Luxembourg

The Grand Duchy may be a pocket-size nation,
but size isn’t everything

You'd think a country so small that -- even on a big map -- its name can't fit within its borders would be simpler. Not a bit. Luxembourgers are such a mixed bag that they're still trying to sort out the mess left behind when the Germanic tribes overran the Roman Empire's Rhine defenses in A.D. 406. Two distinct regions comprise the tiny Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, creating a landscape of scenic beauty. The forested Luxembourg Ardennes, in the north, are part of a range of hills gouged by narrow rivers like the Our and the Sûre. South of the Ardennes are the rich farmlands of the Bon Pays (Good Country), a rolling plateau traversed by narrow valleys, and by Luxembourg's stretch of the Moselle River, with its celebrated riverside vineyards and wineries. Both regions are liberally sprinkled with pretty villages, castles, and vacation retreats.

One of the best rail systems in the world operates in Luxembourg and to these surrounding countries. There is virtually no spot so remote that it cannot easily be reached by trains that are fast, clean, and almost always on time.

For more information on Luxembourg contact the Luxembourg Tourist Board.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.