From our base in Luxembourg’s city centre it was just a 40 minute drive to the Müllerthal region which is often referred to as Little Switzerland due to its hilly landscape and beautiful hiking trails.
Our first stop was at the Scheissendempel Cascade located on road 121 close to Müllerthal. We parked in a small free car park just across the road from the start of the 500 m trail to the waterfall.
This is part of the Müllerthal Trail which stretches for 112 km through the rocky landscape. The waterfall can be accessed either from the road or along the trail so we decided to take the scenic trail one way and then to make our way back along the road.
The path was quite stony but as it had been so dry, was quite easily manageable with well maintained wooden boardwalks and flights of steps in places. Soon we reached the waterfall on the Black Ernz river alongside a sandstone bridge. This was constructed in 1879 and since then has become the symbol of the region. It’s not a very high waterfall yet with the combination of the ancient bridge and spectacular rock formations is very scenic and worthy of a detour.
From there, we drove a further 30 minutes to Beaufort Castle, constructed in four different stages between 1050 and 1650. In the beautiful countryside of Beaufort it’s possible to visit not only one but two castles as they are located side by side. These two castles are set in a wooded valley on the edge of the small town. After leaving our car in the small car park across the road we collected our tickets €10 (£8.79) each to include both the medieval and renaissance castles, also included in the Luxembourg Card.
We began our visit with a self guided tour of the ruins of the medieval castle which was built from sandstone on the site of a Roman camp. We explored its many levels from down in the dungeons and torture chamber and then up to the surviving turrets by following numbered signs with detailed information and a map from a leaflet we’d been given.
The medieval castle had several owners over the years but once uninhabited it fell into disrepair. Some of its stone work was then used as a quarry by the residents of the surrounding area. In 1928 major renovations took place and four years later the castle was able to open to the public.
Located behind the ruined castle is the renaissance castle which was built in 1558 and never damaged. Over the centuries with the exception of s few minor additions and modifications it has remained virtually unchanged.
This castle was last inhabited by Anne Marie Linckels until her death in 2012 at the age of 98. Visits are by one hour guided tour with ours taking 90 minutes as our helpful guide Diana spoke in both German and English.
We were shown the beautifully furnished rooms, gardens, stables and distillery which have all been maintained in the same condition as when they were occupied by the last owners.
After the end of the tour we were invited to sample the famous Cassēro liquor that is still produced in the castle today.
To complete our tour of the scenic Müllerthal district we then visited Echternach, the historic centre of the region which has retained its medieval beauty. We decided to park on the edge of town at the free park and ride and then take a bus into the centre from there.
This small town which is the oldest in Luxembourg, has a beautiful cobblestone market place surrounded by historic buildings. The Cross of Justice stands to one side representing the sovereignty of the abbots over the city bourgeoise.
Close by stands the imposing Romanesque basilica originally built in 700 but destroyed by fire in 1031. After re-building, it then suffered severe damage during the Second World War and was reconstructed once again in 1952. We explored its Gothic aisles and stained glass windows that portray the life of St. Wilibrond. Willibrond was born in northern England and lived as a young monk in Ireland. In 1690 he crossed into Europe to undertake missionary work and noblemen granted him the land in Echternach to build its abbey and basilica.
The crypt houses his tomb with him being the only saint to be buried in Luxembourg. Within the abbey in a side nave is the small museum ‘Documentation of the Dancing Procession”. This tells the story of the dancing or hopping procession which takes place at Whitsuntide each year. It is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural tradition and attracts many people from across the region.
Nearby stands the abbey museum, entrance €3 (£2.64) and also included in the Luxembourg Card. It is located in the vaulted cellars and is mainly dedicated to the Echternach scriptorium. The decorative first letters of the gospels, painted in gold are outstanding works of art and Romanesque symbolism.
Before returning to the car we enjoyed cups of coffee on the terrace of one of the town’s attractive cafes and then walked over the bridge into Germany as Echternach is bordered by the river Sauer.
On our way back to Luxembourg city centre we called into Ramborn Cider, the first Luxembourgish cider producer. Guided tours of the production process are available most afternoons but as we arrived just before closing time we only had an opportunity to look around the shop. Ramborn Cider ferment the freshly pressed juice of apples and pears grown in local orchards without using concentrates. We bought a couple of bottles to take home with us and then returned to our accommodation after a lovely day exploring the Müllerthal region.
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Luxembourg really does have so much to offer – it looks like a great country to explore. I’d like to sample that Cassēro liquor!
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Thanks Hannah for your continued interest in this series of posts. Hope it will be third time lucky for when you eventually make it over to Luxembourg. It was our second attempt as we were originally due to fly out on Luxair’s inaugural flight from Manchester which never happened due to the dreaded COVID. Better late than never, it was a lovely place to visit! M xx
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I am really impressed with how many exciting things there are to do in Luxembourg! The castles look absolutely beautiful as well as the Müllerthal Trail with the waterfall.
