Travel Guide - Luxembourg

Across the border from the Belgian province of Luxembourg, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest sovereign states, a tiny independent principality with a population of around 420,000. As a country, it's relatively neglected by travellers, most people tending to write it off as a dull and expensive financial centre, but this is a mistake.

Compared to much of Europe, its attractions are indeed fairly low-key, and it is pricey, but it does have marvellous scenery in abundance: the green hills of the Ardennes spreading over the border to form a glorious heartland of deep wooded valleys spiked with sharp craggy hilltops crowned with castles.

The capital, dramatically-sited Luxembourg City , is almost impossible to avoid if you're not travelling by car. Home to something like a fifth of the population, it is the country's only genuinely urban environment, and well worth one or two nights' stay. The central part of Luxembourg is, however, even more spectacular, rucking up into rich green hills and valleys that reach their climax in the narrowing north of the country around Echternach , a tiny town dominated by its ancient abbey, and Vianden , with its magnificent castle.

In most parts of Luxembourg you'll start the day in routine Continental fashion with a cup of coffee and a roll or croissant. Later in the day, the most obvious snack is a portion of frites - served from friture stalls, with just salt or mayonnaise, or, as in Holland, with more exotic dressings. Other street stalls sell various sausages, and everywhere there are stands selling waffles ( gaufres ), piping hot with jam and honey. There are also the usual burger joints, including the Belgian Quick chain, and Panos, which specializes in bakery products.

Many bars do meals, at least at lunchtimes, and a host of cafés serve basic dishes - omelettes, steak or mussels with chips. The distinction between the two is, however, becoming increasingly blurred with café/bars often the most fashionable place to be, especially in the city. You can expect to pay about ?5 for an omelette; anything more substantial will cost F8-13, though most places have a dish of the day for ?10-12.00. Though they serve very similar food, restaurants are more expensive, and sometimes only open in the evening. A main course will rarely cost under ?8.50, with ?12.50 being a more usual price.

The price of food in Luxembourg is compensated for by the low cost of drinking , especially if you like beer , which is always good and comes in numerous varieties. Ask for a bière in a bar and you'll be served a half-litre glass of whatever the bar has on tap. The most widespread brands are Diekirch, Mousel and Bofferding. Bar prices don't vary greatly: you'll pay around ?1.40 for a glass of beer. In the swankiest places, you'll pay around ?3.50 for beers like Duvel and Chimay.

French wines are the most commonly drunk, although Luxembourg is a wine producer, and its white and sparkling wines, produced along the north bank of the Moselle, are very drinkable: in the shops they go for around ?6-9 a bottle of sparkling stuff, ?6 for ordinary white wine. In restaurants they'll cost two or three times as much.

In Luxembourg spirits are cheaper than elsewhere in Europe. You'll also come across home-produced eau de vie , distilled from various fruits and around fifty percent alcohol by volume.