Discover Luxembourg beyond the capital city

In southern Luxembourg, the ground is red. It tells an old story of iron and industry. For decades, the Minett region lived from mining. Then the mines fell quiet. Nature began to reclaim the edges. Towns had to rethink what this landscape could become. 

Today, Minett is part of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” network. It is a place where a former industrial region is learning a new rhythm, with protected nature and a strong local identity that hasn’t been erased. The best way to feel that change is on foot. The Minett Trail is a 90 km hiking route that links 11 municipalities. It leads walkers past industrial traces and surprising new habitats: former open-pit sites, biodiversity zones, educational parks, and viewpoints shaped by the mining past. The landscape keeps switching mood – from wild to urban, from quiet to dramatic.  

At the end of the day, the trail has its own signature: the “Kabaisercher”. These small overnight shelters are simple but full of character. Each one was designed by an architect and an artist, and each one connects to a local story, from industry to migration. They are owned by municipalities and managed together, so the route stays coordinated and welcoming.  

And travellers are a key part of the engine. Every hiker who books a shelter, eats locally, or uses a local service helps keep the trail maintained and the experience alive. The result is a hike that doesn’t just cross a landscape, it supports the people who live in it.