Sam arrives at the Luxembourg train station – as you know, Sam never drives drinks and drive, so Sam came by train! (Sam is a smart drinker). Sam is curious, loves having drinks, chilling in a bar and good electronic music. Sam never came in Luxembourg and would like to have an overview of the city and to party at the same time !
Join the BARATHEON concept: an optimized loop across Luxembourg city through its ten greatest bars and clubs from a Belgian beer, wine, gin, and electronic music perspective!
BARATHEON: Cultural & Musical Barathon
The loop of 5km for the Luxembourg baratheon here
1- The Bounewegerstuff
Chilling atmosphere, with music in the background. Winter or summer doesn’t matter, the atmosphere stays cozy. During winter, the cafe looks like places in Berlin, and you can enjoy a bowling alley in the backroom – prior booking advised 😉 During summer, colorful chairs invade the sidewalk and you drink your beer with a plate of cheese and fine charcuterie comfortably seated in front of the church.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- A place where you can bring your own playing cards and chill with your friends, or play with the board games provided by the cafe
- Large choice of special Belgian beers (Tripel Karmeliet, Rochefort, Chouffe, Chimay, Maredsous and much more)
Flash info: Known since the 17th century as “the Gibraltar of the North”, the official existence of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg goes back to 1815 and the Wien Congress. Luxembourg becomes part of Guillaume I, king of the Netherlands’ estate. The London treaty of 1839 drew the actual border, and officially designed in 1867 Luxembourg as a perpetually neutral and disarmed state. Meanwhile, in 1848, Luxembourg got its first constitution, guaranteeing the fundamental freedoms and rights of its citizens.
2- The Buvette at Les Rotondes
The Rotondes is a site with two big circular buildings located just behind the Luxembourg train station. If one of them is dedicated to exhibitions and art scenes, the other one is a bar. Formerly a train repairing factory, the site keeps the underground aspect to give you a unique atmosphere. When the sun and the heat come back in town, the bar spreads on the terrace and makes the area really lively ! Three or four times a year, the site hosts the food trucks festival as well, delicious homemade food from all the food trucks around Luxembourg.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- The music, with great local DJs or live bands
- Local Luxembourgish beers – the Simons IPA is a great success!
- Great burgers
Flash info: Two big circular buildings nearby the train station, with a 52 meters diameter each. Formerly a train repairing factory, they became after the World War II a storage unit combined to a bus repair shop. In 2006, buses definitely left the site. The renovation work led to a center for artistic creativity in the first building and a bar in the second.
3- The Liquid
The Jazz bar in town! The Liquid is a great bar, looking like a tavern, with all the beers coming along! The bar is located in the lower part of Luxembourg city, all along the Petrusse, with narrow cobblestone streets and a great view on the city from its bottom. In the twilight and with live jazz bands in the background, you can either play board games available on shelves nearby the counter, or dance, up to you !
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Live jazz bands
- One of the largest selection of beers, mostly Belgian, in the city: an entire blackboard, with beers broken down by type: blond, red, trappist, the choice is all yours!
Flash info: At the end of the “Montée de la Petrusse” street, leading to the lower town, on your right, are the Wenzel and the Vauban guided pathways. Following walls built by the French engineer Vauban under the reign of Louis XIV, this path will lead you to a view on the lower part and upper part of Luxembourg city. The Liquid is at the end of “Rue de Trêves”, near the bridge and the river.
4- The Café des artistes
You have two choices for living the lower part of the city and go back to the upper town. You can use the elevator located close to Café des artistes, or walk up the street called “Montée du Grund”. At the beginning of the street, there is the Café des artistes, on the left side. Café -concert style to its fullest, the pianists playing at the bar know how to keep the place animated and people are always singing between two glasses of wine 🙂
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Café-concert style with talented pianists
- An opportunity to sing with a glass of wine or absinthe without anybody noticing you singing off key
Flash info: The Grund is part of the old city of Luxembourg, at the confluence of the Alzette and the Petrusse River. Among the cobblestone streets, several monuments as the Abbey of Neumünster are must-see landmarks in the area! And also a super romantic path to walk with your partner along the river ahah!
5- Ennert de Steiler
The Steiler is one of the most animated bars in Luxembourg city ! The location downtown is excellent and the atmosphere is always great. Located in a building from the 1350, and being a bar since 1842, the bar fully belongs to Luxembourg’s history. The ground and first floors usually play two different types of music, with a DJ on the ground floor, making each floor special ! A balcony and a restaurant on the third floor complete the scene ! This is one of the favorite bars in town for young people, either from Luxembourg or abroad.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- La Chouffe: the bar serves the famous Belgian beer draught
- The student atmosphere of a cosmopolitan bar
Flash info: The “Montée du Gründ” street, all paved leads straight to the Steiler and walk under the “Porte de Trêves”, one of the former entry points in Luxembourg city in the XVI century. In front of you, you can see the lower town, and the European neighborhood.
