Visit Luxembourg

Diverse, vibrant and green, Luxembourg is a country where nature and culture combine in ever new and inspiring ways. Each region has its own particular character.

There are the high plateaus and spectacular landscapes of the Luxembourg Ardennes in Éislek, from where you can start hiking adventures even beyond the borders of Luxembourg. There are the dramatic gorges and rock formations in the Mullerthal, which are best admired along the Mullerthal Trail. The gentle curves through the Valley of the Seven Castles in Guttland are great to cruise along on four or even two wheels. The lively yet laid back capital city offers a mixture of tradition and modernity, forward-looking architecture and an impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rolling vineyards of the Moselle region invite you to indulge in nature and culinary delights in equal measure. And there is the Minett, an area that unites the past and present, industrial culture, nature, music and subculture in a particularly impressive way.

The Minett, also known as the Land of Red Rocks, owes its name to the red earth that shines for long stretches in many places. This comes from the iron ore that was mined here in the past. Today, nature is reclaiming the former mining areas bit by bit. The greenery of specially planted trees and newly created biotopes creates a place of contrasts.

With the lunar landscape a protected area, nature is clawing its way back to where it was previously driven out and an impressive nature park has emerged. It is an ideal site to discover on hiking and mountain bike trails, which traverse old mine entrances, wagons, the remains of a cable car or weathered rails in this open-air museum: a true outdoor industrial heritage adventure. Since 2020, the area can call itself a Minett UNESCO Biosphere. The region is now part of an international network of more than 700 biosphere reserves in 124 countries, whose quality is officially recognised by the UNESCO Man and Biosphere label.

In 2022, the south will be in the spotlight for another reason: Esch 2022 – the region will be the European Capital of Culture. Within this framework, there will be many exciting projects, from the new Minett Trail hiking network to outlandish overnight accommodation and diverse cultural events. The European Capital of Culture 2022 is much more than just a city. It is an entire area that extends over 19 municipalities in Luxembourg and France.

Culture and the arts have long been rooted in the Minett. The wild south rocks and pulsates. In Esch-Belval, you can feel the progress and take in the modern architecture, which reaches for the sky with energy between the preserved rust of the disused blast furnaces and offers the young university a promising home. Just opposite: the Rockhal music venue and many restaurants and cafés.

Scattered around this cool campus are art projects, music performances, design surprises and subculture, whether virtual or real. The atmosphere: alternative multiculturalism, start-up spirit and a good pinch of punk. Digital projects and live performances mingle in front of this diverse backdrop of nature, industrial culture and a future world. Exactly in keeping with the Esch 2022 motto: “From Red Earth to Gray Matter”.

Feel the spirit of Luxembourg’s steel past and innovative future, while exploring the nature reserve, admiring the contrasting architecture, and soaking up the history. Luci travel magazine is a collection of Inspiring Travel Stories from Luxembourg. Published in German, English, French and Luxembourgish, you can order free print versions or read Luci online at www.luci.travel