With a successful steel, finance and high technology industry, a strategic location at the heart of Western Europe, more natural beauty than you might expect given its size, and as one of the top 3 richest countries in the world, Luxembourg enjoys a very high standard of living.
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a Grand Duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867.
Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, Luxembourg was one of the major battlefields of the '''Battle of the Bulge''' in the winter of 1944-1945, a story well documented in the museum at Diekirch. The state ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
Modified continental with mild winters, although January and February can get very cold and temperatures can fall to as low as -15__C. The summer can be very hot in Luxembourg, with temperatures in July and August reaching around 30+__C.
Mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the south.
'''Luxembourg-Findel International Airport''' ({{IATA|LUX}}) ({{ICAO|ELLX}}) [http://www.luxairport.lu/en/] is located 6km outside Luxembourg-City. It is served by Luxair [http://www.luxair.lu], the national airline, which flies to many EU countries (including Milan and London Gatwick and City) and Dublin, and Air France (Paris; actually a Luxair codeshare), KLM (Amsterdam), Swiss (Zurich), Lufthansa (Frankfurt; actually a Luxair codeshare) and British Airways (London Gatwick). Another airline to consider is VLM, often a cheaper option than Luxair. The airport is currently undergoing expansion and renovation; some short-haul intra-Schengen flights now operate out of Terminal B, and a new Terminal A opened in May 2008.
Alternative airports, especially for low-cast carriers, include Ryanair hub Hahn (aka "Frankfurt-Hahn"), about two hours away by direct Flibco bus [http://www.flibco.com] and Brussels-South Charleroi, served by bus company charleroiexpress.com [http://www.charleroiexpress.com].
Luxembourg train station can be reached directly from Paris (2 hours), Metz (1 hour), Brussels (3 hours) and Trier (43 min). Both international and national timetables can be found on the website of the national railways company CFL [http://www.cfl.lu/CFLInternet/Espaces/01EspaceVoyageurs].
Motorways from Metz (A3), Brussels (A6) and Trier (A1) connect to the ring-road around Luxembourg City, from which most other parts of the country can be reached.
If you want to enjoy a nice view to the city, "Grund" and Kasematten, leave the motorway coming from the East (Germany) at exit "Cents". Enter Cents and drive down the hill. Don't let yourself being stopped by signs that the route is blocked via "Grund".
Aside from the airport buses listed above, sometimes there are commuter buses to Trier and Bitburg. The train is a far preferable option for entering the country from nearby.
Luxembourg being a landlocked country, it's extremely hard to get in by boat. But if you really want to there are boat links form the German side of the Moselle river to the Luxembourg side, but it is easier walking over the bridges.
Luxembourg is a compact country and it's possible to reach most any place in the country from the capital in under an hour. The central railway station has a handy '''Mobiliteit''' [http://www.mobiliteit.lu/] office that will help to plan your trip with bus and train.
The '''Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois''' ('''CFL''') [http://www.cfl.lu/] train network is either comprehensive or spartan, depending whether you want to go south or north. While the south is reasonably well covered, the north is limited to one main line (Ligne 10) which runs from Luxembourg City via Mersch, Ettelbruck, Wilwerwiltz, Clervaux and Troisvierges. The line continues north into Belgium towards Liege. Diekirch has a branch line from Ettelbruck, and Wiltz has a branch line from Kautenbach. To the south you can reach Bettembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette. There is also a line to the east which crosses into Germany over the Moselle River at Wasserbillig.
The same tickets are valid on trains as buses, and the same rates apply: ?1.50 for two hours (unlimited transfers) or ?4.00 for one day. A ?40 month ticket can be purchased at the CFL office under Hamilius, at some newsagencies or at the station. Trains in Luxembourg generally run very much on time and are modern and comfortable. As the fares are so cheap this is a good mode of transport to use when possible.
From an aesthetic view, perhaps the best way to approach Luxembourg City is by train from the north via Ligne 10 as this is a beautifully scenic route past some of the most well-known Luxembourgish sights.
Within the city, the comprehensive bus service is more than adequate for the average tourist. Buses numbered 1-25 serve the Ville de Luxembourg, with the most useful being the 16 (Town to the Airport via Kirchberg) and the 18 (Town to Kirchberg and Auchan). Almost all buses include the central bus station Hamilius (centre of town) and the Station (Luxembourg Gare) in their routes at some point. Any bus pointing stationwards from Hamilius will probably take you there (the 3 being a notable exception). Bus tickets (which are also valid on trains) are available from the driver. A standard ticket costs ?1.50 and will be valid on any bus up to 2 hours after its purchase.
The bus service out of town is also extensive. Every village has a convenient bus service which runs at least once every hour. Buses numbered 100 upwards will take you out of the city. Useful routes to the north of the country include the 100 (Diekirch via Junglinster, every hour), the 120 (Junglinster, every 30 minutes) and the 290 (Mersch, frequent). However, Mersch and the south are more easily reached by train (see below).
Town buses experienced a reduced service on Saturdays (including those used mainly by shoppers), and many routes are barely existent (if at all) on a Sunday. This doesn't matter, though, since most shops and attractions are closed on a Sunday.
