Vianden Castle: the Best Day Trip from Luxembourg
If you’re looking for one of the best day trips from Luxembourg, you should go to Vianden Castle!
You won't be sorry.
One of the top sights we experienced on our Germany road trip, Vianden Castle wasn't even on our radar until I was browsing the internet for something to do for half a day after we visited the American Cemetery in Luxembourg.
Thankfully, we did discover this hidden gem of Europe, and I’m here to tell you that you need to put it on your must-see list.
Let’s explore all things Vianden Castle!
This post contains affiliates. If you choose to purchase through the links, I will receive a commission at no charge to you.
Updated 7/2022 | Written 12/2015
How to Get to Vianden Castle
The N17 just outside of Vianden, Luxembourg
On your trip to Vianden, you’ll head out of Luxembourg City and quickly get into the beautiful rolling countryside of Luxembourg.
NOTE: I wouldn’t rely on public transportation for this trip, especially if time is of the essence. If you don’t have a rental car, you can pick one up at the Luxembourg City airport and then head towards the castle.
You’ll pass darling little towns perched by gently winding rivers.
The road will take you north out of Luxembourg City on the N30, CR119, N14, and N17.
All of the turns are well marked and we had no issues following the signs.
The N17 is a small 2 lane road that meets up with a river close to Vianden. Once you see this river, you’re almost there.
You’ll make a deep turn in the road, and there will be the town of Vianden and the castle!
All told, the trip from Luxembourg City to Vianden Castle takes about 45 minutes under normal traffic and weather conditions.
Parking at Vianden Castle
Trying to coax my toddler up the path to the castle
Even after all of these centuries, the castle still knows how to make an entrance!
You’ll see the castle perched up on a large hill before the road takes you down in a valley.
Wind our way down through the small town of Viaden following the signs and then back up to the car park for the castle.
You can't park directly at the castle as you have to walk over the adjoining bridge between the castle and the car park.
The car parking is below the castle, so be prepared for a short, but very steep walk.
The pathway from the car park to the castle is paved with cobblestones, which would make a stroller or wheelchair challenging but ultimately doable.
Vianden Castle and village from the nearby road
Getting Your Vianden Castle Tickets
My toddler loved listening to the audio tour!
Since we were there in the off season, we nearly had the place to ourselves.
If you’re able to go to Europe in October, November, January, or February, I can’t recommend it enough!
We did this trip in October and have traveled to Scotland in November and Ireland in January—and we avoid most, if not all, of the crowds that way.
>> Read about our January 10 day road trip in Ireland. <<
My family and I paid the 10€ entrance fee for the adults.
My daughter was only 2 at the time of this trip, so she was free.
If you’re traveling with teens or young adults aged 13-25, they can get in for 5€, while kids ages 6-12 are only 2.5€.
You’ll also want to purchase the 2€ audio guide as the entire walk through the house is self guided.
The audio tour provides much needed context and elaboration on each of the rooms’ furniture, history, and construction.
After going through the entire tour, I realized that our time at Luxembourg was the best bargain of our entire trip since you get to see so much of the property for the cost of lunch!
MORE GERMANY AND LUXEMBOURG FAMILY TRAVEL TIPS
History of Vianden Castle
We spent the next two hours slowly making our way through the castle, essentially touring more than 2,000 years of history during that time.
Your tour will take you inside Vianden Castle and into the uncovered courtyards, so be prepared on days that aren’t sunny.
You’ll also move throughout the castle’s floors with several flights of stairs.
The outcropping of rock that the existing castle rests upon was a perfect place for the original Roman fort.
The Vianden family ruled here and built most of the current castle's footprint.
Later, the Houses of Nassau and Orange took control of Vianden Castle and slowly built additions.
The Castle Makes the Village
Sadly, the castle was abandoned in the early 19th century, and, unbelievably, the castle was actually partially dismantled in the mid-1800s to be used for building materials in the village.
That's right--the village houses below actually contain stones from the original castle!
My history-loving heart bleeds at the idea of tearing down such an impressive structure for the sake of collecting construction materials, but I’m also amazed at their resourcefulness in obtained scarce building materials.
World War 2 and Beyond in Vianden
As we wandered through the castle, it was hard to imagine that only a generation ago, this countryside was ripped apart by the German occupation.
Over 2% of the population was killed during World War II, which was the largest loss in Western Europe.
By that point, the castle was abandoned, but many, many families in Vianden lost loved ones in the war.
The castle was just a shadow of its former self when the Grand Duchy decided to hand the property over to the state at the end of the 1970s.
Under the new ownership, some much needed restoration was begun, and the castle got the care that it had been lacking for all of those years.
Final Review on Visiting Vianden Castle
Exploring Vianden Castle with my toddler
Today, the tour through the fully restored castle is one of the most complete that I've had the pleasure of experiencing.
The audio guide is easy to follow and helps you understand how the history of the castle builds on each previous period.
The room that covers the restoration process (complete with historical photos) is well worth the entrance fee alone.
After seeing the entire property, I'm happy to report Vianden Castle is well worth the drive from Luxembourg City, eastern Belgium, and western Germany.
It tops my list of suggestions on what to do in Luxembourg, and it is definitely the best day trip from Luxembourg City.
Would you be interested in visiting Vianden Castle?
