De-Luxembourg

We spent Saturday afternoon in Luxembourg City. Often described as a storybook city, I'd call the capital of this pint-sized country more of a story-booklet town. But, as promised, it serves up plenty of atmosphere and style.

Two-hours west of Bonn (via the autobahn), Luxembourg is nestled between Germany, France, and Belgium. Smaller then Rhode Island, the country occupies just under 1,000 square miles and is only 51 miles high and 35 miles wide. There are less then 500,000 Luxembourgish citizens.

Despite its diminutive size the country has repositioned itself in recent years among Europe's power elite. It was one of the major instigators to the formation of the European Union, but its financial power lies in the tax advantages it offers residents of other European nations. Driving into the city center you'll notice that the road is lined with major international banks.

With the highest average annual income in Western Europe, the capital city is home to well-healed residents. High-end retailers, jewelry stores, and fashionably boutiques fill the pedestrian-only Old Town shopping district. The city also boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita then any other city in the world.

In addition to great window-shopping along charming streets, there are plenty of tourist attractions. The city is home to a number of museums but we opted to visit the Bock Casemates. Dating back to the 900s, these are a serious of tunnels and caves carved into the ramparts. The best part of the city though was the views. The Grund, the area in the valley has gardens and paths that will take your breath away.