Luxembourg & Belgian Ardennes Explorer

Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Luxembourg City — Fortress of Europe

Your exploration of two fascinating regions begins in Luxembourg City, once known as the Gibraltar of the North. Meet your guide for a comprehensive walking tour of the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Bock Casemates, a labyrinth of underground defensive tunnels stretching 17 kilometers beneath the city, where soldiers once lived, fought, and defended this strategic fortress. Walk the Chemin de la Corniche for panoramic views over the Grund quarter, the Alzette Valley, and the magnificent fortifications that earned Luxembourg its reputation as one of Europe’s most impregnable fortresses. Visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the solemn Gelle Fra (Golden Lady) war memorial. Afternoon exploration of the Kirchberg plateau, home to the striking European institutions including the European Court of Justice and the Philharmonie Luxembourg. Welcome dinner at a restaurant in the atmospheric Grund district.

Meals: Dinner | Overnight: Luxembourg City

Day 2: Bastogne & Battle of the Bulge — Ardennes War History

Depart Luxembourg after breakfast and cross into the Belgian Ardennes, one of Europe’s most beautiful forested regions and the scene of fierce fighting during World War II. Arrive in Bastogne, immortalized in the HBO series Band of Brothers. Visit the impressive Bastogne War Museum, a state-of-the-art facility that tells the story of the Battle of the Bulge through immersive multimedia exhibits, personal testimonies, and an extensive collection of military artifacts. Stand at the nearby Mardasson Memorial, a striking star-shaped monument dedicated to the 76,890 American soldiers killed, wounded, or missing during the Ardennes offensive. Enjoy lunch in Bastogne’s town square, famous for its local Ardennes ham and Trappist beer. In the afternoon, visit the Bois Jacques foxholes, where Easy Company of the 101st Airborne held the line during the bitter winter of 1944. Continue to the charming town of Bouillon for check-in at your hotel overlooking the Semois River. Evening at leisure to explore Bouillon’s medieval streets.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Overnight: Bouillon

Day 3: Bouillon Castle, Orval Abbey & Dinant

Morning visit to the magnificent Chateau de Bouillon, Belgium’s finest medieval fortress, perched high on a rocky spur above the Semois River. This castle was home to Godfrey of Bouillon, leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The castle’s vast network of halls, dungeons, and ramparts offers spectacular views over the Ardennes forest. Continue through the rolling Ardennes countryside to Orval Abbey, a stunning Trappist monastery renowned worldwide for its legendary beer and cheese. Tour the atmospheric ruins of the original 12th-century Cistercian abbey, the modern monastery church, and learn about the famous legend of the trout and ring that gave the abbey its name. Enjoy a tasting of Orval Trappist beer and cheese at the abbey’s brewery. Afternoon arrival in Dinant, the dramatic city wedged between the River Meuse and towering limestone cliffs. Visit the stunning Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame with its distinctive onion-domed bell tower, and take the cable car up to the Citadel of Dinant, a fortress commanding the Meuse Valley since the 11th century. See the saxophone sculptures along the Charles de Gaulle Bridge, honoring Dinant’s most famous son, Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone. Farewell dinner featuring Ardennes specialties.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Dinant

Day 4: Meuse Valley & Return to Luxembourg

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic cruise on the River Meuse, gliding beneath Dinant’s dramatic cliffs and past the Bayard Rock, a legendary split needle of limestone that local folklore says was cleft by the hoof of the giant horse Bayard. Journey back through the eastern Ardennes, stopping at the picturesque town of Durbuy, often called the smallest city in the world, with its cobblestone lanes, castle, and riverside setting. Final lunch at a terrace restaurant specializing in Ardennes cuisine: try the famous Ardennes ham, game pate, or trout from the local rivers. Return to Luxembourg City by mid-afternoon, where your tour concludes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch