Luxembourg: forests, vines and cows

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe; you could drive across it in about an hour. It is landlocked, with no coast, but it has plenty of rivers: the Moselle, the Sauer (Sûre), the Our and the Alzette. Its capital, Luxembourg City, shares the country's name. The old quarters and great stone fortifications stand high above deep green valleys and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is one of the official seats of the European Union.

Most children grow up learning several languages. Luxembourgish is the national language, spoken at home and in the street; laws are written in French; many newspapers use German; and lots of people also speak English and Portuguese.

Why it made our happy list

Luxembourg regularly ranks among the happiest countries in the world in the World Happiness Report, which asks people in many countries how satisfied they are with their lives. The report links happiness with things like feeling safe, trusting others and having support from friends and family. We like to think that green valleys, forest walks and village orchards help too.

Fun facts

• It is the world's only Grand Duchy: its head of state is a Grand Duke.
• Its national motto is “Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn”: “We want to stay what we are”.
• In 2020 it became the first country in the world to make public transport free nationwide.
• It was one of the six founding members of the European communities that grew into today's European Union.
• The Schengen Agreement, which lets people cross many European borders without checks, is named after Schengen, a wine village on the Moselle where it was signed.
• Luxembourg City is built on cliffs above two rivers, the Alzette and the Pétrusse, with a network of old underground tunnels, the casemates, that visitors can explore.
• National Day is celebrated on 23 June with parades and fireworks.
• The Schueberfouer, a giant funfair held in Luxembourg City every late summer, began centuries ago as a market fair.

Farming: mostly about grass

A large part of Luxembourg's farmland is grassland and meadow, feeding dairy cows and beef cattle, so milk, butter, cheese and beef are important farm products. Farmers also grow wheat and barley, and maize to feed animals, and many farms are family farms. Along the Moselle the big story is grapes: Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Elbling and Rivaner (also called Müller-Thurgau) are well-known varieties, and Crémant de Luxembourg is a sparkling wine made from them. Orchards grow apples, pears and plums, and old meadow orchards of tall fruit trees are treasured for wildlife. Farmers also keep hedges, ponds and flower-rich field edges where bees and birds can live.

Green valleys, forest walks and village orchards: a happy country always loves plants.

Forests and wild places

Forests cover roughly a third of the land. Beech and oak are common in the old woods of the Gutland and the Müllerthal, with conifer plantations too, especially in the north. In spring many forest floors are carpeted with wild garlic, and in the damp gorges of the Müllerthal, mosses and ferns grow thickly over sandstone rocks. The Müllerthal is also a UNESCO Global Geopark. The country has three nature parks, the Upper Sûre, the Our and the Mëllerdall, and the Upper Sûre lake supplies a large part of the country's drinking water. In autumn the beech woods turn gold and copper; in spring the orchards are white and pink with blossom.

On the table

Judd mat Gaardebounen, smoked pork collar with broad beans, is often called the national dish. Gromperekichelcher are crispy potato fritters sold at fairs and markets. Bouneschlupp is a green bean soup, Kachkéis a soft cooked cheese spread on bread, and Quetschentaart a plum tart baked in late summer.