On a September ’07 visit to Luxembourg, we took a 19-mile bus trip from Luxembourg City (lines 110 and 111 leave on the hour) to the town of Echternach on the banks of the River Sauer.
A tranquil village of around 5,000, its treasure is the basilica founded by the English missionary Willibrord (AD 658-739). The best time to visit Echternach is at 9 a.m. on Whit Tuesday (the date of which is dependent upon Easter), when the Springprozession, a dancing parade of pilgrims accompanied by brass bands, winds its way through the narrow cobblestone streets and around the tomb of St. Willibrord. The annual celebration draws 15,000 visitors.
HARVEY HAGMAN
Fort Myers, FL
