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Living in Luxembourg means having Germany, France and Belgium on your doorstep. Roman Trier, art-nouveau Nancy, cultural Metz and historic Bastogne all make perfect day trips or weekend escapes.
It is one of the great luxuries of life in Luxembourg: in less than an hour and a half, you can change country three times. The Grand Duchy is the heart of the 'Greater Region', a cooperation area bringing together French Lorraine, the German Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, Belgian Wallonia and Luxembourg. For newcomers, it is an inexhaustible playground for weekends. A practical reminder: public transport is free within Luxembourg, but cross-border journeys require a ticket for the foreign part of the trip.
| City | Country | What to see | Getting there from Luxembourg City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trier | Germany | Porta Nigra, UNESCO-listed Roman monuments, cathedral, Karl Marx's birthplace | Direct train, about 50 minutes |
| Metz | France | Centre Pompidou-Metz, Saint-Étienne cathedral and its stained glass, imperial quarter | Direct train, under an hour |
| Nancy | France | UNESCO-listed Place Stanislas, École de Nancy and Art Nouveau, old town | Train, about 1.5 hours |
| Bastogne | Belgium | Bastogne War Museum, Mardasson Memorial, memory of the Battle of the Bulge | Car, about 1 hour; buses possible |
Often cited as one of Germany's oldest cities, Trier preserves an exceptional Roman ensemble — Porta Nigra, amphitheatre, baths — inscribed as World Heritage. On Saturdays, its market and pedestrian streets make it an ideal family outing, combined with a stroll along the Moselle.
Metz shines with the Centre Pompidou-Metz and the golden glow of its Jaumont stone; Nancy dazzles with Place Stanislas, an eighteenth-century jewel, and its Art Nouveau heritage. The two cities are perfect for a combined weekend by train.
In Bastogne, the Battle of the Bulge of winter 1944-1945 is powerfully told by the Bastogne War Museum, next to the American Mardasson Memorial. A visit that also sheds light on the history of neighbouring Luxembourg, hard hit by the same offensive.
Over the months you will develop your own rituals: the Christmas market in Trier, Lorraine flea markets, Ardennes memorials. The Greater Region is the finest extension of your new home.
