City and municipality in Namur Province, Wallonia, Belgium
Photo: Photochrom Print Collection, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Dinant is a relatively small but very picturesque city in the province of Namur in Belgium. It stretches along the river Meuse against the steep rock face behind on the eastern side, with a thinner strip on the western side against a forest. Its old town is perhaps one of the most impressive sights in Wallonia, but the locality is relatively remote. The main sights are all close to each other and not very numerous, while accommodation opportunities are scarce, so Dinant is probably a good option for a nice day trip from larger Belgian cities such as Brussels, Charleroi or Liège. It also can serve as the starting point for a more thorough exploration of the Ardennes.
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Collegiate church
The church dominating the city's riverbank stands in the place where a previous Romanesque one was destroyed by rocks falling from the cliff in 1227. The collegiate church took many centuries to be completed, during which the original plan to build two towers was abandoned in favour of the single one with the onion dome we see today. This is why the church's facade is so unusually tall. The interior is even more striking, almost as tall as wide and twice as long, flanked by columns appearing both sleek in comparison to the structure and thick in human scale. The interior is kept in the simple Gothic style characteristic for the Meuse region - this is thanks to the restoration work in the nineteenth century to bring stylistic uniformity to the interior. After the church's destruction in the First World War, the church was rebuilt verbatim to how it looked like before the war.
On a cliff, more than 100 m above the River Meuse, it offers spectacular views of the town and countryside. A fortification may have stood on this spot as long ago as the fourth century, and the Bishop Prince of Liège certainly ordered the construction of a fortress on this spot in 1051, but the present structure dates to the early 19th century. It is reached from the town either by cable car or by the 408 steps cut into the hillside. The citadel plays host to a small Arms Museum and several interesting art pieces that reveal the glorious past of this Meuse town.
This cave was discovered in 1904 and is one of the most beautiful ones in Belgium. There are small waterfalls inside the cave. A visit to the beautiful caves is highly recommended. They are easy to visit.
Bayard rock
The 40-m-tall rock needle at the Meuse riverbank according to the local legend been separated from the main rock mass by the strike of the hoof by Bayard, the magical horse carrying the four sons of Duke Ayman on the run from Charlemagne. The reality, however, is more prosaic - the separation happened in the times of Louis XIV in order to build the road along the Meuse still in place today.
triump of light
Designed by Antoine Wertz and originally meant to be put atop the rock of Dinant, the statue wielding a sword and a torch is said to have inspired Frederick Auguste Bartholdi when he created the Statue of Liberty in New York City.
Leffe Abbey
Located in the neighbourhood of Leffe north of the Citadel, the abbey has been inhabited since 1152 and features a splendid organ.
Leffe is a popular beer in Belgium and it originated in Dinant. The former abbey beer is no longer made in Dinant, but in this museum you can learn all about the origins of the beer, the life of the monks and the actual Leffe, followed by a Leffe tasting.
Finished in 1923, 1,104 French soldiers are buried here who died during battles in the Dinant region between 15 and 23 August 1914. On the right side of the cemetery, behind the French flag, there are 30 tombs of British, New Zealand and French soldiers who died during the Second World War.
The house of Monsieur Sax contains a small interpretation centre on the inventor of the saxophone. A life-size statue of the inventor sits on a bench in front of the house.
Centre culturel régional de Dinant
Casino de Dinant
Game machines, roulette tables and blackjack. Bar and restaurant with French dishes. Free parking on Place d'Armes.
American bowling with 4 tracks accessible for everyone aged older than 5. Small restaurant but the food here receives mixed opinions.
Wellness centre with warm baths, saunas, lounge, terrace and garden. Free private parking space.
This Thai/Vietnamese restaurant is a local favourite, so make a reservation if you're looking to eat here during a weekend, or come early. It opens at 18:30.
A cosy Italian restaurant with a nice outdoor terrace along the riverside. It's a small place with friendly owners and good value food.
Quite liked the food and for a very good price. If you're looking for food around 4pm this is a good spot. The breweries aren't serving food yet.
Excellent Thai restaurant, very popular. Approx €16 for a curry with rice. (Updated July 2024)
If the city's best-ranking hotel is an Ibis, it speaks volumes about the local accommodation opportunities. That said, this Ibis stands out with its location on the riverbank, quite close the citadel, and its restaurant has a terrace overlooking the Meuse. The building is quite nice on the outside as well. Inside it is a fairly standard, if quite a bit worn, ibis with the usual features, or lack thereof.
The enthusiastic owner of this place, Vincent, goes up and beyond to make his guests feel at home. A little out of town, but rooms are large and clean and the food is good. Breakfast is good value at an extra €6 per person.
Simple but pleasant, clean rooms, close to the train station. The hotel has a small pool and outside of weekends and school holidays, the third night is free of charge.
By plane
The closest airports are Brussels (BRU), Charleroi (CRL) and Liège (LGG). Getting from either of them to Namur by public transport is a bit complicated and will take 2-2½ hours.
By train
The Dinant Railway Station is in the centre of Dinant, about 5 minutes walk to the river, from where you can see the Citadel and the main parts of Dinant.
By car
The A4 motorway (E114) from Brussels to Luxembourg City passes immediately east of Dinant, the drive takes a little over an hour from either capital. Namur is also on the same motorway.
No need to take public transport at all since Dinant is a very small town and the main tourist sites are within walking distance.
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Charleroi · International · CRL
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