This tiny country is awash with atmospheric castles, many of which you can stay in, making for a magical wintry break. And it won’t cost you a cent to travel between them

Sarah Baxter

Wed 17 Dec 2025 02.00 ESTLast modified on Wed 17 Dec 2025 11.49 EST

The top of the tower had disappeared in the mist, but its bells rang clear and true, tolling beyond the abbey gates, over the slopes of frost-fringed trees, down to the town in the valley below. Final call for morning mass. I took a seat at the back of the modern church, built when the Abbey of Saint Maurice and Saint Maurus relocated to this hill in Clervaux, north Luxembourg, in 1910. Then the monks swept in – and swept away 1,000 years. Sung in Latin, their Gregorian chants filled the nave: simple, calming, timeless. I’m not religious and didn’t understand a word, but also, in a way, understood it completely.

Although mass is held here at 10am daily, year-round, the monks’ ethereal incantations seemed to perfectly suit the season. I left the church, picked up a waymarked hiking trail and walked deeper into the forest – and the mood remained. There was no one else around, no wind to dislodge the last, clinging beech leaves or sway the soaring spruce. A jay screeched, and plumes of hair ice feathered fallen logs. As in the church, all was stillness, a little magic.

Clervaux Castle looked Disney cute, fairy lights dripping from its white-washed turrets

I’d come to Luxembourg by train, with the notion of finding a frozen fairytale. This tiny grand duchy, about the size of Dorset, has a ridiculous number of castles – as many as 130 (depending on your definition). It’s the legacy of being sited at the heart of western Europe, suffering centuries of incursions. Some of these castles have been restored for visitors; some are places you can stay at (with lower rates off-season). Add in rimy forests, chanting monks and the fact all public transport is free – maybe the most magical thing of all – and my hopes Luxembourg would make an atmospheric winter break were being fulfilled.

My walk ended at Clervaux Castle. It dates from the 12th century, but was destroyed during the second world war’s desperate Battle of the Bulge, which played out in these cold forests in December 1944. The castle has since been rebuilt and now houses the 1950s Unesco-listed photo exhibition The Family of Man. It was almost empty as I moved between the 503 images, taken by the most prestigious photographers of the age, depicting normal people in all life stages, the ordinary rendered extraordinary. There are no captions or locations; each photograph is its own whole story, containing multitudes. It was incredibly uplifting.

Clervaux Castle perched on a rocky promontory above the city, was destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge in the second world war and then rebuilt. Photograph: Pixelbiss/Alamy

You can’t spend the night at Clervaux Castle, but 10 minutes away by (free!) bus is Chateau d’Urspelt, where you can stay. When I arrived, this castle looked Disney-cute, fairy lights dripping from its white-washed turrets. Eighty years ago, it was quite different. The US 1st Battalion 110th Infantry had its HQ here in December 1944, before being overwhelmed by German forces. After the war, Urspelt fell further into ruin, until 2005, when a local entrepreneur decided to restore it and turn it into a smart hotel. I skipped the snazzy spa, and the ice rink sparkling in the courtyard, but relished a fruity Luxembourgish pinot noir in the low-lit bar, which hides like a speakeasy in the castle’s historic cellars.

One of the country’s most impressive castles is Vianden (less than an hour from Clervaux via a free bus), a beast of a bastion, lording over the River Our, on the German border. It was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries on Roman foundations, altered multiple times, left to rot, then, from the 1970s, painstakingly restored to its medieval pomp. On a pallid winter’s day, it was crowd-free. I rattled around its vast state rooms and marvelled at the layered history visible in the visitor centre, which is built around past excavations.

It’s not just the castle that gives Vianden its fairytale feel. There’s the winding river, the tight-pressed wooded hills and the village itself, with its remnants of 13th-century walls and pretty, cobbled main street. I opted to escape reality entirely in the Ancien Cinéma cafe, a former movie theatre where you can grab a coffee, sit on a couch and watch whatever’s on the big screen, surrounded by film paraphernalia.

