A Guide to visiting Vianden Castle Luxembourg

One of the most popular places to visit outside of Luxembourg City while you are visiting Luxembourg is Vianden Castle Luxembourg, it is one of the largest fortified castles that you will find to the west of the River Rhine and was built between the 11th and 14th Century.

the side of a castle, with white stone walls and large windows on the upper level, on the right is a round turret with a pointed roof

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What is Vianden Castle?

Vianden Castle is a castle located in the North of Luxembourg overlooking the city of Vianden. It has been restored and nowadays is one of the most visited places in Luxembourg.

Is Vianden Castle Luxembourg worth visiting?

Personally I think Vianden Castle is worth visiting if you like castles, it has been well restored and the views from it are amazing. It also beautiful to see just from the outside.

It is the best restored castle in Luxembourg as all the others are mainly ruins and I am certainly glad I did not visiting it.

In 2019 the castle was voted by CNN one of the top 21 most beautiful castles in the world.

What is the history of Vianden Castle?

Vianden Castle is located on a hill overlooking the town of Vianden. It is believed that the first structure was built on the site in 275 AD and was used by the town as a place to shelter when it was attacked.

Around 1000 AD the first medieval stone castle was built on the site and included a watch tower and a oval wall around the tower to protect the site. Then in 1100 AD it was added to, to include a kitchen, keep and residential rooms.

Since then it kept being added to with more rooms, more floors and was made more architecturally appealing both inside and out.

In 1417 the last Vianden descendant died and after that not much interest was taken in the castle before it was nearly completely abandoned in the 16th century.

In 1820 the castle was sold to Wenzel Coster who proceeded to demolish the castle, selling off anything of value until it was left in ruins.

The King then bought back the castle in 1830 and some restoration work was done in the next 147 years, but it wasn’t until 1977 when the castle was given to the state that the real restoration work began.

Where is Vianden Castle located?

Vianden Castle is located on a hill overlooking the town of Vianden in the north of Luxembourg. It is 47km from Luxembourg City and is just 1km from the border with Germany.

It is about a 10-15 minute walk up a steep hill to get to the castle.

How to get to Vianden Castle.

Vianden is about an hour drive from Luxembourg, it is very easy to hire a car from the airport and drive to Vianden.

Alternatively you can choose to do a tour from Luxembourg City to Vianden, either just to Vianden or including a visit to another castle or place too.

You can also choose to get public transport to Vianden, which is free (Luxembourg made public transport free for all from 2020). It is best to get the train to Ettelbruck or Diekirch and from there you have the choice of the buses 180, 181 and 188 which all go to Vianden. It will take between 1 hour 20 minutes and 2 hours one way, depending if you catch a fast train or the regional train.

What are the opening hours of Vianden Castle?

Vianden Castle is open every day of the year except the 25th December and 1st January.

It is open from 10am to 4pm from 1 November until 1 March. From 1 March to 31 March and 1 October to 31 October it is open from 10am to 5pm and from the 1 April to 30 September it is open from 10am to 6pm.

How much does it cost to enter Vianden Castle?

a room inside a castle with many arches in the room and arched ceilings with stone bases to hold the arches. At one end of the room is a suit of amour and a lot of lances and cannon balls on the floor closeby

The price of the Vianden Castle entry ticket for adults is 10 Euro and there is also an audio guide available for 2 Euro, which I got and is well worth the money to learn about the history of the castle.

It is not necessary to book a ticket in advance, you can just buy it when the get to the castle.

There are no guided tours provided by the castle and normally guided tours are arranged day trips coming from Luxembourg City.

How long do I need to visit Vianden Castle?

It will take you around 90 minutes to 2 hours to visit Vianden Castle, maybe longer if you are listening to the audio guide and admiring the rooms and views from the castle.

What is their to see at Vianden Castle?

When you first enter the castle, you are entering from the side, with the large walls towering above you. Once you have paid, you come through to a courtyard and follow the hill to get into the main part of the castle.

When you first enter you will be in the Arms Hall and then into the Knights Study and Lower Chapel. You will also see an Ancient Kitchen and an Archaeological Crypt.

