SHOP
Annotation
Shops in Luxembourg City are open on certain Sundays of the year, usually on Advent Sundays. According to areacodesexplorer, some shops are closed on Mondays.
Overview
Porcelain and crystal glass are particularly popular souvenirs. The porcelain factory of Villeroy & Boch in Septfontaines was closed in 2010 because production was relocated to Asia, but there is still a factory outlet on the factory premises, where second choice goods and discontinued models are sold. There is also a regular Villeroy & Boch store in the city center.
Another regional specialty is the earthenware crockery made from Nospelt, where a fortnightly exhibition on local craftsmanship takes place every August. The most popular piece made in the Nospelt pottery – especially among children – is the warbling Péckvillchen (ceramic pipes in the shape of a bird), which is only available at the Éimaischen, the traditional Emmaus festival on Easter Monday, in Nospelt and on the market in Luxembourg City is.
Elegant clothes and accessories can be found in the numerous brand stores of internationally known designers that can be found in downtown Luxembourg. The city’s largest shopping center is the Auchan Mall on Plateau du Kirchberg, where over 60 shops offer a wide range of goods. The Belval Plaza in Esch-sur-Alzette, the second largest city in the country, is also a very large shopping center.
The Cityshopping Info Point (Internet: www.cityshopping.lu), which is located in the city center of Luxembourg on the central Place d’Armes (opening hours: Tue-Sat 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), will help you to find specific shops..
Opening hours
Mon noon-6 p.m., Tue-Sat 8.30 a.m.-6 p.m., sometimes longer in the large shopping centers. Some small shops open 8.30am-7pm / 9pm. In the smaller towns the shops sometimes close for a short lunch break.
Annotation
Shops in Luxembourg City are open on certain Sundays of the year, usually on Advent Sundays. Some shops are closed on Mondays.
CULINARY
Regional specialities
- Carré de porc fumé(smoked pork with broad beans or sauerkraut)
- Cochon de lait en gelée(suckling pig in aspic)
- Jambon d’Ardennes(the famous smoked Ardennes ham)
- Judd mat gaardebounen(smoked pork neck with broad beans and fried potatoes)
- B ouchée à la reine, or paschtéitchen (chicken and mushrooms in a béchamel sauce, served in a puff pastry pie)
- Weinzossis(sausages with mashed potatoes and mustard sauce)
- Tarte aux quetsches(plum cake)
Children and young people under 17 years of age are only allowed to stay in restaurants if they are accompanied by an adult. The opening times are 7 a.m. to midnight (on workdays) and until 3 a.m. on weekends and public holidays.
Tip
15% service charge is included in the hotel, restaurant and guest house bills. Taxi drivers expect 15% of the fare.
Regional drinks
Luxembourg’s white Moselle wines are similar to Rhine wines. The Luxembourgish white wines are made from individual grape varieties, including Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. The quality is usually excellent and enjoys an international reputation. The crémants (sparkling wines) are also of a high standard and are often enjoyed as an aperitif before dinner. The red wines, especially the Pinot Noir, are getting better every year. Many small wineries that do not have bottling facilities sell their products through a large cooperative, Domaines de Vinsmoselle, which is the most common label across the country.
Beer is another specialty and a traditional industry, but the brewing traditions are not as important as in neighboring Germany and Belgium. The best-known types of beer are Mousel, Bofferding, Diekirch, Funck and Simon. The range of liqueurs and spirits such as eau de vie (45-50% alcohol) is also extensive; mostly local fruits are processed, especially plums (e.g. plums and mirabelle plums) or pears.
Minimum age for consuming alcoholic beverages
In Luxembourg you can drink alcohol from the age of 17.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
Information is available from the Tourist Office, which publishes a free guide, or from the Horesca National Hotel Association, 7 Rue Alcide de Gasperi, PO Box 2524, LU-1025 Luxembourg-Kirchberg (Tel: 421 35 51. Internet: www.horesca.lu).
Hotel classification: Hotels are divided into the Hotelstars Union star categories from one to five stars.
Camping
There are over 120 tent sites. Classification into three categories according to government-established standards. Prices are given at the entrance. The tourist office sends out a free information brochure.
Other accommodation options
In Beaufort, Bourglinster, Echternach, Ettelbruck, Grevenmacher, Hollenfels, Larochette, Lultzhausen, Luxembourg-Ville, Vianden and Wiltz. A youth hostel guide is available free of charge from the Tourist Office, the Youth Hostel Association, 2 Rue du Fort Olisy, LU-2261 Luxembourg (Tel: 26 27 66 40) or from the Centrale des Auberges de Jeunesse Luxembourgeoises, 2, rue du Fort Olisy, L-2261 Luxembourg (Tel: 26 27 66 40. Internet: www.youthhostels.lu).