Luxembourg and Dinant Day Trip from Brussels

Luxembourg City: the old town and the Grand Ducal Palace

Luxembourg City is the capital of one of Europe's smallest countries, built on a rocky plateau above the Alzette valley. A Luxembourg day trip from Brussels is possible because the road through the Ardennes takes around three hours, and the old quarters and fortifications of the city are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the guided walk, the Grand Ducal Palace is a highlight: the official residence of the Grand Duke, with a pretty Renaissance-style façade. Ask your guide for the story of the palace guards and the history of the dukedom. Our Luxembourg guided tour keeps to the compact old town, so you can see the main sights without rushing.

Place d'Armes and Notre-Dame Cathedral

Place d'Armes is the lively living room of the old town, a tree-shaded square with cafés, a bandstand and pedestrian streets running off it. It is the easiest place to feel the atmosphere of the city and is often the spot where visitors take a break during free time.

A few minutes away, Notre-Dame Cathedral is a seventeenth-century church that became Luxembourg's cathedral in the nineteenth century, blending late Gothic and Renaissance details. If you are wondering whether Luxembourg is worth visiting for a day, this walk between the square, palace and cathedral is the best answer, since it shows the heart of the capital in a single compact loop.

Kirchberg and the valley views

From the viewpoints of the old town you look across to Kirchberg, the modern district that houses several European institutions, and its glass towers make a bold contrast to the historic quarter. This is one of the most photographed panoramas of the city.

Below the cliffs, the Alzette river winds through the valley past the Casemates, the abbey of Neumünster and the surviving stretches of the city walls. The best time to visit Luxembourg for these views is on a clear morning or afternoon, and the guide points out the main landmarks from above rather than taking you down into the valley.

Dinant on the River Meuse

After free time in Luxembourg, the coach continues to Dinant, a small town squeezed between the River Meuse and a steep limestone cliff. It is one of the prettiest places in Wallonia, and a Dinant day trip is a peaceful contrast after the capital.

The Gothic collegiate church with its bulbous spire sits right beneath the rock, and the citadel watches over the town from above. You also visit La Maison de Monsieur Sax, dedicated to Adolphe Sax, who was born in Dinant and invented the saxophone. Look for the colourful saxophone sculptures along the bridge across the river, then use your free time to stroll the waterfront.