Munsbach Castle and gardens

Wait? There's a castle in Munsbach?

Munsbach Castle

Yes! The original building was a manor house constructed in 1775 and further developments were made in the nineteenth century giving it the castle-like appearance we see today.

Alas, it is another one that cannot be visited. The building is now used by the administrative centre of the Centre for Social and Emotional Development and the State Institute for Assistance to Children and Youth.

But, their beautiful gardens are well worth a visit as The Centre for Social and Emotional Development have curated Luxembourg's first outdoor mindfulness trail, opened in 2021.

Mindfulness trail at Munsbach Castle and gardens

Munsbach Castle gardens have a mindfulness trail

Why visit

The castle and its gardens are five minutes from Luxembourg airport. You don't have to go far in Luxembourg to find green space. I couldn't believe that I was so close to a major transport hub, although the occasional aeroplane overhead did give it away from time to time!

Now a word of warning, the gardens are freely accessible all year round but there are no public bathrooms, facilities or café. So it is not a destination for a full day out but if you need some time before or after a flight, or the kids need to run around for a bit (they have a playground!) then I certainly encourage a visit.

What I discovered

The mindfulness trail is clearly signposted and there are QR codes at each station that you can scan with a guided audio reflection. Each one only lasts a couple of minutes but you quickly realise that is plenty as they encourage you to slow down, listen carefully to all noises, and reflect carefully on the details of your surroundings.

I thought this would be one of my quicker visits to a castle, yet I ended up spending a couple of hours wandering the gardens and enjoying the trail and flowers.

What to see

You are going to want to visit during rose season. I'll certainly be back. The rose garden was started in 2017 by the Luxembourg Rose friends (Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn) and they collect old and new roses to preserve Luxembourg's rose heritage. You can read more about the Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn here.

The rose garden at Munsbach Castle gardens

They have a small playground which is charming as the castle forms the backdrop.

Playground at Munsbach Castle

The mindfulness trail was easy to follow and also child friendly. They have wind chimes near the castle and a gong at the far end of the garden near the lake! If you are with young children, take care, the lake looks shallow but it is unfenced and would be very easy to walk into.

Gong and lake at Munsbach Castle and gardens

Visiting information

The gardens are open all year round, but the castle is not accessible to the public.

There was a car park with plenty of spaces when I visited mid-week. Access is just off the motorway. I took the exit signposted

'Aéroport Cargo Centre', which interestingly affording a great view of some cargo planes. It took 21 minutes from the City Centre in a car. This castle is possible to visit without a car but travel apps suggest that it will take over an hour to get there with a variety of city centre and country-wide bus routes suggested.

There are some steps in the garden but the majority of the gardens were wheelchair and buggy- friendly.

Final verdict

I'll be keeping an eye on this one so that I can see the roses in full bloom. It's also one I wish I had known about when the children were younger as it would have been a great spot for those mornings when we needed to get out but I didn't have the energy for a full day. The gardens also offer plenty to reflect on due to the mindfulness trail and have a variety of plants and insects. It would have felt educational without too much effort!