Travel to Luxembourg

ACCOMMODATIONS AND CAMPING

ACCOMMODATIONS under ‚12 [ ‚12-16 ‚17-30 ‚31-40 over ‚40

Luxembourg’s 12 HI youth hostels (Auberges de Jeunesse) are often filled with school groups. Check the sign posted in any hostel to find out which hostels are full or closed each day. Prices range from ‚14-16; nonmembers usually pay ‚2.75-3 extra Breakfast and sheets are included, a packed lunch costs ‚4, and dinner ‚8. Half of the hostels close from mid-November to mid-December, and the other half close from mid-January to mid-February. Contact Centrale des Auberges de Jeunesse Luxembourgeoises ( 26 29 35 00; www.youthhostels.lu) for info. Hotels generally cost ‚25-50 or more per night, depending on amenities; make sure you negotiate the price you will pay beforehand. Luxembourg is a camping paradise; most towns have campsites close by. Two people with a tent will typically pay ‚5-9 per night.

FOOD AND DRINK

FOOD under ‚5 ‚5-9 ‚10-14 ‚15-20 over ‚20

Luxembourgish cuisine combines elements of French and German cooking in a recipe all its own. Regional specialties include Judd mat Gaardenbounen (smoked neck of pork with beans), Friture de la Moselle (fried fish), Gromperen-kichelchen (potato cakes), and Keiskuch (cheesecake). Reisling wines are produced in the Moselle valley.

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

Holidays: New Year’s Day (Jan. 1); Carnival (Feb. 23); Easter (Apr. 11); Easter Monday (Apr. 12); May Day (May 1); Ascension Day (May 20); Whit Sunday and Monday (May 30-31); Grand Duke’s Birthday Celebration (June 23); Assumption Day (Aug. 16); All Saints’ Holiday (Nov. 1); Christmas (Dec. 25); and Saint Stephen’s Day (Dec. 27). Festivals: Luxembourg City hosts the Luxembourg City F§te (Sept. 6).

LUXEMBOURG CITY

With a medieval fortress perched on a cliff that overlooks lush green river valleys, and high bridges stretching over the downtown area, Luxembourg City (pop.

84,000) is one of the most beautiful and dramatic capitals in Europe. As an international banking capital, it is home to thousands of frenzied foreign business executives; even so, most visitors find it surprisingly relaxed and idyllic.

TRANSPORTATION

Flights: Flndel International Airport (LUX), 6km from the city. Bus #9 (‚1.20) is cheaper than the Luxair bus (‚3.70) and runs the same route every 10-20min.

Trains: Gare CFL, av. de la Gare (toll-free info 49 90 49 90; www.cfl.lu), 15min. south of the city center. To: Amsterdam (6hr.; every hr.; ‚45, under-26 ‚35); Brussels (234hr. every hr. ‚2514); Ettelbriick (25min. 2 per hr. ‚4.60); Frankfurt (4V4hr. every hr. ‚46); Paris (4hr. every 2hr. ‚4231).

Buses: Within the city, buy a billet courte distance (short-distance ticket; lhr. ‚1.20, package of 10 ‚9.20) or a billet rGseau (day pass; ‚4.60, package of 5 ‚19). Tickets are valid on buses and trains throughout the country; a day pass is the most economical option for intercity travel. Buses run until midnight; night buses offer limited senice.

Taxis: Colux Taxis, 48 22 33. ‚2.04 per km. 10% premium 10pm-6am. ‚20 from the city center to the airport.

Bikes: Rent from V6lo en Ville, 8 r. Bisserwe ( 47 96 23 83), in the Grund. Open daily lOam-noon and l-8pm. ‚5 per hr. ‚13 per half-day, ‚20 per day, ‚38 per weekend, ‚75 per week. Under-26 20% discount.

ORIENTATION AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Five minutes by bus and 15min. by foot from the train station, Luxembourg City’s historic center revolves around the place d’Armes. Facing the municipal tourist office, located in the commemorative Town Hall, turn right down r. Chimay to reach Boulevard Roosevelt.

Tourist Offices: Grand Duchy National Tourist Office (42 82 82 20; www.etat.lu tourism), in the train station. Open June-Sept. 8:30am-6:30pm, Oct.-May 9:15am-12:30pm and l:45-6pm. Municipal Tourist Office, pi. d’Armes (22 28 09; www.ont.lu). Open Apr.-Sept. M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm; Oct.-Mar. M-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 10am-6pm. Also, look for the helpful, yellow-shirted Ask Me representatives all over the city-they give out free tourist info. Centre Information Jeunes, 26 pi. de la Gare ( 26 29 32 00), inside Galerie Kons across from the train station, is a great service for young people, providing free Internet access for students (lhr. max.) and info on everything from hostels to finding jobs. Open M-F 10am-6pm.

Embassies: Ireland, 28 r. d’Arlon (45 06 10; fax 45 88 20). Open M-F 10am-12:30pm and 2:30-5pm. UK, 14 bd. Roosevelt (22 98 64; fax 22 98 67). Open M-F 9am-12:30pm. US, 22 bd. Emmanuel Servais (46 01 23; www.amembassy.lu). Open M-F 8:30am-5:30pm. Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, and South Africans should contact their embassies in France or Belgium.

Currency Exchange: Banks are the only option for changing money or cashing traveler’s checks. Most are open M-F 8:30am until 4 or 4:30pm. All are closed on weekends. Expect to pay a commission of ‚5 for cash and ‚8.30 for traveler’s checks.

Luggage Storage: In train station. ‚3 per day. Open daily 6:30am-9:30pm.

Laundromat: Quick Wash, 31 r. de Strasbourg, near the station. Wash and dry ‚10. Open M-Sa 8:30am-6:30pm.

Emergency: Police: 113. Ambulance: 112.

Pharmacy: Pharmacie Goedert, 5 pi. d’Armes (22 33 99). Open M l-6:15pm, Tu-F 8am-6:15pm, Sa 8am-12:30pm. Check pharmacy window for night info.

Medical Services: Doctors and pharmacies on call: 112. Clinique Ste-Therese, r. Ste-Zithe 36 (49 77 61 or 49 77 65).

Internet Access: Center Information Jeunes has free Internet for students. Cyber-Grund, 2 r. Saint Ulric ( 26 20 39 55), in the Grund. ‚2 per 30min. ‚3 per hr. (50% discount Tu-F 12:30-3:30pm.) Open Tu-F 12:30-6:30pm, Sa l:30-5pm. Sp@rky’s, 11a av. Monterey (20 12 23), at the pi. d’Armes. ‚0.10 per min. Open M-Sa 7am-lam. Post Office: 38 pi. de la Gare, across the street and left of the train station. Open M-F 6am-7pm, Sa 6am-noon. Address mail to be held: Firstname SURNAME, Poste Res-tante, L-1009 Luxembourg G-l Gare, LUXEMBOURG. Branch office, 25 r. Aldringen, near the pi. d’Armes. Open M-F 7am-7pm, Sa 7am-5pm.

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