Vianden and Vianden Castle: sights not to be missed during a trip through Luxembourg! Vianden is a small, picturesque city in the north of Luxembourg. A real eye-catcher here is the beautiful castle of Vianden, which towers above the rest of the city. In this blog, we’ll tell you everything about Vianden, Vianden Castle and other sights here. But you can also read more about fine hotels and restaurants in Vianden.
Vianden
Vianden is a cute town in the northeast of Luxembourg, just a few hundred meters from the German border. You can see that this is an ancient city: there are beautiful old buildings on the boulevard of the river Our and the Vianden Castle itself also dates from the 11th century.
What strikes us immediately is that Dutch is spoken almost everywhere in this city. Not surprising since the majority of the tourists here are Dutch, but there is also another explanation. Vianden Castle and the associated city belonged to the house of Oranje Nassau from 1417 to 1820. And that is the same family as our royal family in The Netherlands. By the way, these royals did not take very good care of the castle, especially at the end of their possession period, it fell into serious disrepair. Fortunately, it has been renovated considerably in the last decades and is, therefore, a beautiful castle to visit.
How many days do you need for Vianden in Luxembourg?
Nowadays, Vianden is a nice city to visit, with other highlights besides the Vianden Castle. Because Vianden is not big, you have seen the city in one day. However, if you also make trips to Clervaux or Echternach, we recommend that you allow a little more time for this part of Luxembourg.
Vianden Castle and 4 other sights in Vianden
Below you will find five fun things to do in Vianden.
1. Visit Vianden Castle
Well, number one is, of course, a visit to Vianden Castle. The castle has been beautifully renovated and its location on top of a hill gives you a great view. We recommend that you also view Vianden Castle from the inside. In 1-2 hours you walk through the entire building, each room exhibiting something surprising. You can see what the castle kitchen used to look like, you walk through a small chapel, you get information about the Order of the Templar and you see much more.
You can visit the castle with a guide or audio guide, but this is not necessarily necessary because of the information boards. Admission is € 8 per person, an audio guide costs €2. The castle is well maintained and open almost all year round. For more information about Vianden Castle, click here.
Tip: Vianden Castle is located on a hill. You can park your car almost all the way to the top, so you don’t have to walk far up.
2. Take a ride in the chairlift to Vianden Castle!
The cable car in Vianden is the best way to have both a beautiful view of the city and a special way to reach Vianden Castle. The cable car takes you from the lower centre to the highest hill of Vianden, after which you can descend part of the hill to Vianden Castle in twenty minutes. Both during the cable car ride up and during the hike you always have a varied view of the surroundings of Vianden.
The cable car can be taken both up and down. A single ticket costs €4.30, a return ticket €5.80. We took a one-way ticket after which we visited the castle and then descended back to town ourselves. On the way, we passed an old chapel, among other things.
3. Admire the old town of Vianden
Vianden is certainly not a big city, but a very beautiful one! Enjoy the winding streets, the picturesque houses and of course the river Our that runs through the town and the valley. You can visit the museum of Victor Hugo (famous author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables, among others), or enjoy a beer in the sun on one of the terraces.
4. Hike a part of the famous Mullerthal trail and visit Echternach!
Not far from Vianden is the town of Echternach, the start of the famous Mullerthal Trail. While walking this walk you will understand why this area in Luxembourg is also known as Little Switzerland. It is hilly here, with many rocks, rivers and caves.
Here we walk the E1 hike, a nice trek of 13.5 kilometres. The route is well signposted along the path. The entire Mullerthal trail is 112 kilometres long and divided into routes 1, 2 and 3. Then there are several divisions of the trek, such as the E1 hike that we do. The tourist office of Echternach will give you good advice about the different options and lengths. You will also find information on this site.
You can reach Echternach in a 30-minute drive from Vianden. The city of Echternach itself is also funny to see. When you cross the river from the centre, you are directly in Germany. This river forms a natural border.
Tip: you will find a free parking place just outside the city centre of Echternach, on the water. Click here for the exact location.
5. Excursion to the city of Clervaux for Clervaux Castle!
The quiet town of Clervaux is half an hour’s drive from Vianden. Here too you will find a beautiful castle and a fairytale village. Nice to see in an afternoon, visit the castle and climb up the hill to the Abbey of Clervaux.
Read all about Clervaux in Luxembourg in our free travel guide here!
Restaurants in Vianden
As soon as you drive into town, you will see all the terraces and restaurants in Vianden. There is not too much choice and most restaurants serve about the same menu, but it is nice to sit on these terraces.
Please note: most of the restaurants in Vianden have a terrace directly on the road. We noticed that many motorcycles passed by and then you have the feeling that you are in the exhaust fumes. So either sit inside or at a terras near the water.
We ourselves ate a bite at Victor Hugo, a nice restaurant in Vianden that belongs to hotel Victor Hugo. We sat outside next to the river and ate a large salad and risotto. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Vianden.
Another popular restaurant in Vianden is Café du Pont. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Vianden.
An entirely different type of restaurant, but very nice because of that, is Ancien Cinéma Cafe Club. This is a place where you can have a drink or dinner, and then watch a movie in the same room. Fun and a bit quirky! Click here for the location of this restaurant in Vianden.
Not really a restaurant, but a tip for breakfast on a budget, is the bakery located in Vianden. You can find this on the main street. Every morning you can buy warm croissants, baguettes or cakes here. Click here for the location.
Hotels in Vianden
There are quite a few hotels in Vianden for a town of this (small) size. However, keep in mind that hotels in Vianden (and in Luxembourg in general) are not very cheap. Below you will find three hotels in Vianden for different budget classes.
Youth Hostel Vianden €
Traveling with a small budget? Then consider sleeping in the Youth Hostel in Vianden. Located just outside the center, but you stay here from €25 per person including breakfast.
Victor Hugo €€
This hotel is located right in the center of Vianden. The rooms are spacious and simply furnished. We slept very well here! You stay here from €78 per night (with 2 people).
Auberge Aal Veinen €€€
This romantic hotel is known for its warm hospitality and quiet rooms. It is located centrally and has its own restaurant. You sleep here from €100 per night (with 2 people).
Tip: are you not looking for a hotel in Vianden but for a campsite? There are also more than enough campings in Vianden, for example, Camping du Moulin.
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Miss u charlotte ever since ur trip to kenya even though i wasnt there, i had have always wanted to be around in some of those trips in the woods as one of the gards.