Is it possible to visit an entire city in just one day? How about an entire country?

For a very few select destinations, it's possible. And given how much work I've been assigned in grad school, it better be.

During most weeks, it takes a Herculean effort to wrangle free from the never-ending barrage of projects for even just one day.

I recently benefitted from the 50-minute train ride from Metz, France to Luxembourg, to attempt to explore as much of the tiny country as possible in one day. From charming people to picturesque cityscapes and historic castles, here's how my day trip to Luxembourg went down.

8:45 AM: Arrive in Luxembourg City

I love how Europe makes it so easy to wake up at 7:00 a.m., only to end up in a different country less than 2 hours later.

My time in the train station was brief, as I planned to catch a bus to a town in northern Luxembourg called Vianden. It's home to Vianden Castle, the most famous–and definitely touristy–castle in the country.

With only a day to explore, seeing mostly touristy sites is often the best option. So off I went!

10:20 AM: Vianden Castle

Vianden is a tiny town of 2,000 people but welcomes over 200,000 visitors each year. Vianden Castle is the main reason why.

It's popular not only because of its scenic location but also because of its historical relevance and strategic importance to anyone hoping to assert control over the region.

The history was interesting, but I'm going to be honest, sometimes I'm just here for the nice views. Like this one, looking out on the entire town, something that the House of Vianden surely did back when they were running things around here.

12:00 PM: Victor Hugo House

I'm gonna be honest.

I did not know who Victor Hugo was before visiting Vianden.

But one of the things I love about traveling is that makes me care about things that I've never previously been exposed to.

Now, I do know who Victor Hugo is! And I got to learn that he lived in Vianden for a time after being exiled from France for being critical of Napoleon.

While it isn't the place where he wrote Les Miserables, they have the original copy of his work on display at his former home in the town.

1:30 PM: Back in Luxembourg City

Did I mention the best part about Luxembourg?

Their entire country's public transportation is free.

While that means I probably saved like 5 euros, I think it's the principle of a country committing itself to public transportation for its people that makes a strong impression.

The way so many locals were proud of their free public transport made me feel proud for them as well. After all, it's the first country in the world with free public transport.

Oh, and every bus and train I took actually departed and arrived on time.

Your move France and Germany.

3:00 PM: Free Walking Tour

After walking around a little on my own, I joined a free walking tour of the city.

If you're not familiar with the concept, a free walking tour is exactly what it sounds like: join a tour group run by a local guide where you walk around and see the highlights of the city. While it's free, it is also customary to give your guide a tip.

It's probably the best way to see the city and learn its history as a budget traveler. Pretty much every city in the developed world has them, and I totally recommend them!

It turned out that I was visiting on a pretty hectic day in the country. It was their 200th annual oath-of-enlistment celebration where they recognized new members of their (volunteer) military. All 48 of them.

The country was also welcoming diplomats from Spain, France, and Germany that day. It was quite a spectacle.

During the rest of the walking tour, we saw most of the city's highlights and learned about the history of Luxembourg. Some of the things that caught my attention from the tour:

• Luxembourg has its own language (Luxembourgish), and most people in the country speak at least 4-5 languages (Luxembourgish, English, French, German, and increasingly, Portuguese)
• The Prime Minister is openly gay and apparently likes to go out and party
• It's the wealthiest country in the world per capita
• Most people who work in the country live in neighboring towns in France or Germany to collect that wealthiest-country-in-the-world paycheck without needing to pay that wealthiest-country-in-the-world rent

5:30 PM: Luxembourgish Dinner

I was unaware that there was such a thing as Luxembourgish food, but it was described by the tour guide as "French quality but German quantity."

While that isn't quite "USA quantity," I have gotten tired of receiving the same portion of food in Metz that a petite high school girl receives at our de-facto dining hall, so Luxembourgish food for the win!

I got a massive slab of ham along with some potatoes and beans which was enough to make me forget about a Shake Shack burger and fries for about 20 minutes.

7:00 PM: Local Luxembourgish Festival

I stumbled across a festival in Luxembourg called Long Live the Summer, which was taking place the same day I happened to be in the city.

It was packed with local Luxembourg vendors and was super nice to walk around and engage with the business owners. Especially the ones who were giving out free samples of Luxembourgish liquor and wine.

8:00 PM: Salsa!

The festival was capped off by a salsa tutorial and dance party which was kinda hype!

I am probably the world's worst salsa dancer who will still actually dare to salsa, but I always have such a blast with it.

My dance partner was a Ukrainian woman who moved to Luxembourg at the start of the war.

She also happened to be–by my estimation–a salsa expert, although she told me that people in her salsa studio actually salsa competitively, something that she didn't do.

It was fun learning more advanced salsa moves and making a fool of myself. There wasn't a tourist in sight at this event, so I was glad to have at least gotten a small taste of the local vibes on my short day trip!

All in all, it was a day well spent in Luxembourg. It had a very similar feel to other small, wealthy countries I've visited like Qatar and Singapore, in the following ways:

• High percentage of expats (presumably because of the job opportunities)
• Significantly higher wages than their neighbors
• Prioritization of quality of life over fun

However, compared to those countries, Luxembourg stood out because it didn’t feel as manufactured and optimized for modern-day tourism–I always appreciate the more natural scenery and old-school feel.

I also loved how “Luxembourg culture” actually means something. They have their own language, food, and traditions and it can often be difficult for small countries with so much outside influence to form a national identity.

Good for them!

See you in the next small, wealthy country!

Or perhaps a different travel adventure. Whichever comes first!