Belgium and Luxembourg (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

310 TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS

OPENING HOURS

Shops are open on Monday
afternoons, and from 8am to
noon and 2 to 6pm between
Tuesday and Saturday. Many
shops in larger towns stay
open during lunch. Most are
closed on Sunday.

SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN LUXEMBOURG

CHOCOLATE

The famous 1863-established

chocolate maker Namur, is

headquartered in Luxembourg

City. It also specializes in ice

cream, pâtisserie and sweets.

WINE

Luxembourg wine is available

throughout the country, but it

is worth visiting its place of

origin, the Moselle valley (see

p248). Poll-Fabaire, specialist

in sparkling wine, has show-

rooms and a shop at Caves

Vinicoles de Wormeldange.

The largest private wine pro-

ducer is Bernard-Massard at

Grevenmacher, whose labels

include Château de Schengen,

Clos des Rochers and Cuvée

de l’Ecusson. The stylish Cep

d’Or is a family-run winery

known for its Gewürztraminer

and Chardonnay.

N

owhere is the prosperity of
Luxembourg more evident
than in the elegant shop-
ping streets of the Luxembourg

City’s Old Town. This is echoed on
a minor scale in all major towns,

where even the bakers, butchers
and pharmacies have a refined

and cultured quality. Luxembourg

City also has an entertainment agenda

that matches its rank as an important

capital of the European Union. It

draws international audiences from

Belgium, France and Germany. A

number of other towns have also

developed reputations for consist-

ently mounting music and arts

festivals of impressive stature.

WHERE TO SHOP

In Luxembourg City, the main
shopping streets are in the
pedestrianized area around
the Place d’Armes and Place
Guillaume II. These have styl-
ish boutiques selling luxury
goods, international fashions
and accessories, as well as
souvenirs and crafts. For more
moderate prices, the streets
near the railway station are a
good hunting ground. The
Auchan shopping centre in
Kirchberg is a flagship branch
of the Europe-wide supermar-
ket chain, and a good place to
buy general provisions. There
are massive shopping centres
dotted around the country,
such as the Centre Commercial
Belle Étoile at Bertrange.

MARKETS

The best-known flea market

takes place at the capital’s

Place d’Armes every second

and fourth Saturday. Place

Guillaume II has a vegetable

market on Wednesday and

Saturday. Bright Christmas

markets spring up in town

squares between 6 December

and Christmas Eve.

ENTERTAINMENT

LISTINGS

The Luxembourg City Tourist

Office publishes reliable sets

of listings, such as Agendalux,

which has both printed and

web versions. Listings can be

found at the website of

Luxembourgticket.lu.

CLASSICAL MUSIC,

DANCE AND THEATRE

The beautiful Philharmonie

Luxembourg, completed in

2005, offers classical music

concerts, chamber music as

well as more popular fare.

The Grand Théâtre de la Ville

de Luxembourg is the main

venue for touring companies

performing opera, ballet and

dance. It also mounts theatre

productions. The Luxembourg

Festival of music, opera, thea-

tre and dance in October and

November is a joint venture

by Philharmonie Luxembourg

and the Grand Théâtre de la

Ville de Luxembourg. Théâtre

National du Luxembourg runs

plays that often involve actors

of international standing. An

eclectic mix of performances

and exhibitions is shown at the

Centre Culturel de Rencontre

Abbaye de Neumünster. Since

1975, Echternach has held an

International Festival of Music

over May and June, with clas-

sical music and jazz, staged at

Église St-Pierre-et-St-Paul and

the Trifolion auditorium. The

Open-air Festival of Theatre

and Music at Wiltz (weekends

Twice-weekly vegetable market at
Place Guillaume II, Luxembourg CIty

A performance from the Open-air

Festival of Theatre and Music, Wiltz

Dynamic act at

a music festival