It is often said that good things come in small packages, and when we arrived for a long weekend in Luxembourg, population just 650,000, that clichéd saying rang true. And that's just the zen-like, glassy airport, let alone the fort-lined, chocolate-box capital (of the world's only Grand Duchyyou know) surrounded by winding river gorges that we came here to explore.
Pocket-sized Luxembourg is one of those places everyone has heard of, but few people seem to have ever been. It places the Lux in the Benelux, both literally and actually the richest country in the world, and one of the four 'seats' of the European Union. Certainly not the sexiest claim to fame, but the city itself banishes any red tape with its mix of shiny new institutions, wooded valleys and evocative old-world charm.
After just 55 minutes in the air I was a world away from the grimy grind of London in a place that has the feel of a European capital but isn't even as big as Bedford. The bus to the city center took 20 minutes and - transport to London, mind you - cost nothing. Yes, zero. In fact, all rides on Luxembourg's efficient, largely electric public bus and brand new tram system are completely free, and there's nothing like a free gift to set a warm and welcoming tone for a weekend getaway.
A quick check-in at our enchanting digs for three nights, the higgledy-piggledy, fairytale-like Hotel de Place d'Armes and my partner, Fabio, and I headed out for my first taste of Luxembourgish cuisine. If you're like me, this was a mystery. Is it French? German? Just like the country - and its idiosyncratic local language, Letzebuergesch - the reality lies somewhere in between.
So we went to the fancy (and only) restaurant that serves traditional (read: not light) Luxembourgish food in the old town, Um Dierfgen ( umdierfgen.lu), to taste doughy, bacon-covered children dumplings swimming in butter, wainzoossiss sausage with grainy Luxembourgish-style mustard sauce and rich dollops of fondue's long but not so lost cousin, kachkéis. There's nothing like liquid cheese to lull us to sleep.
You can't eat a dumpling without a local drink, and the wines of the tiny Grand Duchy hold their own. The Moselle region, which borders Germany in the southeast, is best known for its white wines and sparkling, fresh Crémant, but also has Pinot noir in both red and a surprisingly bright white version. One morning we whiz to the Moselle in just over half an hour along surprisingly quiet, unspoilt country roads through green forests and rolling, postcard-perfect meadows (oh, to be a cow here!) for an evocative tour and tasting deep beneath the limestone cliffs at the famous local winery, Caves St Martin ( cavestmartin.lu, tours and wine tastings from £7.50).
For over a century, the winery has used the more than 1km of tunnels, hand-carved into the dripping local stone, as the atmospheric lo-tech place to ferment and store the wine at a steady, cool 12 C In fact, it still uses the hand-turned process perfected by Dom Perignon itself in the humid darkness when maturing its bottles of bubbles. This is the place where my view of Champagne was turned upside down: 'It was invented by the English,' said Laura, our expert guide, 'not by the French. Go home and tell the people!' (It's true, just google it.)
Just down the road from the caves, political junkies will want to visit the village of Schengen, which is appropriately located at the intersection of France, Luxembourg and Germany; the place where the famous agreement was signed that would pave the way for the EU's open borders.
But it's really back in the cliff-hugging city of Luxembourg, which we could have spent all weekend exploring. Its history spans millennia as the crossroads of Europe, a place hotly contested by virtually every major power from Rome onwards until an agreement in the 19th century saw the massive fortifications of 'The Gibraltar of the North' dismantled and independence of it was recorded.
After the Second World War, the modern city flourished as a center of politics and finance, evident in the city's new cultural and business centre, Kirchberg, where trams run between the new philharmonic orchestra and shrines of banking and the EU settings slide.
We soon discovered why the remains of the city walls where we walked one morning are called 'the most beautiful balcony in Europe', with 180 degree views, which led us to perhaps the city's most famous attraction, the 18th century Bock Casemates , carved into the slope beneath the foundations of Luxembourg's first castle and the cradle of the city, offering a place of ultimate protection - and clear shots for the cannons once stationed in 'loopholes' to destroy the city to defend. (I also learned the military origins of that word - google that too.)
Below the city center, the Petrusse and Alzette rivers meander along the valley below the famous Adolphe Bridge, from where the spectacular annual fireworks show on June 22nd this year will dazzle thousands of people on the eve of Luxembourg's hugely popular National Day, which left us devastated to miss.
The strikingly modernist Red Bridge looms behind the lush riverside walkways that connect to Grund, the lower town with its fine restaurants and local landmark Scott's Pub ( scotts.lu), where the sunny terrace tempted us one afternoon with a pint of local Bofferding Pils.
The heart of the old town, the picturesque Place d'Armes with its extensive terraces, was the gateway to our house this weekend, Hotel le Place d'Armes ( hotel-leplacedarmes.com, B&B rooms this summer from £305). General manager Mathieu was part of the Relais & Chateaux network and called it a 'maison' or house. It's a metaphorical description, but also a literal one: the 32 rooms are spread across seven unique, interconnected former private residences, each with their own personality - some offering the best Beauty and the Beast feeling, others offering a maximalist take on Art Decor.
It's also here where we almost missed our dinner one evening thanks to a dodgy door handle, but the landline in the room proved a lifeline for reception and after a few quick phone calls, Amar seemed to 'rescue' us from our five-star monastery. (Honestly, I can think of few places I'd rather be "trapped" than our elegantly decorated room.)
After enjoying a three-course meal with that locally grown, tender Luxembourgish prime beef rib for two and a sharp but savory rhubarb and Kei tart (cheesecake) at the Michelin-starred hotel Le Plëss we found our belongings had been seamlessly moved to a new and even more spacious upstairs room at number 20, with treetop views over the square. So there's no excuse not to take a seat in the quiet courtyard next to the hotel's luxurious Bar Le 18 for a splash of spicy local quince-flavored eau de vie.
To see even more how this hour-wide country was once ruled from its cliff-top fortresses, fit in a ride to the riverside town of Esch-sur-Sûre and dramatic Vianden to the north, with its spectacular chairlift offering panoramic views. of the imposing medieval castle, straight out of Game of Thrones. Think Dubrovnik style, but without the boatloads of shuffling tourists.
With more time we would have visited the fascinating city museum of Lëtzebuerg and spent more time browsing the boutiques along the beautiful, car-free Grand Rue, but after all, a city trip is only meant as a taster, and that's what we did. I hope that next time I will be 'imprisoned' in Luxembourg for a few more days.
www.visitluxembourg.com
