During my stay in south eastern part of Belgium, the proximity of Luxembourg, the tiny charming country prompted me to make a quick visit there. Leaving the station of Leuven the morning train passing along the sleepy countryside of Ardennes took around two hour to arrive at the city of Luxembourg.

This small fascinating country which is no more than a dot on the map of Europe has an excellent combination of history and nature with a third of its area under forests.

Preferring to experience a bit of pristine nature first I headed northest towards Echternach 30 km away. The destination was Mullerthal, well known for the verdant valleys, streams and cascades besides  unique sandstone formations richly deserving its popular title of ‘Little Switzerland’!

Trek away!

Getting off at Berdorf I visited the information centre in a quiet and serene surrounding. As if not to disturb this quietitude the official at the desk whispered gently about the various trekking options in the area  and handed me a map. And without wasting a minute, I made it to the trailhead. The lush green field with a cluster of lively trees was the gateway to the trail. A clear cut path led down to the floor of the valley which was dark, damp and wrapped in silence but pleasantly cool.

FACT FILE

Getting there: Luxembourg is well connected by air, road and railway with many European cities.
Getting around: A very good network of buses available.
Highlight: A  trek in Mullerthal area which can be done in a day.
More information: www.visitluxembourg.lu

The highlight of the trek is the wonderful sandstone formations of giant rocks that rose to several hundred feet above. Where the gorge narrowed the tall rocks on either side seemed to kiss each other. Some of the caves formed between them are eerie and high on the rock.

To enable the visitors to have a glmpse of these caves some iron ladders have been embedded on to the rockface. Walking up and down and through he gorges admiring the geological wonder I emerged out of this heaven thrilled beyond words.

 Back in the capital I began to make forays into the city’s sights. Luxembourg is a clean green city with luxuriant patches of forests, parks, tunnels and canals branching out from two major rivers Petrusse and Alzette around the central fortification. In fact the city was  born because of this fortress. The craggy terrain and its ideal location at the crossroads of European battles was what made Count Siegfried to build the fortress city in 963. The change of reigns to French, Spaniards, Austrians and Germans in the four centuries that followed saw their impact in reinforcing bastions so strong as to be called the ‘Gibraltar of the North’.

However the city though soaked in history has assumed an air of a hill station what with valleys, high points and promontories. With a clearly marked city map exploring independently on a walking tour was great fun indeed.
As most of the sights close to the Place d’Armes it became obvious to make a start from here. The few cafes brimming with people spilling over to the square  lend a relaxing mood to the visitors.

At the northern end is an attractive statue of Lentz and dicks who were the country’s famous poets. A walk to the south brought me to the equestrian statue of King William II who was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The southern flank is guarded by the Grand Ducal Palace built in1572 for the Grand Duke.

By the way Luxembourg is the only Grand Duchy  headed by a Monarch. The imposing palace which does not look very palatial though meges with the adjacent Chamber of Deputies.

Rock n roll

The narrow cobbled lanes led from here to a high point on the rocky cliffs. The circular bastions of the fortress dropped down to a well paved promontory. The river Alzette also runs parallel along the few parks and through the arches under high bridges. The view of the valley, the river snaking through and the distant countryside all combine to make a picturesque scenario.

The circular stairs inside the ramparts led down to the innumerable stone chambers, dungeons and tunnels typically called the Bock Casemates. It was astonishing to know that  the network of the tunnels ran into more than 20 km.

With chambers cut out from the rock to shelter thousands of soldiers, store arms and even cells meant to be kitchens and shops, an entire town could hide and live here in an emergency ! And it is for this reason that this fortress was listed  as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Best view of all

Climbing up the steps I took a stroll by a winding trail to reach a fantastic viewpoint, Corniche. Called the “Most Beautiful Balcony of Europe” this tiny ledge  overhanging a clifftop affords an awesome view of the whole valley. Having had a fill of the panorama I followed the path towards the city passing by the strongly built Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin to the constitution square.

The dominating feature here is the tall memorial, Gelle Fra, erected to remember those killed in the World War II. The local people gather here  to spend their evenings. And with my legs tired after a trek and a walk around the city I involuntarily  merged with the crowd to relax a while.