The Sherlock room at Château de Clémency. Photograph: Sarah Baxter

My final stop was a castle unlike any other. Chateau de Clémency, close to the Belgian border, is a five-room guesthouse and the 2025 winner of Luxembourg Tourism’s Best Host award. Dating back to 1635, it was only ever a small residential retreat, with no military function. When Pascal Zimmer – former judoka, self-taught tailor and architect, and restorer of historic buildings – bought it 20 years ago, it was a proper mess, in need of either demolition or renovation. He saw the property’s true value and he liked the staircase – “You could say I spent €400,000 on some stairs …” he confessed, pointing out the stone pleasingly worn by 400 years of footfall.

“When you think about castles, you think of Windsor or Versailles. But this is a Luxembourgish castle, not so expansive, not so well done; you can’t restore it in the same way.”

I travelled the length and breadth of Luxembourg by bus – and it didn’t cost me a penny

So, to that end, Clémency is Pascal’s own artistic vision. Each room has a different theme, from belle époque “Peggy’s” to the “Roaring 20s”. “Tribute” pays homage to the local steel industry on which Luxembourg’s wealth is built. “My father was a miner,” Pascal said. “He was a humble guy; he’d say all he wanted was a small, clean room. This is a small, clean room.” A patchwork blanket covers the bed, while the bathroom is black polished concrete, a nod to life underground. I stayed in “Sherlock”, a Holmesian fantasy suite; the lounge was a steam-punkish curiosity shop of moody portraits, scientific implements and stuffed cats.

There isn’t much to do in the town of Clémency itself, although that hardly mattered. It was only 40 minutes by public transport (did I mention: all free!) into Luxembourg City, a capital perched on a precipitous rock, like something from a storybook. It was a shorter hop to Bascharage, where I got cosy in D’Braustuff, a gemütlich brewery-brasserie serving Luxembourgish classics – I tucked into a hearty wäinzoossiss (traditional sausage). But when darkness fell, I was also content to stay in my castle with a book – the shelves were full of Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle – and enjoy an alternative winter’s tale.

The trip was provided by Luxembourg tourism board and Byway, which can arrange bespoke itineraries including Eurostar tickets, Interrail passes and accommodation. Château de Clémency has doubles from €99. Château d’Urspelt has doubles from €174

