Mullerthal Trail: Hiking and Culture in Luxembourg
A four-day escape one short flight from London: sandstone gorges you squeeze through sideways, a waterfall that looks painted, Luxembourg's oldest town, and food worth the trip on its own. This is our guide to the Mullerthal Trail, the region they call Little Switzerland.
The trip at a glance
What is the Mullerthal Trail?
The Mullerthal Trail is a 112 km network in eastern Luxembourg, split into three circular routes of roughly 36 to 40 km each, plus five shorter ExtraTours from 9 to 31.5 km. It is certified as a Leading Quality Trail — Best of Europe by the European Ramblers' Association, which is the closest thing hiking has to a Michelin star.
What makes it unusual is the rock. The whole region sits on Luxembourg sandstone that has cracked and eroded into gorges, crevices, overhangs and caves, all of it under dense beech and oak forest. You spend the day walking between walls of stone taller than a house, then come out onto an orchard meadow with a castle on the horizon.
Waymarking is excellent and works in both directions: a red M for the three main routes, an orange M for the ExtraTours.
Which route should you walk?
Route 1
37 km · 745 m ascent · Moderate
Echternach, Rosport, Moersdorf and Herborn. Forests, orchard meadows and long views over the Sauer valley. The gentlest of the three and the best choice if you want scenery without the scrambling.
Route 2 — our pick
40 km · 947 m ascent · Hard
Echternach, Berdorf, Mullerthal, Hersberg and Scheidgen. This is the spectacular one: the Schéissendëmpel waterfall, the Wollefsschlucht gorge, and rock passages you climb with ladders. Harder than it looks on paper.
Route 3
36 km · Moderate
Stream valleys, more rock formations and the castles of Beaufort and Larochette. The quietest route of the three, and the one to come back for.
We build our trip around Route 2, split over two days with a night in Berdorf. You get the highlights without a 13-hour day.
Recommended itinerary (4 days / 3 nights)
- Arrival in EchternachFly into Luxembourg, then bus straight to Echternach. Settle in, walk the old town — this is the oldest town in the country, built around a 7th-century abbey — and eat something local.No walking. Overnight in Echternach.
- Echternach to BerdorfThe best day of the trip. Out of town and straight into the rock: gorges, crevices and the sandstone amphitheatre above Berdorf.12 miles (19 km) · approx. 500 m ascent · 6 to 7 hours. Overnight in Berdorf.
- Berdorf to Mullerthal and back to EchternachDown through the Black Ernz valley past the Schéissendëmpel waterfall, with a stop at the Hohllay cave, an old millstone quarry cut into the cliff.12 miles (19 km) · approx. 450 m ascent · 6 to 7 hours. Overnight in Echternach.
- Market morning and homeThe Saturday produce market if the dates line up, coffee by the abbey, then the bus back to the airport.No walking. Afternoon flight to London.
What you will actually see
Schéissendëmpel waterfall
The postcard shot of Luxembourg: a triple cascade under a small stone bridge, deep in the forest. Go early if you want it to yourself.
Wollefsschlucht
The Wolf Gorge. A 50-metre corridor of rock barely wider than your shoulders, with steps cut into the floor. Cool and dark even in August.
Perekop and Kuelscheier
Perekop is a rock tower you climb by ladder. Kuelscheier is a pitch-black crevice you walk through with a torch. Both are optional, both are worth it.
Hohllay cave
A vast hollow in the cliff above Berdorf, quarried for millstones since Roman times. You can still see the circular cuts in the walls.
Echternach
Luxembourg's oldest town, with a Benedictine abbey founded in 698, a basilica, a Roman villa and a lake. A proper town, not a trailhead.
Beaufort and Larochette
Two medieval castles on Route 3, both reachable on a rest day by free bus if you want a break from walking.
Local food to try
- Judd mat Gaardebounen: smoked pork collar with broad beans, the national dish. Order it on the evening you have walked 19 km, not before.
- Gromperekichelcher: spiced potato fritters, sold hot at markets and perfect as a trail snack.
- Quetschentaart: plum tart, at its best in late summer and autumn.
- Fëerkelsjhelli: jellied suckling pig, for the adventurous.
