Eu<sup>2+sup>-doped CsCdBr<sub>3sub> single crystals are studied by polarized variable-temperature optical absorption and luminescence spectroscopy for different excitation wavelengths. Whereas the low-energy absorption band is assigned to f→d transitions within Eu<sup>2+sup> electronic configuration, the high-energy absorption bands are assigned to Eu-trapped exciton due to the proximity of the high-energy d levels to the conduction band.