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Complementing the historic sites, free public transport makes exploring the castles, forests, and towns a seamless and cost-effective experience.","bullets",[231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239],"Luxembourg, a small European country, features a large number of atmospheric castles, with over 130 existing.","Many castles have been restored and some can be booked for overnight stays, offering a unique accommodation experience.","The country's historical significance is evident in its castles, some dating back to the 11th century and others bearing the scars of WWII.","Clervaux Castle houses the Unesco-listed photo exhibition 'The Family of Man'.","Chateau d’Urspelt and Vianden Castle are highlighted as notable examples of restored castles offering visitor experiences.","Chateau de Clémency, a five-room guesthouse, is recognized for its unique themed rooms and hospitality.","All public transport in Luxembourg is free, enhancing the accessibility and affordability of travel between attractions.","The natural landscape, including frost-fringed forests and rivers, adds to the fairytale atmosphere, especially in winter.","The article mentions visiting Luxembourg City and enjoying local cuisine in towns like Bascharage.","persons",[242],"Pascal Zimmer","places",[245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255],"Luxembourg","Clervaux","Dorset","Clervaux Castle","Chateau d’Urspelt","Vianden","River Our","Chateau de Clémency","Belgian border","Luxembourg City","Bascharage","words",798,"sentiment",4.5,"subject","travel","meta",{"_264":265,"_266":267,"_294":275},"type","bee:get-index-of-articles","schedule",{"_14":268,"_37":-5,"_269":270,"_67":-5,"_271":272,"_145":273,"_274":275,"_276":73,"_70":71,"_260":24,"_277":-5,"_278":71,"_211":212,"_279":280,"_39":280,"_281":282,"_283":73,"_284":285,"_41":280,"_286":71,"_69":99,"_287":288,"_289":-5,"_290":291,"_292":-5,"_293":-5},"42c16914-63e2-4613-a85b-636804578877","npub","npub1cuxrf940g02stjzu932tg7fyqxckyzaqkaunej8xsdyd0u4zp8dqxwhw6s","jobId","64845b2d-fa8e-49b8-baf9-7a097a933bee",1,"rssUrl","https://www.theguardian.com/","system","userRef","autosign","syncedAt","2025-12-15T18:48:55.174Z","frequency","daily","isOwnBlog","nextRunAt","2025-12-17T18:59:42.384Z","autopublish","sourceVariant","rss","systemVariant","scheduleVariant","scraping-bee-classic-proxy","retryArticlesIds","ownershipConfirmedAt","dataSourceUrl","eventId","e6c13824766b960f9993e229bd868c54c0086964e7b8577fb3098da975aeac02","nostrRootEvent","event",{"_14":296,"_300":301,"_302":273,"_67":303,"_316":315,"_204":317,"_318":319},"sig","749cb2847c6f9fe7c58e83d661fca89acd8c365b2fc68289f81647337b7e34a7c8f749a34682cb3e7b52fa04f0064ec576f3bc89b5a3c155a5d11462b5f917fe","kind",[304,305,306,310,313],[260,191],[29,197],[307,308,24,309],"a","30023:c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da:0e2eb55d-fa7b-4e35-933b-2199c9dfa6ab","mention",[311,312],"client","Layer3.press",[314,315,24],"p","c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da","pubkey","A winter tour of Luxembourg’s fairytale chateaux\nThis tiny country is awash with atmospheric castles, many of which you can stay in, making for a magical wintry break. And it won’t cost you a cent to travel between them\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3cvxjt27s74qhy9ctz5k3ujgqd3vg96pdme8nywdq6g6le2yzw6qqjrqefjv43r2dty94nxzdmz956x2ve495unxvmz95erzwfevvukgenpxesky2l9780 ","created_at",1765998103,"authorNPub","markdown","This tiny country is awash with atmospheric castles, many of which you can stay in, making for a magical wintry break. And it won’t cost you a cent to travel between them\n\nSarah Baxter\n\nWed 17 Dec 2025 02.00 ESTLast modified on Wed 17 Dec 2025 11.49 EST\n\nShare\n\nThe top of the tower had disappeared in the mist, but its bells rang clear and true, tolling beyond the abbey gates, over the slopes of frost-fringed trees, down to the town in the valley below. Final call for morning mass. I took a seat at the back of the modern church, built when the Abbey of Saint Maurice and Saint Maurus relocated to this hill in Clervaux, north Luxembourg, in 1910. Then the monks swept in – and swept away 1,000 years. Sung in Latin, their Gregorian chants filled the nave: simple, calming, timeless. I’m not religious and didn’t understand a word, but also, in a way, understood it completely.\n\nAlthough mass is held here at 10am daily, year-round, the monks’ ethereal incantations seemed to perfectly suit the season. I left the church, picked up a waymarked hiking trail and walked deeper into the forest – and the mood remained. There was no one else around, no wind to dislodge the last, clinging beech leaves or sway the soaring spruce. A jay screeched, and plumes of hair ice feathered fallen logs. As in the church, all was stillness, a little magic.