Luxembourg

Famously pocket-sized it might be, but empty the contents of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and you begin to wonder how they cram it all in.

Perched high on a plateau carved by the confluence of the Pétrusse and Alzette rivers, overlooking the cat's cradle of bridges that joins the old town to the slick banking districts, you quickly understand how Luxembourg city earned itself yet another nickname, the 'Gibraltar of the North'.

Cobbled streets snake through the old town, overshadowed by medieval fortresses and Gothic spires, before opening into quiet squares lined with cafes and bistros.

Beneath this is one of the capital's more eccentric attractions - 23 km of subterranean passages built during the Spanish occupation in the 15th century.

Rolling across the border from Belgium, the fast-flowing rivers, wooded gorges and sleepy hamlets of the Ardennes are home to some of the most sublime walking trails in Europe. For those looking to raise the pulse, Müllerthal offers bucket-loads of adrenaline in the guise of rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking.

The antidote to all this over-excitement is to wander through the manicured vineyards of the Moselle Valley.