Luxembourg: Europe's Little Hidden Gem
Our BENELUX Tour continued with Luxembourg, the final stop on our journey through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a landlocked country in Western Europe, officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg was one of those destinations that pleasantly surprised us. Before visiting, we knew it was one of Europe’s smallest countries but we quickly disconvered that small definitely doesn’t mean lacking in character or beauty. In fact, Luxembourg may just be one of Europe’s most underrated countries in Europe.
With a population of almost 700,00, Luxembourg is one of the least populated countries in Europe however has the highest population growth with foreign national accounting for almost half of the population. .Luxembourg has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French, and German and is the world's only remaining sovereign grand duchy
Exploring Luxembourg City
Our day was spent exploring the historic heart of Luxembourg City where dramatic cliffs, beautiful architecture and centuries of history seem to come together around every corner.
We started at the Bock Promontory one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks and explored the Bock Casemates, the impressive underground fortifications carved into the cliffs. Walking through the historic passages and then looking out over the city was such a unique experience.
From there, we made our way along the Chemin de la Corniche often called one of Europe’s most beautiful balconies. The views across the old city and the Alzette River were absolutely beautiful.
We also visited the Grand Ducal Palace, the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Notre Dame Cathedral with its beautiful Gothic architecture.
Throughout the day we wandered through some of the Luxembourg’s City’s most beautiful public squares including Place de la Constitution and Place d’Armes.
One of the things that really caught our attention was Luxembourg’s incredible wealth. It is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest nations and its high standard of living is noticeable. Luxembourg provides free public transportation throughout the country for everyone. Of note, nearly one in six adults is a U.S. dollar millionaire.
Travel Tip: Take advantage of the FREE public transportation as all buses, trains, and trams across the entire country are completely free for everyone. Two to three days is enough to explore the city’s main highlights.