\n\n> Clervaux Castle looked Disney cute, fairy lights dripping from its white-washed turrets\n\nI’d come to Luxembourg by train, with the notion of finding a frozen fairytale. This tiny grand duchy, about the size of Dorset, has a ridiculous number of castles – as many as 130 (depending on your definition). It’s the legacy of being sited at the heart of western Europe, suffering centuries of incursions. Some of these castles have been restored for visitors; some are places you can stay at (with lower rates off-season). Add in rimy forests, chanting monks and the fact [all public transport is free](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/20/all-aboard-can-luxembourgs-free-public-transport-help-save-the-world) – maybe the most magical thing of all – and my hopes Luxembourg would make an atmospheric winter break were being fulfilled.\n\nMy walk ended at [Clervaux Castle](https://www.visitluxembourg.com/place/clervaux-castle). It dates from the 12th century, but was destroyed during the second world war’s desperate Battle of the Bulge, which played out in these cold forests in December 1944. The castle has since been rebuilt and now houses the 1950s Unesco-listed photo exhibition The Family of Man. It was almost empty as I moved between the 503 images, taken by the most prestigious photographers of the age, depicting normal people in all life stages, the ordinary rendered extraordinary. There are no captions or locations; each photograph is its own whole story, containing multitudes. It was incredibly uplifting.\n\n![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4540d95e620a5c60a2dd6922a96e37bd1a8f1a1c/0_0_6240_4160/master/6240.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\nClervaux Castle perched on a rocky promontory above the city, was destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge in the second world war and then rebuilt. Photograph: Pixelbiss/Alamy\n\nYou can’t spend the night at Clervaux Castle, but 10 minutes away by (free!) bus is [Chateau d’Urspelt](https://www.chateau-urspelt.lu/en/), where you can stay. When I arrived, this castle looked Disney-cute, fairy lights dripping from its white-washed turrets. Eighty years ago, it was quite different. The US 1st Battalion 110th Infantry had its HQ here in December 1944, before being overwhelmed by German forces. After the war, Urspelt fell further into ruin, until 2005, when a local entrepreneur decided to restore it and turn it into a smart hotel. I skipped the snazzy spa, and the ice rink sparkling in the courtyard, but relished a fruity Luxembourgish pinot noir in the low-lit bar, which hides like a speakeasy in the castle’s historic cellars.\n\nOne of the country’s most impressive castles is [Vianden](https://castle-vianden.lu/gb/) (less than an hour from Clervaux via a free bus), a beast of a bastion, lording over the River Our, on the German border. It was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries on Roman foundations, altered multiple times, left to rot, then, from the 1970s, painstakingly restored to its medieval pomp. On a pallid winter’s day, it was crowd-free. I rattled around its vast state rooms and marvelled at the layered history visible in the visitor centre, which is built around past excavations.\n\nIt’s not just the castle that gives Vianden its fairytale feel. There’s the winding river, the tight-pressed wooded hills and the village itself, with its remnants of 13th-century walls and pretty, cobbled main street. I opted to escape reality entirely in the Ancien Cinéma cafe, a former movie theatre where you can grab a coffee, sit on a couch and watch whatever’s on the big screen, surrounded by film paraphernalia.\n\n![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/dde81fe5bd068ce26cbe43b16b9c4e9e0c1f8f68/0_0_5712_4284/master/5712.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\nThe Sherlock room at Château de Clémency. Photograph: Sarah Baxter\n\nMy final stop was a castle unlike any other. [Chateau de Clémency](https://chateaudeclemency.lu/en), close to the Belgian border, is a five-room guesthouse and the 2025 winner of Luxembourg Tourism’s Best Host award. Dating back to 1635, it was only ever a small residential retreat, with no military function. When Pascal Zimmer – former judoka, self-taught tailor and architect, and restorer of historic buildings – bought it 20 years ago, it was a proper mess, in need of either demolition or renovation. He saw the property’s true value and he liked the staircase – “You could say I spent €400,000 on some stairs …” he confessed, pointing out the stone pleasingly worn by 400 years of footfall.\n\n“When you think about castles, you think of Windsor or Versailles. But this is a Luxembourgish castle, not so expansive, not so well done; you can’t restore it in the same way.”