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In terms of European outdoor adventure, Luxembourg is often an afterthought. This is understandable. Luxembourg is small. It has no Alps. If you’re taking autoroutes, it takes about a half-hour to drive through the entire country, even when roads near the capital city are under construction. But if you’re into hiking or biking, you should think again about Luxembourg. Adventurers will find castles, secret valleys, forests, and waterfalls. Outdoor Luxembourg is perfect for a day trip or long weekend.
Luxembourg, naturally
Despite the fact that Luxembourg can sometimes look like a city-state on a map, the country is kind of a natural paradise. In relative terms, Luxembourg is more heavily forested than Norway, Germany or Switzerland. Rivers snake everywhere. In the north, especially, it almost counts as an outdoor experience to drive the winding two-lane roads that seem to bring beautiful villages and valleys around every hilly turn. The country is served by an extensive and well-maintained trail system. Any way you look at it, outdoor lovers have plenty of great options.
Mullerthal – Luxembourg’s Jewel
The Mullerthal trail is the best outdoor destination in Luxembourg, and a pretty solid contender for one of the best in Europe. If you spend a long weekend hiking (or biking) different parts of the Mullerthal, you’re guaranteed to come away charmed and impressed. The trail loops for more than 100 kilometers through the Luxembourger Ardennes (known in Luxembourgish as Éislek, and connected to the same forest that stretches from southern Belgium into Germany’s Eifel region). If you wanted to, you could spend several days winding your way along the trail and staying at beautiful Luxembourg inns, but most hikers choose to pick off small parts of the trail as day trips.
Broken into three distinct routes (known straightforwardly as Routes 1, 2, and 3), the Mullerthal area is a UNESCO Global Geopark (basically a world-class protected natural area) that is known as “Little Switzerland.” For those located in the KMC, Route 2 is a fantastic place to start. The trail begins in Echternach (30 minutes away from Trier), and doesn’t disappoint. A good day of hiking will get you through Wolves’ Canyon (no wolves remain, a little sadly, but the name and place are both cool), to a beautiful little waterfall known as the Schéissendëmpel, and deep into rock gorges.
Online maps and good preparation resources are available at https://www.visitluxembourg.com/tour/stage-trail-mullerthal-trail-route-2
Happy trails
From north to south, Luxembourg has so many trails that are worth exploring. A personal favorite is the Escapardenne Eislek Trail, which begins in northern Luxembourg and stretches into southeast Belgium. This trail is also more than 100 kilometers long, so day trippers would do well to start in Kautenbach, where the trail begins, or in Enscherange, which is a bit further north. Either way, you’ll get a hearty dose of unspoiled forests, shockingly clear rivers, and amazing ridge views.
Southern Luxembourg also has great trail options. The 90-kilometer-long Minett Trail is a gem. It winds through red rock country (not the same as you’ll find in the western US, but still… the rocks are red, the landscape is rugged, and as a bonus you never have to worry about rattlesnakes or scorpions!), which also used to be mining country. Consequently, some of the manmade features, like quarries, are almost as interesting as the natural views.
Castle hikes are famous in Luxembourg, as well. Another favorite is the Beaufort Castle hike, which begins in the Beaufort Castle parking lot and then gets way more natural. The castle itself is lovely. But what follows – the forest, rock formations, and semi-strenuous elevation gain (more than 600 feet) – gives the experience an added oomph. Probably the most beautiful Luxembourg castle hike, however, can be found on trails near Vianden Castle, which is one of the country’s most breathtaking buildings. Set in a gorgeous valley on the river Our, Vianden Castle is well worth a day trip.
Getting there By car, it takes 1.5 hours to reach Echternach (near Trier) and 2.5 hours to get to Kautenbach in the heart of the northern Éislek. Reaching Pétange, where the Minett Trail begins, takes a bit less than 2 hours.