- Moselle wines and local beers: the Riesling and Crémant from the valley next door are excellent, and Bofferding and Battin are the beers to ask for.
Local events and festivals
- Sprangprëssessioun: the hopping procession of Echternach, held on Whit Tuesday and inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Thousands of people dance through the streets to the same tune. Book accommodation months ahead if you want to see it.
- Echternach International Festival: classical music in the basilica and abbey through late spring and summer.
- Saturday produce market: every week in Echternach, and the reason we schedule departure for a Saturday afternoon.
Getting there from London
By air — the fastest option
Direct flights from London Heathrow to Luxembourg with Luxair and British Airways take about 1 hour 20 minutes. Luxembourg Airport is small and quick to clear.
From the airport, take the tram to Luxexpo and then the bus to Echternach, roughly every 30 minutes. Total journey from landing to hotel is around 1 hour 15 minutes.
By train — the low-carbon option
Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then a direct train to Luxembourg City. Around 6 hours door to door, no baggage limits, and you arrive in the centre rather than at an airport.
Getting around once you are there
All public transport in Luxembourg has been free since 2020 — buses, trains and trams, for everyone, with no ticket needed. It is the only country in the world where this is true, and it makes point-to-point walking effortless: if you have had enough, you get on a bus.
Plan connections with the mobiliteit.lu app or website.
Money, language and phones
Currency: Euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carry some cash for small village cafes.
Language: Luxembourgish, French and German are all official, and English is widely spoken. A "Moien" (hello) and a "Mëersi" (thank you) go a long way.
Phones: check your roaming before you leave, as UK plans no longer include the EU by default.
Packing list
Clothing
- Quick-dry hiking trousers and a long-sleeve shirt
- Lightweight waterproof jacket and a packable fleece
- Moisture-wicking socks, three or four pairs
- Hat and sunglasses
- Gaiters if rain is forecast, as the forest floor holds mud
Footwear
- Sturdy mid-cut boots with good ankle support and real grip — the sandstone is slick when wet
- Light trail runners for fair-weather days, optional
- Comfortable shoes or sandals for the evenings
- Spare insoles to cut fatigue on the rock sections
Gear and extras
- A head torch — not optional if you want to walk through the Kuelscheier crevice
- Refillable water bottle, at least 1.5 litres. There are fountains in the villages
- Trekking poles for the steep stepped descents
- Power bank, since you will use your phone for photos all day
- Snacks for the trail. Shops in the small villages keep short hours and close on Sundays
Emergency
- Your guide carries a first-aid kit with blister plasters, adhesive tape and painkillers, but bring your own blister kit too
- Any personal medication, in your daypack rather than your luggage
- UK Global Health Insurance Card and travel insurance
- The European emergency number is 112
Tips from our guides
- Your guide carries the official route and stays with the group at all times. You never walk alone and you never navigate.
- Start early, between 8 and 9 AM, to get the gorges to yourself and stay ahead of afternoon rain.
- Follow the red M. It is signed in both directions, so if you see nothing for ten minutes, stop and go back.
- The rock sections are slow. Budget time by hours, not by kilometres.
- Refill at village fountains rather than carrying four litres from the start.
- Learn a couple of phrases in Luxembourgish or French. It changes how people treat you.
Important safety note
Route 2 is officially graded difficult, with almost 950 m of ascent across its full length. Split over two days as we do it, it is well within reach of a regular hiker, but it is not a stroll: expect steps cut into rock, ladders, narrow passages and steep descents.
Luxembourg sandstone is genuinely slippery when wet, and tree roots on the forest sections are worse. Boots with real grip are a requirement, not a suggestion. If a medical condition or medication could affect your ability to walk safely, please speak to your doctor before booking and let your guide know in confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How fit do I need to be?
Do I need any climbing experience?
When is the best time to go?
How much does transport cost once I am there?
Can I do it with a normal daypack?
Is there phone signal on the trail?
Ready for Little Switzerland?
We run this trip as a guided group departure, with accommodation, route and guide all arranged. All you do is turn up at the airport.
Distances, timings and transport details are correct at the time of writing. Please check flight and event dates before booking.
This article is proudly sponsored by AllTrails.
