Practical Information
Though it’s small, Luxembourg rewards visitors with a rich history and culture. While we focus our hotel options in Luxembourg City, we can offer tours to different regions around the tiny country. We’ve covered the country to find the most invigorating aspects of its culture and history. It means our Luxembourg specialists can share their intimate knowledge with you to create a trip that’s tailored specifically to your interests.
Planning your trip
While we focus our overnight hotel options in Luxembourg City, we can offer tours to a variety of different regions as day trip excursions.
Language
There are three official languages in Luxembourg: French, German and Luxembourgish. The latter is a dialect that came about as a blend of the two former languages. English is also widely spoken, especially in the capital.
Food & drink
Luxembourg’s cuisine reflects its position between France, Belgium and Germany, blending food and ingredients from these three countries. You’ll also find dashes of Italian and Portuguese influences, thanks to immigrants who have settled here.
Classically heavy Germanic dishes have recently been resurrected as lighter, fresher versions of themselves. You might sample updated versions of Träipen, a fried blood sausage, or of Judd mat Gaardebounden, smoked neck of pork with broad beans, widely considered the national dish.
The most obvious French influences are probably the country’s exceptional tradition of pastries — you can bite into sugar-coated doughnuts, apples en croûte or the zwetschge tart.
Other common dishes include F’rell Am Rèisleck, freshwater trout cooked in a creamy Riesling sauce, and Gromperekichelcher, a simple fried-potato pancake typically sold at markets and fairs and eaten with apple sauce or ketchup.
Festivals & holidays
Like many European countries, the Catholic calendar shapes much of Luxembourg’s year. The nation celebrates Maundy Thursday with silent church bells and a great clattering by local children. During Lent, there’s a pretzel-themed parade. And, Christmas markets are common in late November and December.
Traditional agricultural harvests are also important, with wine festivals throughout the summer as well as a raucous celebration of the walnut harvest with a special market in October.
You’ll also find more modern celebrations, including eight days of fairground rides and entertainment in the capital city each August (Schueberfouer) and music festivals at Wiltz Castle and the town of Echternach. The Vianden Medieval Festival is a contemporary, family friendly interpretation of the Middle Ages.
- 2nd February — Liichtmess (Candlemas)
- Lent — Bretzelsonndeg (Pretzel Day)
- First Sunday after Lent — Bonfire Day
- Maundy Thursday (Thursday before Easter) — Clatter
- May and June — Echternach International Festival 23rd June — National Day
- July to September — summer wine festivals
- Festival de Wiltz — July
- 23rd August — Schueberfouer
- First week of August — Vianden Medieval Festival
- Second Sunday of October — Nut Market
- November and December — Christmas markets
Tipping
Tipping in restaurants isn’t required, though 10% is standard if you find the service attentive. For taxis, housekeeping or other service industries, rounding up a small amount is appreciated, but entirely optional.
Tipping is common for tour guides, but again, is always at your discretion. For a guide, we’d recommend around €15-20 for a half-day tour per couple/family and between €20-40 for a full day. It’s acceptable to tip more, but you shouldn’t feel obliged.
Communications
The country calling code is +352 and phone numbers are typically nine digits, usually beginning with a 0. We recommend checking with your mobile phone provider to see whether it offers international phone and data service in Luxembourg as part of your plan, or at an additional cost. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge in most hotels and a large number of restaurants, cafés and bars.
Travel Advice
Our country specialists can advise on any safety concerns you may have. For current information, please refer to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.
When to go to Luxembourg
You'll find temperature and rainfall information, together with a month-by-month guide on visiting, on our guide for when to go to Luxembourg.
More Information
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Flight Time
1 hour 20 upwards dependent on airline (London to Luxembourg) -
Time Zone
UTC +1