About Luxembourg

Every person has their own story, but many of us are united by the fact that, due to circumstances, we found ourselves in a new country where we need to build a new life as soon as possible. We hope that our portal Expaterra can help you!

So, Luxembourg: a country of opportunities and warm hospitality, where everyone will find their home among picturesque landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Culture and Lifestyle

Luxembourg, a small state in the heart of Europe, boasts a rich cultural heritage, a unique lifestyle, and a distinctive cuisine shaped by the influence of neighboring countries.

The official languages in the country are Luxembourgish, French, and German. Local residents are fluent in several languages, reflecting the openness and cosmopolitan nature of society. Luxembourgers cherish their traditions, celebrating holidays like “Bretzelsonndeg,” when men give women pretzels and “Schueberfouer” – the oldest fair held since 1340. The country has twice received the title of European Capital of Culture – in 1995 and 2007, emphasizing its significance on the continent's cultural map.

Luxembourg's cuisine combines elements of French sophistication, German heartiness, and Belgian simplicity, offering unique dishes:

Judd mat Gaardebounen: The national dish of smoked pork neck with beans, served with potatoes.

Bouneschlupp: Traditional bean soup with potatoes and bacon, often accompanied by potato pancakes "Gromperekichelcher."

Gromperekichelcher: Crispy potato pancakes popular at fairs and festivals.

F'rëll am Rèisleck: Trout stewed in white wine, reflecting French influence on local cuisine.

Quetschentaart: Plum tart, a favorite dessert during the fall season.

Luxembourg is also known for its wines, especially white, and beer, making culinary journeys around the country particularly exciting.

Luxembourg offers developed infrastructure, quality healthcare, and education. The country places great emphasis on ecology, offering many parks, green spaces, and an extensive network of bike paths. Luxembourg provides its citizens and residents with a wide system of social guarantees, including support for families, pensioners, and people with special needs.

The country regularly ranks high in various international rankings reflecting quality of life, economic development, and social well-being. In 2023, Luxembourg shared first place with the Netherlands in the world ranking by Numbeo agency based on the citizens' and residents' standard of living.

According to the World Happiness Report for 2022, Luxembourg ranked 9th in the happiness level of its residents, surpassed only by a few Nordic countries.

In the global talent attraction ranking for 2022, Luxembourg ranked 7th, confirming its reputation as a country with favorable conditions for professional development.

Luxembourg consistently ranks among the top ten countries in the world for the rule of law, demonstrating high standards of justice and law enforcement.

The country ranks 4th among the most comfortable countries for women, surpassing over a hundred other nations in terms of gender equality and conditions for women's living standards.

Despite its high positions in various international rankings, Luxembourg faces certain challenges that impact its performance in some areas.

In the housing affordability ranking, Luxembourg is among the lowest positions. The high cost of real estate and rent creates significant difficulties for locals and expats.

According to the Swiss IMD economic competitiveness ranking for 2023, Luxembourg dropped from 13th to 20th position. The main reasons for this decline are labor shortages, housing market issues, and insufficient digitalization.

These indicators highlight the need for measures to improve the situation in the aforementioned areas to increase the overall level of welfare and competitiveness of the country.

Local Language

Learning the Luxembourgish language can be intriguing but also comes with certain challenges. Luxembourgish is native to about 400,000 people, making it relatively rare in an international context. This limits the availability of study materials and native speakers for practice. Luxembourgish is mainly used within the country, reducing motivation for expats to learn it. The language has masculine, feminine, and neuter genders, as well as cases, which can be challenging for those unfamiliar with Germanic languages. Changes in verb tenses, persons, and numbers require memorization of many forms. Luxembourgish, like German, has a complex word order in sentences. Some sounds and intonations specific to Luxembourgish can be difficult for speakers of other languages. Differences in pronunciation and vocabulary across Luxembourg regions can cause confusion.

Many expats see no necessity to learn the language, as they can get by with French, German, or English. However, learning Luxembourgish opens doors to a better understanding of local culture and society, and successfully passing a language test at level A2 for spoken communication and B1 for comprehension is a mandatory requirement for obtaining citizenship.