Luxuriate in Luxembourg

USD $82,000. This is the GDP per capita in Luxembourg (the IMF puts the figure above $100,000). By far tops on the planet, the diminutive Grand Duchy and pocket state between Lorraine (France), Wallonia (Belgium) and Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland (Germany) puts the lux in Benelux. With that, discover several ways to luxuriate in Luxembourg. One visit will convince you: the prominent EU member is sublime. Like Kim Jong-il, you can take that to the bank.

Palais Grand-Ducal
The pulse node of Luxembourg (city and state) is without question the plush official residence of the Grand Duke and sovereign monarch. Most repulsively, a tavern under the Schutzstaffel in WWII.

Echternach
The cultural marrow of Luxembourg dates back to the year 700. A fairy tale commune of less than 5,000 people, Echternach hosts a world class International Music Festival in May/June.

Luxembourg City History Museum
Get to know the capital of Luxembourg, most intimately, in this superlative old meets new civic masterpiece.

Château de Bourscheid
What a shame to visit the Grand Duchy sans forays to the pristine countryside. One notable standout is the medieval castle close to the miniscule village of Bourscheid in north-east Luxembourg.

National Museum of History and Art
Much love and national pride went into the exquisite National Museum of History and Art. The result is singularly Luxembourgian and a total treat for amateur historians and artifact junkies.

National Museum of Natural History
The pretty Grund quarter plays congenial host to this fabulous repository and tribute to astrophysics, botany, ecology, geology, geophysics, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology.

Neumünster Abbey
While in Grund and on Münster, be sure to get all monastic at the austere late 17th century Neumünster Abbey.

Mudam
The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art is truly nonpareil in Benelux and evinces Luxembourg’s ability to parlay vast capital wealth into significant arts and culture enterprises. To wit, the museum’s architect is none other than Pritzker Prize laureate I. M. Pei.

The Bock
This conspicuous promontory over the River Alzette contains a patchwork of furtive tunnels and Vauban-built defensive chambers. If you like, visit the contemporary art gallery at Am Tunnel and the Pétrusse Casemates as well.

Victor’s Gourmet Restaurant Schloss Berg
Luxembourg has more Michelin star restaurants per capita than any other jurisdiction under the purview of the little tire outfit out of Clermont-Ferrand. The only one with three stars is run by super-chef Christian Bau and his most capable kitchen brigade and front of house staff.

Vianden
Vianden is so picturesque it almost aches to take it all in. That is, of course, when the din of digital cameras from the ever-present tourist hordes subsides. Valley, castle, town – all in all a triumphant trifecta and Luxembourg must.

Where to stay: All Luxembourg Hotel List