Moving to Luxembourg nearly 30 years ago was one of my best professional and personal decisions. If you are planning to or have recently made the move yourself, welcome!--the many resources featured in this guide should help you quickly adapt to your new home--and thrive.
I realised early on that a main feature of the Luxembourg expat experience is daily interaction with people from over 170 countries. The combination of an international vibe with a high quality of life in a small country can’t be beat and is why so many who move to Luxembourg for a year or so celebrate their 5th--or 15th--anniversary.
Luxembourg is good for your career. It’s certainly been my experience and you’ll find many successful financial service and industrial companies, startups, a top-ranked university, a wide variety of other businesses and associations, and several European institutions. Many foreign chambers of commerce are present, providing excellent networking and plenty of opportunities to get involved with business and local communities.
On the personal side, once you get beyond the thrill of being able to have breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert in four different countries in one day, there’s a wide selection of activities on offer back home in Luxembourg for you and your family.
Luxembourg’s cultural scene is robust. Well-known musicians appear regularly at the iconic Philharmonie, and the Rockhal features international artists, up close and personal--where else can you stand a few metres away from Stevie Wonder as he rocks the audience with ‘Superstition’? The rest of the cultural offer is impressive, from I. M. Pei’s Mudam contemporary art museum to theatre, dance, music, cinema and literature festivals. History buffs will also be well served here, with World War II and Unesco World Heritage sites and plenty of castles--my personal favourite--amongst the highlights.
A well-balanced family life is another key attraction, and living here means short distances between work, school and home, a significant advantage when both parents and children lead busy lives. Speaking of kids, sports and activity clubs abound, at local and national levels, and an added bonus is the opportunity kids have to hone their language skills, while having fun.
Why am I poolside in this photo? Well, I’m celebrating Luxembourg’s generous sports infrastructure as a “swim mom” and former swim club referee, another great way to integrate into the local community. Sports events and outdoor activities of all shapes and sizes provide something for everyone, from the ING Night Marathon to hiking on nature trails in “Little Switzerland”. If sport is not your cup of tea, then Luxembourg’s food and wine scene is well-known and one of my favourite places, the Moselle wine region, is a beautiful and unique part of Luxembourg.
I could go on but have run out of room, so I will say what I hinted at earlier: once you set foot in Luxembourg, you will find it hard to leave!