\n\n[I travelled the length and breadth of Luxembourg by bus – and it didn’t cost me a penny](https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/may/07/luxembourg-free-public-transport-mullerthal-wine-vineyards)\n\nRead more\n\nSo, to that end, Clémency is Pascal’s own artistic vision. Each room has a different theme, from belle époque “Peggy’s” to the “Roaring 20s”. “Tribute” pays homage to the local steel industry on which Luxembourg’s wealth is built. “My father was a miner,” Pascal said. “He was a humble guy; he’d say all he wanted was a small, clean room. This is a small, clean room.” A patchwork blanket covers the bed, while the bathroom is black polished concrete, a nod to life underground. I stayed in “Sherlock”, a Holmesian fantasy suite; the lounge was a steam-punkish curiosity shop of moody portraits, scientific implements and stuffed cats.\n\nThere isn’t much to do in the town of Clémency itself, although that hardly mattered. It was only 40 minutes by public transport (did I mention: all free!) into Luxembourg City, a capital perched on a precipitous rock, like something from a storybook. It was a shorter hop to Bascharage, where I got cosy in D’Braustuff, a gemütlich brewery-brasserie serving Luxembourgish classics – I tucked into a hearty _wäinzoossiss_ (traditional sausage). But when darkness fell, I was also content to stay in my castle with a book – the shelves were full of Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle – and enjoy an alternative winter’s tale.\n\nThe trip was provided by [Luxembourg](https://www.visitluxembourg.com/) [tourism](https://www.visitluxembourg.com/) [board](https://www.visitluxembourg.com/) and [Byway](https://www.byway.travel/), which can arrange bespoke itineraries including Eurostar tickets, Interrail passes and accommodation. [Château de Clémency](https://chateaudeclemency.lu/en) has doubles from €99. [Château d’Urspelt](https://www.chateau-urspelt.lu/en/) has doubles from €174","freeMarkdown","kind1EventId","kind30023EventId","74d3ec7ffa84860c0b85399b795fae79f29203dd1ee5cd237a85c67c89d8bd78","kind30023",{"_14":326,"_300":329,"_302":330,"_67":331,"_316":315,"_204":345,"_318":319},"88e7605624eb4bc69b053f97f790795cd0227976568d327acd96b60b89855259b2b314d3f210e8694d06b43ec0c8ecf2fba14b9ed1ae3318a7d41124c2f5bf8c",30023,[332,335,336,339,340,342,343,344],[333,334],"r","https://news.layer3.press/articles/0e2eb55d-fa7b-4e35-933b-2199c9dfa6ab",[26,191],[337,338],"published_at","1765954800",[29,197],[341,186],"d",[227,192],[311,312],[314,315,24],"A winter tour of Luxembourg’s fairytale chateaux\nLuxembourg offers a magical wintry escape with its numerous atmospheric castles, many of which provide unique accommodation options. The country boasts a rich history, from medieval fortifications to sites impacted by World War II, now restored and open to visitors. Complementing the historic sites, free public transport makes exploring the castles, forests, and towns a seamless and cost-effective experience.\n - Luxembourg, a small European country, features a large number of atmospheric castles, with over 130 existing.\n - Many castles have been restored and some can be booked for overnight stays, offering a unique accommodation experience.\n - The country's historical significance is evident in its castles, some dating back to the 11th century and others bearing the scars of WWII.\n - Clervaux Castle houses the Unesco-listed photo exhibition 'The Family of Man'.\n - Chateau d’Urspelt and Vianden Castle are highlighted as notable examples of restored castles offering visitor experiences.\n - Chateau de Clémency, a five-room guesthouse, is recognized for its unique themed rooms and hospitality.\n - All public transport in Luxembourg is free, enhancing the accessibility and affordability of travel between attractions.\n - The natural landscape, including frost-fringed forests and rivers, adds to the fairytale atmosphere, especially in winter.\n - The article mentions visiting Luxembourg City and enjoying local cuisine in towns like Bascharage.\n","publishedToNostr","htmlContentKind30023","

This tiny country is awash with atmospheric castles, many of which you can stay in, making for a magical wintry break. And it won’t cost you a cent to travel between them

Sarah Baxter

Wed 17 Dec 2025 02.00 ESTLast modified on Wed 17 Dec 2025 11.49 EST

\n
Clervaux Castle looked Disney cute, fairy lights dripping from its white-washed turrets
\n

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Clervaux Castle perched on a rocky promontory above the city, was destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge in the second world war and then rebuilt. Photograph: Pixelbiss/Alamy

$\"\"$

The Sherlock room at Château de Clémency. Photograph: Sarah Baxter

“When you think about castles, you think of Windsor or Versailles. But this is a Luxembourgish castle, not so expansive, not so well done; you can’t restore it in the same way.”

I travelled the length and breadth of Luxembourg by bus – and it didn’t cost me a penny

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