6- Palais
A great alternative for music and gin lovers. Ideally located nearby the Grand Ducal palace, the Palais is a famous place for after-works with good music. The choice of gins is as the variety of music: large ! Unlike other bars, the decor here is really modern and DJs perform upstairs! In summer, the area is lively, people spread outside on the pedestrian street and mix with people from bars around.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Gin cocktails
- Resident DJs among the best DJs in town
- Location in the heart of Luxembourg
Flash info: Originally the city hall of Luxembourg in 1572, the grand ducal palace became the official headquarters of the Luxembourg government in 1817. Restored between 1991 and 1996, the palace is no longer occupied by the grand-ducal family on a daily basis, but serves for official receptions and celebrations. Along the Grand Ducal Palace stands the Chamber of Deputies.
Look at the four big lights illuminating the building. There is a face in each one!
7- Café des Capucins
The Café des Capucins is a unique place in Luxembourg city. In an enchanting courtyard in the heart of the city center, the place disconnects you from the rest of Luxembourg. Apart from the street, you would spend your time on the sunny terrace with an ice cream and a glass of wine from their large selection. The bar is the greatest mix between chilling, music, and cocktails. The Italian Aperitivo is organized every Wednesday, and thematic parties are organized on a regular basis. The food served is excellent, so is the service. Best place for a chilling and drinking time in the city center.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Tapas & cocktails
- Great paved terrace apart from the street
Flash info: There are three major squares in Luxembourg city. Place Guillaume II and Place d’Armes are the two big squares of Luxembourg. Place Guillaume II hosts the city hall and Places d’Armes, entirely pedestrian and originally the center of the fortified town after 1574, hosts shops, concerts and restaurants. The last one, Place de la Constitution, is a memorial in memory of all the soldiers who volunteered for fighting alongside the French army during WWI. The monument is overhung by a bronze statue – “Gëlle Fra” – which wears a laurel wreath in her hands. Created by Claus Cito, the statue is one of Luxembourg’s symbols. The view on Luxembourg from the Constitution square is one the best in town.
8- Rocas
Ahhh, Rocas ! If you like music, you must stop there! The bar promotes all local DJs with themed evenings. With stand up tables on the pavement on sunny days, the bar is unique in town thanks to its cosmopolitan and relaxed atmosphere. From music blind tests to “vinyles only” parties, the music played at Rocas is always different !
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Diversified music from local DJs
- Easy going atmosphere
Flash info: The Cathedral “Notre Dame” of Luxembourg, in the heart of Luxembourg city between the Place de la Constitution and Place Guillaume II, is the former church of the Jesuit college. Built between 1613 and 1621, it became the cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Luxembourg in 1870. It also shelters the statue of “Notre Dame Consolatrice des affligés”, protector of the city of Luxembourg. This is the only cathedral in Luxembourg city, recognizable from far with its long pointed bell tower.
9- Studio 21
The club recently opened but nevertheless makes definitely the difference in Luxembourg for house and techno parties ! Led by ambitious and talented DJs from the local label Lauter Unfug, Studio 21 brings in Luxembourg city a breath from Berlin. The sign on the door “Stop filming, start dancing” says everything: in here, you come for the music ! Events with great labels or DJs from Berlin, London, and all over Europe (Mandy, Wankelmut, The Willers Brothers, Nathlee) play there on weekends.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Dedicated club to house and techno music
- Located in the city center
- No closing time on big events !
#No photo – Here’s the club rule
Flash info: One of the main emblematic buildings of Luxembourg city is the headquarters of the “Spuerkeess”, the Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat of the State of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, or BCEE in French. Founded in 1856, the bank has as only shareholder the Luxembourg state. From one side of the Adolphe bridge, the circular building and its characteristic tower overhang the Petrusse Valley. The Adolphe Bridge, built between 1900 and 1903 connected the uptown to Avenue de la Liberté and the train station area. Its design was copied in the United State, in the construction of the Walnut Lane Bridge, in Philadelphia. The bridge became after WWII the national symbol of Luxembourg’s independence.
10- Marx
The last club concluding the full tour of the bars and clubs to do in town before getting back to the train. Nearby the train station, Marx is a special club in town. The club looks like an old house with minimalist and concrete interior. Great names of house and techno (Amelie Lens, Emmanuel Top, Ken Ishii) often come in this club as well. From June to September, the area surrounding the club turns into a summer garden, with a beach area, an inflatable pool, and DJs playing outside.
In case you need an excuse to go there:
- Dedicated club to house and techno music
- Afternoon parties on Sundays during summer
- Private garden
#No photo – At this time of the night, I do prefer dancing 🙂
Flash info: ARBED -one of the most emblematic buildings of the city as well ! ARBED (Aciéries Réunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange, or United Steelworks of Burbach-Eich-Dudelange in English), was a major Luxembourg-based steel and iron producing company. Created in 1911, ARBED had a significant role in the economy of the Grand Duchy. In 2002, ARBED merged with the Spanish group Aceralia and the French group Usinor to create the well known European corporation Arcelor. In 2006, Arcelor merged with Mittal and became the first steel and iron producing company in the world. In 2015, eager to see this national edifice remain in the fold of the state, the Spuerkeess purchased the UNESCO classified building to Arcelor Mittal and made some significant renovation work.
And here it is ! 5 km, a baratheon, a lot of music, and a few drinks, Sam goes back to the train station, happy 🙂
Feel free to share 🙂 Enjoy !!
Backpacking with a fork 
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