Luxembourg city is everything the Frankfurt airport is not: compact, attractive, uncrowded, and with a polyglot population that, unlike the polyglot population at the airport, isn’t still standing in line for immigration as their connecting flight is taking off. That fate did not befall me: after previous dealings with Frankfurt, I booked my connecting flight five hours after we landed, not the two hours my travel agent suggested. Seriously, folks, if you’re connecting through Frankfurt, two hours isn’t enough time!
The Luxembourg airport, in contrast, is delightfully modest, at least for the moment. Alas, it looks like a major expansion is under way, so it may yet catch “interminable terminal disease” (an epithet that occurred to me while plodding through Frankfurt’s Concourse B). Cabs are plentiful, and the ride into the city was short if not cheap (roughly 50 euros). Perhaps half the ride was spent navigating the final half-mile to the hotel (the City Hotel, clean and well-located if not luxurious) through a massive sewer project – “vraiment dificil,” as my driver commented.
After checking in, I walked for 15 minutes to the heart of the city, which is picturesque and marvelously diverse; pick a physical appearance, language, and cuisine and you will see/hear/taste it. (A side note on cuisine: vegetarians and vegans have an abundance of restaurant choices. Strangely, there also seems to be a glut of pharmacies; I hope the two facts are not related.)
The older section features narrow alleys and beautifully maintained, centuries-old buildings, and several of the streets have been reserved for pedestrians and bikers. I was charmed by the street signs: those bearing names have a brief description of the person being honored, which must give residents a true sense of historical identity. And I was further charmed by the level of politeness: drivers actually stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, and most pedestrians wait for the walk sign before crossing!
Speaking of signs, one thing I enjoy when wandering around new places is spotting funny or interesting signs such as the following:
Luxembourg is a wealthy nation, and it shows in the amenities. Buses and trams are free (which likely explains the lack of traffic) and there are walking and biking paths everywhere as well as a striking symphony hall and excellent museums (with free admission!).
I visited the Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art, which has a solid collection of artifacts from neolithic and Roman times as well as several rooms of “Old Masters.” From there I tried to get to the Natural History Museum but, despite it being an “8-minute walk,” my phone’s GPS couldn’t get me there, repeatedly telling me to “take the path on the left,” which, at least in the dimensions we deal with on Earth, was nonexistent. Vraiment dificil, indeed!
I finished my explorations this afternoon with an e-bike tour led by a charming, knowledgeable guide from Tours by Locals (my go-to source for independent tours – I’ve never had a bad experience with them). Setting off in a chilly (41 degrees!) drizzle, we biked through the Pétrusse Valley, a lush ravine that cuts through the heart of the city, affording wonderful views of the majestic bridges, churches, and fortress walls.
After a bit we reached Kirchberg, a newer part of town that is home to the EU Parliament and other EU institutions, most of which unfortunately occupy boring steel and glass monoliths. (Kirchberg also is home to the Mudam, the striking museum of modern art, which was designed by Ming Pei (architect of the Louvre pyramid).)
Winding back through the old part of town, we stopped at several significant sites including the Grand Duke’s palace, which like Luxembourg itself is stately and ornate without sliding into over-the-top gaudiness.
I managed to make it back to the hotel before the aforementioned torrential rain, so with that, I bid you Ätti (good-bye in Luxembourgish) for now. Come back in a few days for a post about Bordeaux.
PuffinlessTravel 