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!
How to Get There
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!
What to Do
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!
The Vianden Chairlift
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!
Woodland Walk to the Castle
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!
Vianden Castle
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?
Take a Wander Around the Town
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.
Eat All the Gorgeous Food
As with most picture perfect towns, there are lots of cute little eateries lining the streets. We opted for a crepes – obviously!
The Things We Didn’t Get To Do
As with anywhere, there were a few bits that we didn’t get to do which may spark your interest:
- Trinitarian Church – After searching TripAdvisor before our visit, a quick look inside this church was on my to-do list but we ended up accidentally walking straight past it – oops!
- Adventure Park Tree Climber – If you’re from the UK, think “Go Ape” – this would be a great idea to keep the kids entertained after dragging them round the cultural sights! We definitely would have joined in if we were suitably dressed.
- Maison de Victor Hugo – A small museum about the French novelist Victor Hugo, set in the house that he lived in for a short period in the 1870s.
Have you ever visited Vianden? Did you have a good time?
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post and all thoughts are my own.
