The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France , Germany and Belgium . Its charms are myriad and its people are justifiably proud of their heritage. The nation's motto is inscribed everywhere throughout Luxembourg City , the capital - Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin - 'We want to remain what we are'. After a visit, you're sure to hope they do.

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a Grand Duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands . It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency. The center of Luxembourg is Luxembourg City and there are a number of other beautiful small cities and villages to visit. Really worth a visit are Echternach and Vianden. All places can be easily visited in a day from the capital or neighboring Trier . Modern-day Luxembourg is an exemplary nation-state, boasting low levels of unemployment and superb standards of living for its 400,000 plus citizens. For visitors, too, Luxembourg packs a delightful punch, especially considering its size. The Ardennes, complete with castles and river valleys, and marking the site of the Battle of the Bulge, is one of Luxembourg 's more popular attractions. So is the region commonly referred to as Little Switzerland, where opportunities for cycling, hiking and rock climbing are equally successful at drawing the crowds.