You will see how bedrooms would have looked in the castle and also you can admire the views from the inner courtyard and the Byzantine Gallery. I could of just stood here and looked out for hours.

a room with many arched windows on either side, it is white with a wooden ceiling and tiled floor

What are the features of Vianden Castle?

The architecture of Vianden Castle, also know by the locals as Buerg Veianen is a mixture of Romanesque features added between the 11th and 14th centuries and Gothic parts added at the end of the 14th century, with sections of Renaissance architecture added in the 17th century.

Vianden Castle Accessibility

As is the case in most castles, they are not exactly accessibility friendly as they were built many years ago. It is possible to drive all the way to the entrance of the castle to be dropped off so you don’t need to hike all the way up there. Once at the entrance to the castle it is a steep hill up to the first room you can see, where there are stairs to enter.

It is possible to get the lift up the castle ballroom though to get around inside the castle there are many stairs and rooms on different levels, making it difficult for people with mobility issues.

Vianden Castle Tours

If you plan on going to the castle and want a guided tour of the castle, then you will need to email the castle (caisse@castle-vianden.lu) in advance to arrange for this, you cannot just turn up at the castle and arrange when you arrive.

It is possible to arrange a guided tour of Vianden Castle with an organised group including transport from Luxembourg City.

What to see in and near Vianden

If you are planning to visit Vianden and stay overnight or for a few nights then make sure to visit these places too. Vianden does not just have the castle, there are a few other things to see and do too.

Vianden Chairlift

a few looking down on a valley with a river running through the middle, on one side a lot of buildings and on the other side a road, on the hills around the valley are a lot of trees

Vianden Chairlift is located at the other side of the river to the castle and is a great ride with amazing views of the valley. The lift goes higher than the castle and is worth combining it with your trip to the castle. You can choose to go one way or both ways, but I think its worth getting the lift up and then walking down and visiting the castle on the way down.

The Victor Hugo Museum

Visit the museum dedicated to the writer Victor Hugo, who is famous for “The hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Les Miserables”. He lived there in 1871 for a few months and the house has now been turned into a museum, you can see his room with original furnishings and hologram projections that make you think he is still there in the room.

You can see artifacts belonging to him, including manuscripts he was working on during his time in Vianden. Entrance is 5 Euros.

Museum of the History of Viaden

If you want to learn the history of Vianden, then visit the Musee D’histoire de la Ville de Vianden, it consists of 2 houses, with one of them with its 19th century interior, the other with its bakery from the 1950’s.

You will learn about the history of Vianden from the Celts to today. It costs just 3 Euro to enter.

The Copper Mine

Located just 6km from Vianden you will find a former copper mine that operated for 500 years. Nowadays you can go 50 metres underground to explore and learn about the mining of copper in this mine.

From the 10th of July to the end of August, it is possible to visit every day and from 17th April to end of October it is only possible to visit on a Sunday. It costs 7.50 Euro.

Where to stay in Vianden

If you are have a car or are even using public transport to get to Vianden and want to stay a night or two, then check out these beautiful places to stay.

a road through a town with lots of buildings on the side of it, in orange, lilac, grey, with planters outside and one of the buildings has white shutters on the windows, in the distance you can see trees on a hill

Budget Accommodation in Vianden

The cheapest way to stay in Vianden is to either camp or to park up in your Campervan in the Camperpark Vianden.

The next cheapest option is to stay in Vianden Youth Hostel, it is located very close to Vianden Castle and just a short walk into the town. It is possible to get a private room or a dorm room and breakfast is included.

Hotels in Vianden

Hotel Heinz is located on the main street going through Vianden and has a beautiful courtyard and a rustic wine bar. The rooms are modern and the hotel is beautiful and very charming. You can also enjoy breakfast at an additional cost.

Hotel Restaurant Victor Hugo is located alongside the river with beautiful views, this hotel is very modern and does not have the same charm as some of the older hotels. It is located in the centre of the town and also has a wellness centre that guests can enjoy.

If you are still in the process of planning your trip to Luxembourg, then you might also find these guides useful:

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