Allia Bukhari flies us to Luxembourg Set out of a cinematic fantasy, landlocked between Germany, France and Belgium, lies Luxembourg, one of the smallest and richest countries in the world and the only sovereign state ruled by a monarch; making it a sole Grand Duchy! With its bewildering, ancient fairytale charm and accessible location, Luxembourg invites visitors from the rest of Europe and beyond every year but it didn’t catch my attention until the pandemic second wave took the continent in its grip. Restrictions were prolonged, non-essential shops and businesses were closed from Denmark to France and hotels were shut for foreign visitors without a worthy purpose to travel in almost every EU state. But in the midst of all the chaos and then eventually declining infections, Luxembourg opened, albeit partially. I was elated to finally see some semblance of normality for leisure travel. In what may seem to be a long journey, I took a train from Aarhus, Denmark — after getting a negative Covid test — and left for Luxembourg far in the western side of Europe. After crossing various German cities, 12 hours later I arrived at my destination, instantly mesmerised by the dramatic beauty of it, which was a unique blend of architectural heritage, royalty and surreal nature.