Between Ancient and Modern in Luxembourg and Metz

The sacred symbol of the city is the Cathedrale Notre-Dame.
The building was built in 1594 by the Jesuits in late Gothic style with some influence from the Renaissance.
During the following years there were a lot of renovation and expansion works, including the enrichment of the interiors with some Baroque decorations.
Subsequently, to the independence of the Luxembourg, in 1867, the archdiocese was elected Cathedral by the Pope Pio IX.
It also has an underground crypt, where are buried the members of the Ducal family of Luxembourg.
The visits to the Cathedral are possible Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm, while on Sunday from 8 am to 7 pm.

La Passerelle, or also known as the Viaduct of Luxemburg, is a bridge which extends from the Pétrusse valley to the city centre.
It was built between 1859 and 1851, and it consists of 24 arches with a height of 45 meters above the valley and an extension of 290 meters.
It was an important landmark in the history of the city, since it was developing even more and the old wooden bridge which carried the traffic and people to the centre was not enough.
The city needed a new construction to allow the connection of masses to the new railway station. So the engineers, Edouard Grenier and Auguste Letellier, developed the project of the Viaduct.

The morning in Luxemburg starts with the visit to the Pétrusse Casemates.
As an ancient fortress, built and shaped with large bastions by the Spanish domination, the first defensive structure of city of Luxembourg was built in 1673.
Later in the 1746, were built the casemates - known as Battery of Pétrusse - a path of underground galleries as a point of defence and refuge during the attacks.
But after the Treaty of London, there was the order to dismantle the fortress and most of the entrances of the casemates were closed.
After the demolition, almost 17 km of underground galleries survived and today are listed as UNESCO world heritage.
The first exploration of the casemates by the visitors, still with torches, is dated back to 1933, and today it is possible to visit it in complete safety daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm.
To book the tickets, visit the site.

The lunch break in the city is at Lux'burgers. Specialized in burgers, the menu offers the finest products and always new combinations and sauces.
Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 11.45 am - 2.15 pm, 7 pm - 10 pm Friday: 11.45 am - 2.15pm, 7 pm - 9.15 pm Saturday - Sunday: closed
To book a table, you can contact the number +352 28 37 19 84.

Moving from the ancient to the modern part of the town, you will encounter the majestic building of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, also known as the Grande-Duchesse Josephine-Charlotte Concert Hall.
Besides being a beautiful piece of modern architecture, it is also located in the most modern neighborhood of the city, Kirchberg, which saw a massive development from the 20th century on.
The project of the building of the Philharmonic is by Christian de Portzamparc, winner of the international architectural contest, and it was subsequently built between 2002 and 2005.
The entrance of the structure was designed in a way to have a natural filter, with 823 facade columns in white steel and arranged in three or four rows.
While the core of the Concert Hall, the Grand Auditorium, was made on a concept of a shoebox, with a long rectangular shape and a capacity of more than 1,500 people.
Besides admiring the beautiful building from the outside or assisting to a concert, it is also possible to book a guided tour of the interior by visiting the official page with all the info and contacts.

Leaving Luxembourg and returning to the French territory, the itinerary proposes to stop in the city of Metz.
The stop on the route is the Saint-Étienne Cathedral, a majestic building of gothic architecture, and with its 41 meters high vaults, it is one of the most high of France.
It is also known for its impressive stained-glass windows, thanks to which it became a historical monument of France.
The origins of the Cathedral are related to the discovery, in 415, of the relics of Saint Stephen, which became a very important religious symbol in Europe, so much that in Metz was built a sanctuary for its worship, that later became the actual Cathedral.
The access to the Cathedral is possible every day from 8 am to 7 pm.

This is the Grand-East branch of the Parisian Centre Pompidou.
The idea, from the director of the museum in Paris Jean-Jean Aillagon, was to create a decentralized headquarters of the Centre Pompidou.
It was created in 2010, in the neighborhood of the Amphitheater, as a tool of urban development and enhancement of the area.
The project was assigned to the architects Shigeru Ban, Jean de Gastines e Philip Gumuchdjian, and it is constituted by a hexagonal structure, with a main tower 77 meters high and a series of galleries, which crossewise each others.
Today it is the most visited museum after the main structure in Paris and hosts the most important Modern and Contemporary art exhibitions.
The opening days and hours of the Centre Pompidou in Metz are every day from 10 am to 6 pm, except Tuesday, when it is closed. Here you can consult the online ticket office.

The German Gate is the fortified gate of the city.
Located in the East area of the city, it is the most important remained vestige of the ancient structure of fortification of Metz, and it served as crossing bridge on the rover Seille.
The gate was built starting from the 13th century and still in that period was one of the seven most important and largest access to the city, besides being the symbol of the freedom obtained from the Empire.
The German Gate is formed by two towers with a height of 28 m, that served for the military artillery.
After several restorations during the years and changes of uses, in 1900 the city of Metz became owner of the site and transformed it partly into a museum.
The visits are possible Tuesday to Sunday from 2 pm to 7 pm. More info on the website.

Dinner stop is at the restaurant Au Petit Louis.
You can smell a small, familiar and intimate atmosphere in this place, related to the family run business. But also the taste of a royal menu, that is the origin of the name, dedicated to the royal history of French kings.
The menu offers simple but refined dishes, that reflect the French traditional cuisine and include a variety of fish and meat.
Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday: 12 pm - 2.30 pm, 7 pm - 10 pm Friday - Saturday: 12 pm - 2.30 pm, 7 pm - 10.30 pm Sunday: 12 pm - 2.30 pm Monday, Wednesday: closed
You can reserve a table here.

This is the stop for the night, Villa Camoufle.
In the center of Metz, this Villa is an elegant building of the 1903, that mixes the ancient atmosphere of the medieval city and the modern comfort to treat yourself in this hotel.
Among the basic services, the structure offers a fitness center, a sauna and a massage service.