Lilliputian Luxembourg may not be big enough to contain the letters of its name on a map of Europe, but it makes up in snazzy what it lacks in size. lt has a wealth of verdant landscapes crisscrossed by rivers and dotted with the sort of rural hamlets that people associate with fairy tales. Luxembourg’s people are justifiably proud of their heritage: the nation’s motto is inscribed everywhere throughout Luxembourg City, the capital-Mir welle bleiwe wat mir sin-‘We want to remain what we are’. After a visit, you’re sure to hope they do.

March to June, for the most pleasant weather

Feeling claustrophobic in Luxembourg City’s fortress casements, a honeycomb of damp chambers and connecting tunnels hewn from the belly of the Bock Taking in the superb panoramas from Citadelle du St Esprit in Luxembourg City Spending a lazy day visiting the wineries along the Moselle Valley’s Route du Vin Playing ‘king of the castle’ at Vianden Hiking among the amazing rock formations in the primeval landscape of the Mullerthal ‘Little Switzerland’ region

Read How to Remain What You Are, a humorous look at Luxembourg ways by George Muller, a local psychologist and writer

Listen to Fluyd, an alternative rap ‘n’ roll group, and Sascha Ley

Watch the excellent Luxembourgian animation of Kirikou et la Ley

Eat judd mat gaardebounen (slabs of smoked pork served in a thick cream-based sauce with huge chunks of potato and broad beans), farkelsrippchen (grilled spareribs) and liewekniddelen mat sauerkraut (liver meatballs with sauerkraut)

Drink Moselle wine labelled ‘Marque Nationale duVin Luxembourg’ (which means the wine has passed various wine-tasting tests)

Moien (hello)

Home to the most dramatically situated capital city Europe; dumplings; a tax haven; stunning castles; beautiful china; proud people

Whitsunday is celebrated with a handkerchief pageant in honour of St Willibrord; the Moselle Valley’s wine festival is held from August to November’s ‘New Wine’ celebration in Wormeldange

The north of the coutry lures outdoors enthusiast with sylavan settings promising fabulous skiing and hiking. The Moselle Valley, just east of Luxembourg City, is one of Europe’s most idyllic wine-producing regions. And tha capital is no more than an hour’s drive from anywhere else in the country, so you can truly get a sense of the lay of the land without spending aeons running around.