Solo female travel expert, focusing on travelling around a 9-5 job, getting the most bang for your buck and soft-adventure experiences.
A picturesque town with an impressive castle? Get me there immediately. As soon as our trip to Luxembourg was booked, Vianden was on my radar and I couldn’t wait to explore!
Despite our first day in Luxembourg being the gloomiest of them all, we set off early with high spirits. As we were staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton which is slightly outside of Luxembourg City centre, we walked to the Dommeldange Station (rather than a station in the city centre) and hopped on the train to Ettelbruck which takes a quick 30 minutes.
On arrival at Ettelbruck station, there are three separate bus stops, so be sure to stand at the correct one (“routriere 2” if I remember correctly) before hopping off the bus at Vianden Bréck. There are a few bus stops in Vianden but this one was in the perfect place to get off and explore!
RELATED: Train and bus travel is extraordinarily easy and efficient. If you’re looking for another day trip from Luxembourg City, I highly recommend a trip to the Moselle Valley!
Vianden is another area of Luxembourg where I would highly recommend using the Luxembourg Card! Not only was our transport to the town completely free, so were most of the attractions! If you plan your day in the same way we did, you’ll only end up paying for food and drinks during the day!
It’s no secret that I am scared of heights, but I had been told by many reliable sources that the views from the chairlift were unrivalled and I will do anything for some good scenery (it’s all about that Instagram grid after all).
Sweaty palms and a fair amount of squealing later, we were off and it wasn’t that bad after all! My hands were steadily gripped to the safety bar, so my photo taking abilities were somewhat hindered but I did it!
The views definitely live up to the hype from both the chairlift itself and the viewing deck at the top!
RELATED: Do you push your fears while travelling? My fear of heights is always tested while travelling – it’s safe to say that dinner in the revolving restaurant at the top of the CN Tower was an experience!
The chairlift actually takes you above the height of the castle and therefore you need to walk downhill slightly to reach the castle’s entrance. Approximately 33% of Luxembourg’s land is covered by beautiful woodland and this walk is no exception!
It’s an easy downhill stroll, however it’s probably a good idea to wear sensible shoes to conquer the dirt path! But as it’s such a pretty walk, you won’t mind taking your time in unsuitable shoes! Catching glimpses of the castle getting closer through the trees is also exciting!
Undoubtedly, the castle is the main reason that most people visit Vianden! You are free to explore the castle at your own pace, so there is no reason to wait for a guided tour etc.
When entering the castle, we didn’t notice the audio tour headsets but they would have been helpful at some parts of the visit – predominantly the museum element where signs for items on display were in French.
The castle is absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth your time if you visit Luxembourg!
RELATED: I seem to find myself always visiting rural castles in Europe – have you read about my trip to Burg Eltz?
While the castle steals the limelight and is the reason most people visit Vianden, the rest of this little town is definitely worth your time too! Vianden is filled with picturesque little streets lined with gorgeous buildings and plenty of colourful flowers.
The houses in Luxembourg are unlike anywhere I have ever seen before. While many of the houses don’t depict a particularly modern style, you can tell that this is a very rich country and most of the houses are maintained to perfection.
As with most picture perfect towns, there are lots of cute little eateries lining the streets. We opted for a crepes – obviously!
As with anywhere, there were a few bits that we didn’t get to do which may spark your interest:
Have you ever visited Vianden? Did you have a good time?
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post and all thoughts are my own.
We lived in Luxembourg for a while, and I have to agree with you that Vianden is one of the best day trips for first time visitors. Did you do more exploring outside of the city?
I love all the greenery that seems to surround the town! Luxembourg has been on my radar for a while because it seems to be one of those places that hardly anyone talks about. It looks gorgeous in the pics!
I absolutely loved my time in Luxembourg a few years ago but never made it to Vianden! Definitely planning another trip there as it is really easy for me to reach Luxembourg and I'm a sucker for castles 😉