In Europe? Add a weekend in lush, lovely Luxembourg By JESSICA NATALE WOOLLARD
I
’m atop Luxembourg’s cliff-top fortification, looking down the rocky façade that descends to meet the River Alzette, dainty and calm at this point in its progression. Across it sits a 17thcentury abbey; its pastel exterior and open courtyard gleam in the sunlight this fall afternoon. Beyond, historic buildings dot the landscape, visible through trees that reach up to the base of a stone bridge. I half expect Sleeping Beauty’s fairy godmothers to zip through the bridge’s magnificent archways. A Luxembourg lizard peeks out from the rocks. I snap one clear photograph of him before we go our separate ways, me to descend into the 17 kilometres of tunnels that make up what remains of the Bock Casemates, the original castle fortifications of Luxembourg. Surrounded by Germany, France, and Belgium, Luxembourg had frequent need of these fortifications, built by founder Count Siegfried in 963 to defend the city’s key position by the Moselle River. Over the years, Luxembourg safeguarded itself from foreigners, even managing to win some territory and expand to its current size, a whopping 52 square kilometres (smaller than Galiano Island). Today, Luxembourg is the world’s only remaining Grand Duchy, a seat of the European Parliament, a banking hotspot, and a two-time European Capital of Culture. The capital city appears in its entirety on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A CULTURE OF BIKING As it is dwarfed in size and in cultural popularity by nearby countries, Luxembourg is rarely the sole destination of a trip to Europe. Its size and location, however, make it a perfect weekend getaway from anywhere in Western Europe. Luxembourg is easily accessible by train or plane, or even by bike, if you’re feeling adventurous — the country is known for its culture of biking. Once in Luxembourg, the capital city offers easy walking in the city centre and on peaceful trails with inspiring views. Any city blessed with a lower and upper town benefits from the beauty of a tiered landscape, but what Luxembourg seems to have done better than any other is incorporate the urban centre into its sylvan expanse, rather than overhaul the landscape to make room for 85