Люксембург

Luxembourg is a landlocked country but what it lacks in coastline it makes up in

character, culture and quality of life.

A thousand years of history course through its streets. The heritage architecture of abbeys, historic bridges and castles are as common here as skyscrapers are in other locales. The capital, Luxembourg City, is an UNESCO World Heritage site and yet it is injected with progressive modern architecture like the Museum of Modern Art designed by I.M. Pei.

One of Europe’s smallest states and the only grand duchy is also one of its wealthiest. Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union and, as a result, plays a role larger than its diminutive size and population would suggest.

Within a population of just over a half-million is a sizable percentage of expats and immigrants, a fact reflected in its three official languages, French, German and Luxembourgish. English is widely spoken as well.

Despite its size---Luxembourg is smaller than the state of Rhode Island--the landscape is surprisingly diverse. The Mullerthal region on the eastern border with Germany is referred to as Little Switzerland for its hilly terrain and lush forests. The regional capital city of Echternach is the country’s oldest. The Ardennes, a plateau region that spans Belgium, Germany and France is dotted with well-maintained medieval ruins, and the Moselle River Valley is the birthplace of the country’s wine industry.

The Luxembourg real estate market has traditionally been strong and attractive. Properties in the capital fetch the highest prices and range from historic jewels to modern showplaces. In one case, a Dominican abbey was restored and converted to a complex of bespoke residences. The city is so compact that trophy properties of in-demand neighborhoods like Belair and Limpertsberg are within easy proximity to the Ville Haute, the prestigious historic core.