Luxembourg or Maastricht?

Neither city has the sea. Luxembourg has the better places for a summer swim, though. The Upper Sûre reservoir, about an hour north, has bathing spots along wooded shores, and the flooded gravel pits at Remerschen are an easy trip into the Moselle valley.

Maastricht's swimming means gravel-pit lakes along the Maas, with small sandy shores and lifeguards. They are fine for an hour or two, but they are not a reason to visit, and a hotel pool may be the more practical choice.

Maastricht is the better food city of the two, though Luxembourg has strengths of its own. French cooking shapes its better restaurants, and the Moselle vineyards supply crisp Riesling and crémant, poured by the glass almost everywhere. Its own dishes, such as smoked pork collar with broad beans, are hearty but few. Cheap, casual eating is thin, so lunch is the meal to aim for.

Maastricht is good at every level. Its fine dining is strong for a city of its size, and the everyday eating is just as satisfying: Limburg zuurvlees with fries, vlaai from any bakery, asparagus and game in season, and brown cafés and terraces on the Vrijthof and the Markt. The range is narrow, with little street food or international cooking.

These two are evenly matched, and each needs about two days, but the sightseeing feels different. Luxembourg's main sight is its setting: fortress walls above the Alzette and Pétrusse gorges, the Bock casemates to walk through yourself, and the views from the Chemin de la Corniche down into the Grund. MUDAM and the Fortress Museum on Kirchberg add a modern side.

In Maastricht, the age of the city shows in the streets. The basilicas of Saint Servatius and Our Lady, the Helpoort gate and the medieval Sint Servaasbrug sit within a short stroll of each other. The Bonnefanten museum and the Dominican church turned bookshop are the other highlights, and the tunnels under the Sint-Pietersberg can only be seen with a guide.

Maastricht has the livelier evenings, largely thanks to its students. The brown cafés around the Markt and the Platielstraat are busy late at weekends during term, and Belgian beer is what most people drink. Carnival turns the whole city into a street party for several days.

Luxembourg's nightlife is limited to a few pockets: the old brewery site at Clausen, the riverside pubs in the Grund and the later venues around Hollerich. Thursday and Friday are the busy nights, because many residents leave for the weekend. Neither city is a place for serious clubbing.

Both cities have green countryside close by, but it differs in character. Luxembourg's is more rugged. Wooded gorges run through the city itself, and half an hour away the Müllerthal has mossy sandstone gorges and narrow rock passages. The Ardennes hills lie further north and vineyard cycle paths follow the Moselle.

Maastricht's surroundings are gentler. The marl cliffs of the Sint-Pietersberg begin at the edge of town, and the Heuvelland has sunken lanes, orchards and short climbs that road cyclists love. The heath and forest of the Hoge Kempen are across the border in Belgium.

Both cities sit right on a border and make equally good bases, but they look towards different countries. From Luxembourg, Trier's Roman remains are under an hour by train, Metz's Gothic cathedral is about as close in France, and Nancy's grand eighteenth-century squares are a little further. Within the country, Clervaux holds The Family of Man photography exhibition, and over the German border the Völklingen ironworks is an impressive industrial heritage site.

Maastricht faces Belgium and Germany. Aachen and Liège are each about half an hour away, and Valkenburg and Tongeren are even closer. On a longer day you can reach bigger cities, since Cologne, Brussels and Leuven are all within about two hours.

Both are calm, safe and easy with children for a few days. In Luxembourg, lifts and a funicular take buggies down to the river, the casemate tunnels feel like an adventure, and the natural history museum is aimed at younger visitors. But the Parc Merveilleux is the only attraction built for families.

Maastricht's flat streets suit small legs. The real family outings are just outside: Valkenburg's show caves, cable car and fairy-tale park, and the zoo at Kerkrade, which Luxembourg cannot match.

Luxembourg is the easier place to get around. Trams, buses and second-class trains are free across the whole country. A tram runs from the station to Kirchberg, trains reach Clervaux and the Moselle, and free buses go on to Vianden. Public lifts and a funicular link the upper town with the valley quarters.

In Maastricht you mostly walk. The flat centre takes about a quarter of an hour to cross, bikes make the riverside paths easy, and trains run to Liège and Aachen. Getting out to the hill villages is slower, because regional buses are limited and a car or bike makes it much easier.

Maastricht is the better place to shop, and visitors from three countries come for that alone. The Stokstraat quarter's restored houses hold fashion boutiques, the Grote Staat covers the big brands, and Wyck has independent shops for interiors, vintage and food.

Luxembourg offers more luxury but less variety. Premium labels line the Grand-Rue for a wealthy local crowd, and the Villeroy & Boch outlet and a few bottles of crémant are the best things to take home. There is little independent design to browse.

Maastricht is much easier on the budget. Prices are normal for the Netherlands and lower than in the big Dutch cities. Bakery lunches and beer in a brown café cost little, and staying from Sunday to Thursday brings rooms down further.

Luxembourg is among the most expensive places to stay in Western Europe, as hotels and restaurants are priced for business travellers and EU staff. Free transport, free museums and lunch menus help. Some visitors simply sleep in Trier or Metz and come in by train.

For concerts, Luxembourg has the edge. The Philharmonie on Kirchberg has excellent acoustics and attracts touring orchestras and soloists. The Grand Théâtre brings visiting opera and dance, and the Rotondes and summer concerts at Neimënster fill out the year.

Maastricht's performing arts centre on the theatre on the Vrijthof, with the regional orchestra and opera, plus organ concerts in the churches and conservatory recitals. The big open-air summer concerts on the Vrijthof and the brass bands at carnival bring large crowds, but the rest of the year feels more local.

The two are level here, and neither has a bathing tradition of its own, so spa days mean a short trip out. From Luxembourg that means Mondorf-les-Bains, a nineteenth-century thermal spa set in a park half an hour away.

Maastricht has more choice. The thermal pools above Valkenburg, the Roman-era baths at Aachen and the town of Spa itself are all within an hour. Both cities are quiet places to slow down, with walks through the Grund in Luxembourg and along the Jeker in Maastricht.