FROM
TOP:
GETTY
IMAGES;
ALBERT
NGUON;
GETTY
IMAGES
I
peer eagerly through the ca r window as w e
wind through a fairy-tale forest, thin trees fl icking
before my eyes like an optical illusion. I'm on my way
from Lu xembourg 's only airpor t to see my friend
Hannah at her home in the town of Walferdange, just outside
Luxembourg City. Hers is one of a score of modern, boxlike
dollhouses, each painted in diff erent pastels and surrounded
by small gardens. It is beautiful, cupped in the hand of the
valley, surrounded by mountains and forests.
"This doesn't even seem real," I tell her.
Wedged between France, Germany and Belgium, this tiny
country is a perfectly crafted microcosm of the continent,
combining varied architectural styles and lang uages. At
2,586 square kilometers (999 square miles), Luxembourg is
smaller than Rhode Island (1,214 square miles), the smallest
TRAVEL
By K r isten O'N e a l
The Charm of
Luxembourg
This tiny country is a MELTING POT of
European culture.
FROM TOP: The Jardin du Luxembourg
is one of the beautiful gardens in
Luxembourg City. There's more
than caffeine at Coffee Lounge. Vianden
Castle, completed in the 14th century,
has been impressively restored.
4 2 O C TO B E R 2 01 4 A A .CO M/A M E R I C A NWAY
