Not that I’m counting 😂. But actually I am… because I have this goal of 70 before 70 (countries) and I really need to get moving if I’m going to achieve that. So Luxembourg is a 2 1/2-3 hour fast and comfortable train ride from Paris… and we thought why not? It’s just a day trip! And a pretty one at that!

Luxembourg is a tiny but gorgeous land-locked country nestled between France, Belgium, and Germany, with an area of only 998 square miles. It is one of the richest, most expensive, and smallest countries in the world. It is also culturally diverse and plays an important role in the United Nations and European politics. Luxembourg belonged to different countries (The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, France, and Prussia) before finally becoming an independent constitutional monarchy in 1839. Random fact- Luxembourg is called the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and it is the only Grand Duchy in the world!

The Palace of the Grand Dukes or the Palais Grand-Ducal is located in the old town center of Luxembourg… and is beautiful but surprisingly unpretentious.

It is the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. And this is where the Duke performs his duties as head of state. There are 2 guards at the palace entrance and they do a changing of the guard each day (which again we missed by 5 minutes 🤷🏼‍♀️).

The country has only one major city that comprises that majority of its population- Luxembourg City… and so this is where we headed. The city packs all the essentials of a great place: gorgeous architecture…

… hearty food, clean streets, bustling markets, exceptional views…

… numerous events and one of the most exceptional fortifications in Europe…

… so its kind of surprising that you don’t hear more about it as a travel destination.

Notre Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church and is the only cathedral in the country of Luxembourg. The cathedral is really beautiful and is a great example of Gothic architecture intermixed with Renaissance elements.

Luxembourg City is a small town where you can visit everything by foot… although not quite in a day but we did our best. It exists on two different levels: the upper town and the lower town. The upper town is the old town, and it was built in the 10th century. We wandered the Chemin de la Corniche which is often called the most beautiful balcony in Europe. It’s a lovely walk on a cobblestone pathway that winds down from above the steep fortified walls that surround the city in the old town, to the lower level. From the top the views of the Alzette Valley, the Grund (lower level) and also the roofs of houses in Luxembourg City, churches and cliffs are postcard worthy, with the quaint town and colourful trees below (as the leaves are definitely beginning to change with the coming autumn). In fact there are stunning views pretty much in every direction.

We walked down lots of steps and a steep path to cross a cute little stone bridge…

… and take some time to walk a little around the Grund, a famous area in the lower town… actually looking for somewhere for lunch. This neighbourhood is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a lovely district where you can walk along the Alberts River and see wonderful houses made of stone, gardens, bridges, cobblestone pathways…

… the famous abbey of Neumünster…

You really feel like you’re in the setting of an 18th century epic tale!

We ended up walking back up to the old town for a late lunch and had a bit more of a wander around before heading back for our train to Paris. Definitely worth the effort to visit this beautiful and unique little country.