City highlights

Coolest corner

Cool is a relative concept in Luxembourg, which would turn up looking like Matt Hancock on his day off if you invited it to a house party. That said, the former steel works at Belval is showing signs of hipsterism: think industrial architecture, plant-based restaurants and fresh-faced academics. But Berlin this ain’t

Must-see sight

Esch doesn’t have much in its tourist arsenal. Its most popular attraction (according to TripAdvisor) is Rockhal, a live music venue that’s become the engine room of Belval now the steelworks are shut. The 6,500-capacity venue pulls in big names: the Killers and Red Hot

Chili Peppers have raised the roof in recent years.

That Belval’s defunct blast furnaces are Esch’s second most popular attraction perhaps highlights the scale of the challenge with regards to tourism. In the summer, visitors can climb them for views across Luxembourg

Signature dish

Luxembourg is quietly producing some fine wines, but batches are small, so most of it doesn’t leave the country. Its crémants – sparkling wines that some would be hard pushed to tell apart from champagne – are especially noteworthy. Drupi’s bar in downtown Esch has a corner of its menu dedicated to Luxembourg-ish wine, and its cheerful sommeliers will merrily talk you through it. Finding genuine local fare, however, is nigh on impossible. Nobody in Esch was able to point me to a restaurant selling green bean and smoked pork soup, potato fritters or riesling paté, which are among Luxembourg’s specialities. Fortunately, I found them all in Luxembourg City, specifically at Am Tiirmschen, a charming restaurant in the old town that does a tasting menu with all the local hits

English equivalent Bromsgrove. Where? Exactly

Fun fact

That this is the most fun bit of trivia that I can muster perhaps highlights the dearth of options, but here it is: you could argue that the European Union was forged at Belval steelworks in Esch. Its blast furnaces were one of the crucibles of the European Coal and Steel Community, which ultimately started the process of integration that led to the creation of the European Union

Hip replacement: the steel works at Belval is being reimagined