Echternach claims to be the oldest town in Luxembourg, and its story begins in the year 698, when the Northumbrian missionary Willibrord received land here from a local noblewoman and founded an abbey beside the river Sure. He had come from England to convert the Frisians, and the abbey that grew up around his tomb became one of the great centres of learning of the early Middle Ages, famous for its illuminated manuscripts. The basilica, rebuilt after heavy damage in the Second World War, still holds his sarcophagus in the crypt, and pilgrims come to it every year.
The pilgrimage has a curious ritual. On Whit Tuesday, thousands of people join the dancing procession, a long line of walkers who hop and skip through the streets to the sound of a polka tune, linked by handkerchiefs, in honour of the saint. It is recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible heritage, and it is among the oddest and most cheerful religious events in Europe. Outside that day, the town is calm, with a market square, a fine town hall and a medieval feel.
The town lies on the German border, with the river Sure marking the frontier, and the footbridge across leads to a village on the German bank. Behind Echternach rises the Mullerthal, called Little Switzerland by the Luxembourgers, a country of sandstone gorges, mossy boulders, beech woods and narrow clefts where the air is cool even in July. Walking trails thread through the rocks, and on a summer weekend, the car parks fill with hikers. The roads that lead into the area are narrow and winding, with sudden bends and steep drops.
Echternach has nearly five thousand people, and fuel is not a problem. In fact, Luxembourg is known for lower fuel prices than its neighbours, and fill-ups here are usually cheaper than in Germany, France or Belgium, so riders often top up before crossing the border. Bars and restaurants in the market square serve Luxembourgish food, a hearty mix of smoked pork with broad beans, river fish and freshly baked bread, and a light white wine from the Moselle, an easy drive to the south. The nearest bigger town is Konz, in Germany, seventeen kilometres away. Early morning, with mist rising from the Sure, is the best time to see the old town, before the coach parties arrive.