City Open Air Cinema at the Palais grand-ducal / © VDL
Summer in Luxembourg can get boring - especially if you are sitting in your office while your friends have gone on holiday (even worse when you're about to head off to university). However, there is a great deal of activities to switch up your daily routine and actually enjoy your summer.
Summer in the City 2019
This collection of events organised by the city is a must: it's cheap, if not free, and easy. While Duke's Night and Siren's Call have already passed, there are still plenty of activities left until 5 September! A personal favourite is the City Open Air Cinema (26 July - 22 August) which screens old and recent movies free of charge. All you have to bring are snacks and weather-appropriate clothing. You can also attend the music festival at Place Guillaume or enjoy the weekly markets found across town!
City Open Air Cinema at the Palais grand-ducal / © VDL
The Congés Annulés (26 July - 23 August) bring a month's worth of shows, movie screenings, DJ sets and many other experiences. You could meet up with your friends to get a cold one and pretend to be at a beach club somewhere on the Mediterranean.
And of course, there's the annual Schueberfouer or Schoubi (23 August - 11 September), where you'll find many rides, great food (especially the beloved Gromperekichelcher) and drinks, making it the place to be.
Tourism across the country
When I ask my friends how much of the country they have seen, I often hear that they've never been further than Lux City and its surroundings, myself being somewhat guilty of this! Luxembourg may be small but its countryside has a lot to offer!
You could visit its castles in Vianden, Bourscheid or Larochette and be stunned by their serenity. The Mullerthal Trail is also worth doing, ending in Echternach where you can visit the historic sites and sit down at a cafe or restaurant to reward yourself from your long and tiring day.
The Schiessentuempel, on the Mullerthal-Consdorf trail / © Joshua L. Demotts / Stars and Stripes
Outdoor activities
With the temperatures reaching 38 degrees on several occasions, a day by the water could be ideal, but you don't need to go all the way to the beach in Belgium to do so! The Stausei in the Upper-Sure is widely popular among the local youth as is the Baggerweier in Remerschen, which I like to pair up with a stroll through the Moselle Valley.
The 'Baggerweier' beach offers perfect cirumstances to soak up the sun and cool down in the water. / © Administration Communale de Schengen
If you don't have the time to drive that far, try a picnic in one of the many public parks in town. If you are lazy like me, you can get some take-away food or go the supermarkets to make it as authentic as possible - but remember to mind your waste! My favourite spots are the Parc de Monterey and the Pescatore Parc near the Villa Vauban.
Day trips abroad
Our country may be a small one, but that makes it easier to organise day trips to our neighbouring countries! Whether you fancy a shopping spree in Brussels or a laid-back afternoon at the Belgian coast, it is all accessible by car (or train if you want to travel sustainably).
A well-known alternative to Brussels is the vibrant and cozy Strasbourg, a mere two-hour train ride from Luxembourg City! While there, make sure to visit the old Alsatian town filled with great restaurants and evening programs.
For rainy days
We are all aware of Luxembourg's rainy weeks, but not so many of us know how to keep ourselves busy! We have a great deal of cultural events going on throughout the year. Villa Vauban hosts many exhibitions, as do the Casino and MUDAM, ranging from contemporary art to interactive ateliers! If you're not so keen on museums, the freshly renovated Kirchberg cinema or the lively cafes in town can be a great way to spend your day away from your couch and laptop screen.
