves the memory of the last descendant of the Counts of Vianden.
Grand-Rue 49--55, Vianden, Éislek, 9410, Luxembourg83-42--571Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
12. Esch-sur-Sûre Castle
Building began on the castle around 927 AD and it later passed down through the Counts of Esch, who gradually expanded its fortifications. At one point their kingdom stretched to Diekirch, but by 1330 their light had been extinguished, with many of their number lost to the Crusades. Today, visitors can scrabble the two main sections left standing, including what remains of the original keep and the 15th-century round watchtower.
Rue de Lultzhausen 4--6, Esch-sur-Sûre, Éislek, 9650, LuxembourgSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
13. General Patton Memorial Museum
The General Patton Memorial Museum is dedicated to the American general who liberated Ettelbruck on Christmas Day 1944 and is filled with photographs and relics from the World War II era. A lifesize statue of Patton himself, in full combat gear, stands just outside of town.
5 Rue Dr. Klein, Ettelbruck, Éislek, Luxembourg+352-810-322Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, June–mid-Sept., daily 10–5; mid-Sept.–May, Sun. 2–5 -
14. Luxembourg American Cemetery Memorial
Discreetly tucked behind the main square on Place Princesse Maria Theresa is a World War II Memorial. The humble plaque and surrounding flags honor the 6th Armored Division of the U.S. Army, which liberated the city.
-
15. Maison de Victor Hugo
In 1870, the French novelist Victor Hugo was still living in exile from his country, after openly criticizing the autocratic rule of Napoléon III. The bulk of his 19 years in the wilderness was spent in the Channel Islands, where he wrote his best-known works. But before he finally returned to France, he spent three months in Vianden, and the town has never forgotten it. The Maison de Victor Hugo is set within the house in which he lived, and celebrates his life with photos, documents, tall tales (it is claimed he stopped a house burning down), and other memorabilia. His writings and works are in French, but an excellent free audio guide narrates the story of his home and the objects found here in English, so it's well worth a visit.
Rue de la Gare 37, Vianden, Éislek, 9420, Luxembourg26-874--088Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Mon. -
16. Musée d'Histoire de la Ville de Vianden
The Musée d'Histoire de la Ville de Vianden covers several Vianden-linked themes, ranging from antiques dating from the 16th century, a recreated former bakery, a blacksmith's forge, and a history of the city, to the life and times of local hero Edmond de la Fontaine (1823-91), who wrote comic operettas under the pseudonym Dicks.
96-98, Grand-Rue, Vianden, Éislek, Luxembourg+352-834-591Sight Details
Rate Includes: €3, Easter–Oct., daily 11–5 -
17. Musée de l'Histoire de la Ville de Diekirch
A new Musée de l'Histoire de la Ville de Diekirch is scheduled to open in 2012, and will contain two sarcophagi and remains found under the church, along with well-preserved Roman mosaics from the 4th century, found two blocks away. Diekirch is riddled with remains of Roman culture, though most of its treasures were carried away by invading Franks.
13,Rue du Curé, Diekirch, Éislek, LuxembourgSight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Mon. -
18. Musée National d'Histoire Militaire
In the Musée National d'Histoire Militaire, more than a dozen life-size, authentically equipped dioramas depict personal aspects of the hardships of the Battle of the Bulge. Unlike the similarly themed museum at Bastogne in Beligum, this thoughtful, neutral effort sidesteps discussions of strategies and fronts; it brings out individual details instead, from yellowed letters and K rations to propaganda flyers—both German and American—scattered to demoralize already homesick soldiers at Christmastime. All paraphernalia are authentic period pieces. The staff often welcomes veterans personally. Other exhibits illustrate Luxembourg military history since the end of the Napoléonic Wars.
Bamertal 10, Diekirch, Éislek, Luxembourg808-908Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Easter–Oct., daily 10–6; Nov.–Easter, daily 2–6 -
19. Ourdall Promenade
Between Stolzembourg and Vianden stretches a pretty promenade. This 8.5-km (5-mile) boardwalk trail parades the edge of the lower basin of the river north of town, away from the road. It's a breathtaking stroll and not too difficult to walk or cycle. It takes around two hours to complete, and if you want, you can always get the No. 570 bus back. Its starting point is opposite the Tourist Information Office.
Rue du Vieux Marché 1a, Vianden, Éislek, 9419, LuxembourgSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
20. Télésiège de Vianden
From the banks of the river Our, a chairlift carries visitors up for a remarkable view of the valley. It's the only one of its kind in the Grand Duchy, though it isn't always in use and is only in service between April and mid-October. For the more outdoorsy, a woodland path heads down from the upper station to the castle below.
Rue du Sanatorium 39, Vianden, Éislek, 9440, Luxembourg83-4323Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5 single; €6 return, Closed mid-Oct.–Mar.
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content.toString() }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
