Valentine's Day: Love, Tradition & Modern Dating in Luxembourg

Today is 14 February and love is in the air - or so the advertising and marketing world would have us believe.

Nowadays, Valentine's Day is celebrated in many places around the world with flowers, chocolates, romantic dinners and social media posts professing eternal love. Cupid's (commercial) arrow has even struck Luxembourg in recent years. Although "Vältesdag" is not a long-standing tradition in the Grand Duchy - which has its own romantic custom of "Bretzelsonndeg" (Pretzel Sunday), when men traditionally give their sweethearts a pretzel in return for an egg on Easter Sunday (vice versa in leap years) - themed shop displays, sweet treats, teddy bears and romantic cards are now a familiar sight in local stores.

Before exploring how Valentine's Day is celebrated in Luxembourg today, as well as what the local dating scene is currently like, let us first look back at the origins of this special day.

Origins

Valentine's Day is named after Saint Valentine. Historical details about his identity are uncertain, but he is widely believed to have been a 3rd-century Roman priest who defied Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriages for young soldiers by secretly marrying couples in love. He was eventually imprisoned and executed around 270 AD. Over time, 14 February - traditionally associated with his martyrdom - became linked with romantic love. Several churches across Europe claim to hold relics of Saint Valentine, including Whitefriar Church in Dublin and churches in Rome.

Some historians believe Valentine's Day may have its origins in the ancient Roman festival "Lupercalia", celebrated in mid-February. By the Middle Ages, the Christian feast day of Saint Valentine had become associated with courtly romance. The first recorded link between Valentine's Day and romantic love is often traced to Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th century poem Parliament of Fowls, suggesting the tradition was already established in medieval Europe.

Love in Luxembourg

In the 21st century, finding and maintaining romantic relationships in Luxembourg can present unique challenges. The country's highly international and mobile working population means many residents stay only temporarily, which may complicate the search for a long-term partner. Luxembourg's relatively high divorce rate - with almost 70% of marriages recorded in a recent year ending in divorce - may also give some pause when thinking about long-term relationships, though interpretations of this statistic vary.

From an LBTIQ+ perspective, building romantic connections in Luxembourg can come with its own challenges. One resident, Juliana, recalled that when she was single, it was initially difficult to find communities or spaces where women could meet and mingle, reflecting the Grand Duchy's relatively small social scene. At the same time, Luxembourg's size also helps friendships grow quickly, and initiatives such as Galentine's Day (celebrated in recent years on 13 February) have created opportunities for social connection. Juliana described dating in Luxembourg around Valentine's Day as "so much fun" - albeit "brutally expensive" - and noted that many restaurants and bars feel welcoming and "quite gay-friendly". She shared how she met her partner, Sara, through a dating app, highlighting the "funny" reality of Luxembourg's limited dating pool: despite setting a search radius of about 20 kilometres, the pair matched while living more than 100 kilometres apart - Juliana in Luxembourg and Sara in Saarbrücken. The couple went on to discover Luxembourg City together after their first dinner date. "Somehow it worked and it's been lovely," Juliana said, adding that Valentine's Day is "great" in Luxembourg. This year, they plan to spend the day in a treetop setting in Saarschleife in Germany, with hopes of celebrating in the Grand Duchy next year.

More generally, alongside global dating apps, Luxembourg has recently seen the launch of the Crush.lu platform, which emphasises in-person meetings and events, in an effort to foster more authentic connections. Other dating services, such as Luxdates, also cater to the local market, reflecting continued demand for ways to meet potential partners in the Grand Duchy.

Celebrating Valentine's weekend in Luxembourg

For those wishing to mark the occasion, Valentine's weekend in Luxembourg offers a mix of romantic and social activities, from themed guided tours and quiz nights to special cinema screenings and hotel packages.

Some such organised events include the following:

• "Siegfried & Melusina" guided tours by the Luxembourg City Tourist Office (LCTO), running from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February and celebrating the legendary Luxembourgish love story of Count Siegfried and the mermaid Melusina;
• Valentine-themed quiz nights, including the Love Quiz with Matts at Siegfried in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg and another Love Quiz with Klot at TASTE Food Hall in Winkrange on Saturday 14 February;
• special Valentine's screenings of Titanic and The Notebook, organised by Kinepolis on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February in its Kirchberg and Belval cinemas;
• "Love at Work", an event hosted by The NETWORK on Monday 16 February at Amazon in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

The day has also expanded beyond romantic couples. In Finland, 14 February has long been an occasion to celebrate friendship rather than romantic love; the day is called "Ystävänpäivä" ("Friends Day"). More broadly - and increasingly in Luxembourg - Galentine's celebrations focused on friendship are gaining popularity, with social and wellness events encouraging people to connect in new ways. Planned activities in Luxembourg this year include themed pilates sessions and sip-and-paint events on 13 February, as well as a "Galentine's Glow" event at Les Sûtras boutique in Luxembourg City on 14 February.

Whether embraced as a heartfelt romantic tradition, viewed as a commercial import or reimagined as a celebration of friendship and community, Valentine's Day continues to evolve. In a multicultural country like Luxembourg, it has become another occasion for people to connect and celebrate in whatever form love - or friendship - takes for them.