Luxembourg's castles, from the best to the ones you only see from the road

Luxembourg is a land of castles in the literal sense. Its official portal talks of a thousand years of history and more than 70 castles, in a country of just 2,586 km². Not all of them can be visited, and that’s the flaw in many lists, which mix castles with paid entry, free ruins and private homes you only glimpse from the road. Here’s my ranking of the ones worth a visit and a note on the ones that stay shut.

Why does Luxembourg have so many castles?

The country’s history is that of a contested crossroads, and it shows in every valley. The capital was walled and heavily armed from the 16th century until its defences were dismantled in 1867, and UNESCO listed the old town and its fortifications in 1994. Out in the countryside, local lords raised castles on rocky spurs above rivers such as the Our, the Sûre and the Eisch. Many fell into ruin and others were restored. And what many people search for as «Luxembourg Castle» doesn’t exist under that name; in the capital, what you’ll find is the Luxembourg fortress.

The five I wouldn’t miss

First is Vianden, the work of four medieval centuries, cradle of the Orange-Nassau dynasty and owned by the state since 1977. It’s the most complete to see inside, at €13 for adults and €4 for children aged 6 to 12. Autumn hours start with October, when closing moves from 6pm to 5pm. The full story is in Vianden Castle.

Second is Bourscheid, which the government portal describes as the country’s largest castle, with eleven towers 150 m above the Sûre. It’s a huge, beautifully placed ruin, and entry is €7. More in Bourscheid Castle.

Third is really two. At Beaufort, the medieval castle was built between 1050 and 1650 and has welcomed visitors since 1932, with a 17th-century Renaissance castle beside it. Entry is €8, and Beaufort Castle explains how the visit works. Rounding off my list are Clervaux, levelled in the December 1944 offensive and rebuilt to house The Family of Man, an exhibition on that battle and a collection of castle models, and Larochette, on a sandstone spur since the 11th century, which closes on Wednesdays.

Clervaux deserves a word of its own for anyone interested in photography. Edward Steichen’s The Family of Man, with its 503 images taken by 273 photographers in 68 countries, has been on show in the castle since 1994 and is listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World. The 2026 season runs until 1 January 2027, Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 6pm, at €6 full price, €4 reduced and free up to age 21. Wiltz Castle, further west, houses a brewing museum and one on the Battle of the Bulge, but its listing doesn’t publish opening hours.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Vianden before prices climb.

Free ones, and those you only see from outside

Three visits cost nothing. Koerich’s Gréiweschlass, a lowland castle with a great keep, can be explored at any time of year; Brandenbourg is an open ruin with boards that explain it; and at Esch-sur-Sûre, what’s left of the old lords’ stronghold watches over the village from its rock. At Ansembourg, the Baroque gardens of the new castle open from 10am to 6pm.

Then there are the ones you can’t go inside. Hollenfels Castle and Schoenfels Castle have their interiors closed for works, Septfontaines Castle is private, Berg Castle is the Grand Duke’s main residence and Senningen hosts government meetings. Bourglinster opens on request only. They’re lovely from outside, but I wouldn’t plan a trip around them.

Somewhere in between sit two that hardly anyone lists and that I’d add if you’re passing. Pettingen Castle, in the commune of Mersch, is a ruin with four corner towers from 1571 that Louis XIV’s troops shelled in 1684 into the shape you see today, and visitluxembourg lists it as open all year. Munsbach Castle, east of the capital, is really a 1775 manor house dressed up as a castle with 19th-century towers; you can’t go in, but the park and rose garden are free.

The Valley of the Seven Castles

If you like walking, the Eisch valley gathers seven castles, from Mersch to Koerich by way of Schoenfels, Hollenfels, Septfontaines and the Ansembourg pair, and the official portal gives it a 37 km national trail. Bear in mind that of the seven only Koerich, the Ansembourg gardens and the Mersch museum can be visited; the rest you admire from outside. It’s covered in valley of the seven castles.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Vianden before prices climb.

How I’d plan it

I’d group them by area. The north makes a day with Vianden, Brandenbourg, Bourscheid and Clervaux; the Mullerthal pairs Beaufort with Larochette; and the centre has the Eisch valley. Public transport is free, so many are reachable by bus, but with a car you’ll fit more into a day. And if you’d like to sleep in one, see castle hotels in Luxembourg.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Vianden and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Luxembourg on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

So you do not pay over the odds, look at trains, coaches and flights to Luxembourg on Omio and pick the one that suits you.