Luxembourg City: the fortress between two gorges

Built on a rocky promontory between two deep gorges, Luxembourg was for centuries considered one of Europe's most impregnable fortresses.

The centre, set between the Alzette and Pétrusse gorges, is easily explored on foot, helped by free public transport throughout the country.

The Casemates of Bock, galleries carved into the rock in the seventeenth century, extend for kilometers beneath the old city, once capable of sheltering thousands of soldiers and cannons.

A short walk away, the Grand Ducal Palace, the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, overlooks one of the most elegant squares in the historic center.

Walking along the Chemin de la Corniche, often called 'the most beautiful balcony in Europe', one dominates the entire valley of the Alzette below.

In the evening, the Grund district, in the lower part of the city along the river, enlivens with restaurants and venues in a more intimate atmosphere than the administrative center.

The Bock Casemates, a UNESCO World Heritage site, housed over the centuries soldiers, refugees and even an underground bakery, demonstrating how self-sufficient the fortress was during sieges.

Despite the nation's small size, Luxembourg remains home to important European Union institutions, a role that has made it one of the wealthiest capitals per capita in the world.