After our adventures beneath the Eiger, we agreed to meet our wonderful friend Annie in Luxembourg. At the time, we weren’t sure what we were getting into, but two things were certain: 1) it would be great to see Annie, and 2) Luxembourg is centrally located and easily accessible from most of Western Europe. After a few short trains and busses, we arrived.
View from the river below Luxembourg City
Luxembourg is a tiny European country of ~585,000 people, nestled in between France, Belgium, and Germany. Imagine being squeezed between those countries the past few centuries. Understandably, the country is peppered with fortresses. Even the downtown area has huge castle walls.
Velo bikes are a must
Luxembourg retained a semi-neutral position throughout the world wars and ultimately became the location for the European Court of Justice and one of three official EU capitals. This has made it an attractive overseas location for international corporations, and as a result, 50% of the city’s population consists of foreigners. Luxembourg truly is a European melting pot. It’s hard to tell what the dominate culture or language is!
The interesting international mix of politicians, business people, and tourists fill the walking streets deep into the evening. Outdoor bars, cafes, and restaurants are easy to find and the city has festivals all summer long. We also heard the Duke throws the best Christmas celebration in Europe.
The cappuccino addiction continues…
We were lucky enough to overlap our visit to Luxembourg with another one of our good friends from home. Conrad, not to be confused with Konrad (the friend we met in India) or Konrad (the bar in Luxembourg), stopped in Lux as part of a two week work/vacation tour. So fun to enjoy drinks with our old friends! It is crazy to think that in less than a week we would be back in Seattle.
So fun to see old friends!
When we weren’t sampling the nightlife and restaurants, we explored the beautiful outdoor spaces of the small town. We jogged through the park that surrounds the river valley just to the southwest of the city. The fall colors were popping and the city’s diverse people were out in full force. We also got to bike all over town! For just 1 Euro you get access to Luxembourg’s Velo bikes for a whole week. The bikes can be found all over the city and they are by far the most fun and convenient way to get around.
There is a lot of wine country just outside Luxembourg City, so we spent one afternoon exploring the outlying areas and indulging in a few glasses of wine. Sparkling wine is a local favorite, but there is no shortage of classic French style whites and reds as well.
Wine country right around the corner, Germany across the river
Perhaps Luxembourg is not a destination in its own right unless you have reason to travel there, but for us, it was a fantastic place to relax, explore, and spend time with friends as we prepared to wind down our travels. Huge thanks to Annie Dullum – the only person to make a double cameo on our journey this year – for her gracious and generous hospitality and for showing us a great time. If you have any questions or thoughts to share about our travels, we’d love to hear from you! Comment on the blog post or find us on Instagram @theadventuregoeson!
The Adventure Goes On 