Squeezed inbetween France, Belgium and Germany is a hidden travel gem “everyone” should visit.

Luxembourg is among the 50 % least visited countries in the world. With a population of less than 600 000  it is not really a surprise, but the the country is very accessible and should be visited by more people. As a matter of fact we found it so amazing that it is now our new favourite country in Europe.

There is of course a reason for this, or more specifically ten that we have listed below:

#1: A micro nation that isn’t that micro

Luxembourg is usually categorized as one of Europe’s micro nations; with a size just slightly larger than Tokyo this is certainly true. However, it is large enough to feature plenty of attractions, yet small enough to have that those distinct features of micro nations. Simply put, it’s the best of both worlds.

#2: It is (relatively) cheap

Say what? Isn’t Luxembourg one of Europe’s most expensive countries? It is without a doubt possible to slim your wallet here, but hotels are surprisingly cheap, and transportation is as well. They don’t feature the cheapest backpacker hostels, but I paid just above 80 euros myself per night at Hilton, that’s cheaper than most hotels in large European capitals.

#3: Everyone is friendly

You get the feeling that «everyone knows everyone» in Luxembourg, and the people are very friendly. Bus drivers gladly help you finding the correct bus, at fastfood restaurants they smile, ask how you are and bring the food to your table. Drivers stop to let you cross the road and people have a generally positive attitude.

#4: Luxembourg Card is very good

Many cities have a “City” Card, like Paris Card or Helsinki Card. These can be useful, but are often pricy and must be utilized a lot to be worth the money. On top of that they are only valid for one city. In comparison the Luxembourg Card is valid throughout the enture country and provides free access to more than 60 attractions as well as all public transport. The price is 13/20/27 euros for 1/2/3 days respectively, and a family cards are available for up to five people. A family of 5 with a 3 day card will pay less than 2 euros per person per day. It is also worth mentioning that the days do not have to be sequential, and a 2 or 3 day card can be used on any 2/3 days throughout the week, month or year.

#5: Nearby countries are everywhere

Want to visit another country? Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands are all a short train ride away from Luxembourg and prices are good too. It also means that there is a plethora of airports to pick from to get the best flights.

#6: Attractions

The list of sights and attractions is long. More or less every city has an interesting castle and many of them are located in hillsides with stunning views. There are also a lot of other things to do and because the country is so small one can quickly move from one attraction to the next.

#7: The scenery is great

Most of the country consist of lush forest and green areas. Even in the capital there are plenty of parks and out on the countryside forests are surrounding the city borders The forests here also have fog rising from the treetops, much like cloud forests in South America.

#8: Historically important

Despite being a small country Luxembourg has had an important place in history and continues to have so today. It is one of the founding nations of both EU and NATO and was the location of the Schengen Agreement that was signed in… ehm… Schengen, which could be an interesting place to visit.

#9: Thumbs up for public transport

Public transport is cheap, frequent, reliable and cover most places of interest. It is recommended to go by car if you want to save as much time as possible, but it is also possible to see most attractions within reasonable time with bus and train. From the capital one can go to most places in less than two hours!

#10: Few tourists

Despite Luxembourg being an awesome place it is not flooded with tourists; many attractions a bit outside the capital can be visited in peace and quiet. More people will (and should) discover this great place, but in the meantime it will remain a slightly less known tourist destination.

All in all we enjoyed the visit to Luxembourg so much that it made it to the top of the list of countries to visit in Europe. And with more than every second country in Europe visited, that says a lot.