Felicity Long
For such a
beautiful destination, the country of Luxembourg doesn’t get a lot of
attention.
Consider
the attractions: picturesque Luxembourg City, complete with ancient
fortifications and a palace; a network of creepy-but-fun underground crypts
that visitors can navigate with a guide; high-end shopping on the Grand Rue,
and some world-class dining.
Families can
also find plenty to do outside of the capital city, including a ride up a
chairlift to a castle in Vianden or a hike along the forested Mullerthal
Trail in the region known as Luxembourg's Little Switzerland.
But
while these enticements might not be enough to lure North Americans to the
destination by itself, they make a strong case for adding Luxembourg to a trip
to, say, Belgium, Germany or France.
Fans of
winter travel can take advantage of the Winterlights festival, for example,
slated to take place from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31. Celebrations include light
installations, concerts, fireworks and a Santa Claus parade, along with
traditional Christmas markets.
There will
even be amusement park rides for the kids in Luxembourg City Old Town, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Wine lovers
also have a reason to put Luxembourg on their radar, especially along the Mosel River, which boasts
a wine culture that’s more than 2,000 years old. Visitors can stop at dozens of
vineyards between Wasserbillig and Schengen and combine their wine tastings
with biking or hiking itineraries.
Nature buffs
can explore Haff
Reimech, a nature reserve near Schengen teeming with birds and animals that is
preparing to open a Biodiversum, a science and natural museum, at the end of
the year.
Or visitors
can time their trip to coincide with the Luxembourg City Film Festival, set for Feb. 25 to March 6. The
schedule will feature more than 100 film productions, from features to
documentaries, and directors and actors will be on hand to meet moviegoers.