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For such a small country Luxembourg offers so much and all of it gorgeous Allie. Thanks so much for your continued interest.
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What another lovely region to explore in Luxembourg. How neat to see the contrast between the two castles. One is in ruins while the other that has never been damaged or left in a state of disrepair. It’s too bad that you arrived too late for a guided tour at the cidery, but hey, at least you were able to pick up a couple of bottles to sample on your own!
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The contrast between the two castles couldn’t have been more different and the interior tour was splendid and such a nice surprise to be given a small liquor before leaving. As we had checked luggage it was nice to be able to buy a few bottles of cider to remind us of the trip and share round the family. I’m not usually a big cider fan but this was quite dry and definitely to my liking. Thanks for commenting and have a great weekend.
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Another wonderful day! Hiking and castles and the perfect combination, plus a beautiful town and Abbey. It’s got it all 🙂
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Definitely, hope you get there one of these days Lyssy. Have a great weekend. Marion
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Love the cobblestone streets and courts in Europe. Glad to see at least one castle has been preserved.
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The cobblestone squares are a delight and that Gothic Beaufort castle had been restored beautifully.
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Even on the scale of Luxembourg, Echternach is a bit far from the capital, but I had colleagues who made the trip every day. For them, telework should really be a factor of improvement in their lives.
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Echternach is just by the German border and quite a drive if you are doing it rwiice day. A lovely place to live though.
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A lovely little trip out of the big city! Goes to show that there’s a lot more to Luxembourg than just its capital, as evident in the castle and the tour you went on. Echternach looks like a real treat, and I’m glad you got to enjoy the beauty of it! Looking forward to the next installment on Luxembourg!
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The Mullerthal region with its waterfalls, walking trails and even more castles is a delight and with the country being so small a bonus is that we could set off each day from the city, just going in different directions.
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I loved Echternach when I was there! Wonderful long day hikes from town and great civilization to return to at the end of the day. Thanks for bringing me back there with your post!
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I’m so pleased you also enjoyed spending time in Enternach as it’s such a lovely town as is the entire Mullerthal region. Thanks for taking the time to comment, it’s much appreciated.
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Oh what a lovely area! The waterfall and the hike to it sound so inviting. and the castle and abbey would easily have me in awe all day long. I have really loved seeing Luxembourg with you. I love how you show the wide wealth of things to see and do in an area and present it so well that anyone could follow your path through the beautiful city. 🙂
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Thank you so much Meg for your kind words which as always are much appreciated. Luxembourg offers a diverse selection of things to see and do for such a small country.
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More reasons to go back to Luxembourg one day. More castles than you can shake a stick at seemingly. Beaufort Renaissance Castle is a work of art, inside and out.
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Yes. Luxembourg has an abundance of beautiful castles for somewhere so small. Touring the Beaufort Renaissance Castle was an absolute delight.
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Another wonderful post, Marion! You have traveled to some of the most interesting places, and as a reader, I feel that you have transported us there with you. This post had the same effect. Oh, and little waterfalls are just as pretty as bigger ones – at least I think so. Thank you for sharing the Mullerthal Region with us!
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Thank you so much for your uplifting comments Kellye, they are very much appreciated. Our day exploring the Mullerthal region was indeed wonderful.
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Hiking trails and castles close to each other – Müllerthal looks like my kind of place! Isn’t it amazing how that old Renaissance Castle is still looking in such great condition – centuries later! And the medieval town of Echternach looks like such a pretty place to explore. Another lovely day of exploring Marion – I’m glad you could buy a few bottles of cider (now you can think about your lovely time in Luxembourgh while drinking their cider)!
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It was another lovely day spent exploring more of the Grand Duchy and we enjoyed every minute of it. More castles, walking trails, a medieval town and then the chance to stock up on a few bottles of cider – what more could we wish for! Thanks so much Corna for your continued interest in this series of posts and your valued comments.
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It is always good when a place mixes architecture, history and nature walks together. Looks like a lot of steps on the walk to the falls. Thanks for sharing. Allan
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Luxembourg offers so much in such a small area. It was another memorable day filled with fun things to see and do.
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Look at all the wonderful places you have been to, Marion! The marketplace at Echternach looks amazing and so do the renaissance castle and its wonderful gardens. Thanks for sharing and have a good day. I hope all is well 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thank you for your kind words Aiva. Each day in the Grand Duchy brought different experiences, all of them absolutely lovely. Hope all is going well with you too. Marion xx
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Very informative post Marion. Loved the photos and good to read a first hand experience of how to spend time in the Müllerthal region. It’s something to consider when we are in Luxembourg next year. Thanks. Cheers, Mark
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So pleased you also found this post helpful Mark. I’m certain you will enjoy a great time in the Grand Duchy.
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