The Green Heart of Europe

We spent the day travelling around the countryside of Luxembourg. It is easy to think of Luxembourg the country as only Luxembourg, the eponymous city. But Luxembourg is not a city-state, it is a very rural country, with 80% of the population living in small towns scattered around the woodlands and farmlands of this mountainous province, a minature Switzerland.

We started the day in Echternach, the oldest town in Luxembourg. Echternach hugs the shore of the Sauer, the tiny river that marks the border with Germany. With the bright sun and perfect blue skies the river was full of kayakers and the riverbank lined with families. In the country of Schengen, it is appropriate to marvel that not so long ago paddling across this stream would have warranted a passport check and currency change.

Passing through rolling fields, playing in a park in Diekirch and viewing the castle perched above Vianden capped off a day which changed the way I see Luxembourg.