Though Luxembourg is a tiny country, there are three official languages spoken there and most people speak all three of them: Letzebuergesch, French, and German. German is studied in primary school and is used in business and in the media. Luxembourg is bordered by France in the south, Belgium in the west and north, and West Germany in the east. The people of this small country are proud of their distinct, national character and some families paint their national motto on their houses. Translated, it means, "We want to remain what we are."

The northern third of the country is called the Oesling. Here are beautiful highlands and the mountains of the Ardennes. The southern two-thirds are called the Gutland, which means "the good land." The best farmland, many rivers, and most of the country's towns and villages are located here. People enjoy camping, boating, horseback riding, golf, swimming and ice-skating. There are sixteen national walking paths and walking tours are organized on weekends and holidays. You can take a leisurely boat ride along the Moselle River, bordering West Germany, and look out at vineyards, castles and the river traffic. Hundreds of footpaths crisscross the beautiful German-Luxembourg National Park, located on either side of the Our and lower Sure rivers. There are dozens of castles, some of them more than a thousand years old. With all its medieval castles, beautiful valleys, paths along the rivers and simple villages, Luxembourg has been called a fairyland. And thanks to Germany's influence, natives enjoy hearty appetites and large portions of food.

Liechtenstein, located in the Rhine river valley and landlocked between Switzerland and Austria, is an even much tinier country. Though other languages are spoken, German is the official language of Liechtenstein. A modern, industrialized country, its 30,000 inhabitants enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. With an area slightly smaller than Washington D.C., Liechtenstein has a flat region in the west, situated on the Rhine's eastern bank, while mountains occupy much of the larger area in the east. A steep Alpine slope, Drei Schwestern (three sisters), extends across Liechtenstein's border with Austria. The country is famous for its beautiful postal stamps, many of them based on paintings in the prestigious art collection of the prince. This is the second largest art collection in the world and is housed in the capital city, Vaduz.