Almost all national buses run the same on Saturdays (which count as working days in this instance) as during the week, but the Sunday service is usually reduced or non-existent.
Luxembourg's road infrastructure is well-developed if not always very well thought-out. Anywhere that happens to lie along the major motorways is easily accessible via these (including Grevenmacher in the east, Mamer to the west and Bettembourg to the south). Esch-Alzette, the country's second city (more like a small town by international standards) has its own motorway link, the A4. In addition, a new motorway is being built towards the north of the country (Mersch, Ettelbruck), but this won't be completed until 2010 at the earliest. However, the current North Road provides easy access to these areas for the moment.
Current national speed limits are 50km/h in towns and villages, 90km/h on open country roads (110 in some places on N7 and N11), and 130km/h on the motorway (110 in the rain). 70km/h also exists in some places. Speed limits are enforced by random police checks. Be aware that if you have a right-hand-drive car then you are very likely to be singled out for a customs check on the way in. Police are also very keen on stopping drivers for having the 'wrong' lights on in town, i.e. side lights instead of dipped headlights.
Finding parking in Luxembourg city centre on the weekends is a pain. Most parking spaces are quickly taken and some parking garages close early. The best option is to find somewhere near the station and then walk around the city centre. Traffic wardens are also numerous and vigilant.
The streets and landscape in Luxembourg make for good biking territory; highly recommended. Be wary, though, of small-ish bicycle repair shops in rural corners of the country -- they may quite well charge you quite some money for fixing your bike when they actually break it, more or less subtly. For bicycle repairs, neighboring Trier (with a considerable University student population) is usually a safer bet.
Luxembourgish ("Letzebuergesch") is the national language, while French is the administrative language. German is also widely used. That means outside of large cities where French is spoken, the national language of Luxembourgish is spoken at home. Luxembourgish is a language, having evolved from a German dialect ("Moselfrankisch"). Standard German (Hochdeutsch) enjoys official status but is not used for administrative purposes, i.e. road signs and stores will use signs that appear in French. French therefore is the most useful of the three languages to know.
Over one third of Luxembourg's overall population is made up of foreigners, and this figure rises to 50% in the city. Hence, again knowing French is your best bet if you want to converse with most people, especially as people working in shops and bars usually come from France or Belgium and don't bother to learn the local native language. English is widely understood by such personnel as bus drivers, but many shop assistants will only respond if addressed in French. Educated Luxembourgers are fluent in all four of the above languages; it is the "frontaliers" (workers who live across one of the borders) who may not speak English. Apart from the more elderly inhabitants, virtually every Luxembourgish person understands and speaks fluent standard German and French.
The general price level in Luxembourg is noticeably higher than in France and Germany, especially in central Luxembourg. Even cheap hotels tend to cost over €100 a night and you won't get much change from €20 after a modest dinner and a drink. Basing yourself in Trier (or other cities across the border) and daytripping to Luxembourg might be a good bet.
On the upside, cigarettes, alcohol or petrol are comparatively cheap, making the small state a popular destination for long-haul drivers.
Traditional dishes are largely based on pork and potatoes and the influence of German and central European cooking is undeniable. The unofficial national dish is ''judd mat gaardebounen'', or smoked pork neck served with boiled broad beans. Also try ''Gromperekichelcher'', a type of potato cake typically served at outdoor events such as markets or funfairs.
In most restaurants however, the typical local food would be French cuisine coming in bigger portions. Italian food has been popular since the 1960s. Home cooking has been very influenced by the recipes of Ketty Thull, apparently the best-selling cooking and baking book in Luxembourg since WW II.
Young people tend to drink local or imported beer. Luxembourg has a number of breweries, with '''Diekirch''', from the village of the same name, Bofferding, Battin, and Mousel being the most popular. Despite the fact that you would be hard pushed to find any of these outside of the country, all are excellent lagers.
A number of smaller hotels in Luxembourg, mostly in the countryside but including a few in the city, have banded together at hotels.lu [http://www.hotels.lu/].
Luxembourg is a major player in the fund industry. Many thousands of people commute from neighbouring Belgium, France (''Les frontaliers'') and Germany on week days, considerably swelling the population of the capital city. The majority work in the numerous financial institutions based in the capital and are drawn across the borders by the excellent salaries on offer. Luxembourg City has a very international flavour as in addition to ''les frontaliers'', it attracts young professionals from all over the globe. In this area, business is done predominently in English, French or German and it is necessary to be fluent in one of these as a minimum although many jobs will demand proficiency in at least two.
In many surveys, Luxembourg has been named "safest country in the world".
The food and tap water supply in Luxembourg is perfectly fine and the country's healthcare system is first-class. The climate is average even though the summers can get hot. However these temperatures only rarely rise much above 30__C.
Try to show respect for the local language and make some effort to say a word or two of it even if it's just the standard greeting ''"Moien".'' Avoid calling "Luxembourgish" a dialect of German or think that the country itself is merely an extension of France or Germany.