Dinant is one of Belgium's Hidden Gems and shouldn't be over looked for the more famous cities like Bruges, Ghent and Brussels.
Dinant is a stunning little town packed full of history, you can explore it all in a day, although I very much recommend staying a night at least, to get the full experience.
I hope this blog inspires you to visit this lovely little town.
Dinant means "Sacred Valley” the town is dramatically perched on the narrow banks of the River Meuse, with a Citadel perched high above the Gothic Style Church at one end and the other end the ruins of The Tower of Crevecoeur (means Broken Heart) which was built in 1320.
We visited Dinant in January 2024 and stayed for two nights, we were absolutely spoilt with the weather as it had recently snowed, so it was a winter wonderland.
We were staying in the region as my boyfriend is completing the Crown of Europe Challenge - to walk/hike the highest peaks/hills/mountains in each European country so over three days we decided to tick off Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg Highest Points. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb apartment (I do try to avoid using Airbnb when I can as they charge a lot of money in excess fees and it is always best to book direct but it isn't always possible) across the river, meaning we had the best views of the colourful buildings, the Gothic church and the Citadel. So tip number one; is to book accommodation across the river so you wake up to these amazing views.
My List of of The Best Things to see and do in Dinant
Now I do not have any pictures of inside the Citadel because in January it is only open at the weekends and we visited mid week.
From April - September it is open every day from 10am - 6pm
In January it is only open at the weekends and Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb and March it is open every day but closes earlier around 4:30 - 5pm and the cable car isn't always open either during these months.
The price for the Citadel is 12 Euros for an adult and 10 euros for a child, but the best deal would be to get the package that includes access to the citadel, use of the cable car and a Meuse Valley Boat trip for 20 Euros PP.
There are actually three ways up to the citadel, as we found one that wasn't on their website.
You can take the 408 steps up to the citadel (due to the snow this was closed off when we were there)
The Cable car up to the top which is included in your ticket (again closed when we visited)
Or the route we took which was a lovely walk up through the woodlands, and in all the snow it was magical. The route is easy to find and follow, and not overly steep.
We found this route on Komoot, you start in the town centre and head towards the music pavilion past the cinema and then walk up through the woods, take a left through the car park to where the old cable car used to be (now a fenced off area) and keep walking a short distance to the Citadel.
A little bit of History on The Citadel:
The first fortification was a castle built in the mid-11th century, which was destroyed in the Sack of Dinant in 1466 by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. A castle was then rebuilt in the late 17th century to only be destroyed again in 1703.
What stands today was built between 1818 - 1821 though it did go through some more damage over the years including during WW2.
Inside the citadel you will find a room with a replica of the WW1 trenches, and a room that it is a reconstructed bunker hit by a bomb, with sloping floors.
I would have loved to of explored the inside of the citadel if it was open, so it is something I recommend you to do on your visit here.
Ruins of Crèvecoeur
Why not take a walk to the Ruins of Crèvecoeur.
The ruins of this castle are on the opposite side of the river to the Citadel in the medieval village of Bouvignes.
It is a lovely walk along the River Meuse, through Bouvignes-sur-meuse up onto the woodland trail to the castle ruins on the top of the hill.
The castle dates back to 1320 and it was partially destroyed during the 1554 siege by Henri II. Despite some repairs, the fortress was finally dismantled in 1672.
The legend of the Dames de Crèvecoeur is that, when the castle was under siege by Henri II of France, three of the officers wives took command of the keep to encourage the defending troops. When all resistance proved vain, the three women chose death in preference to capture, locking arms and leaping from the top of the tower. This story is what gave the name of the castle Crèvecoeur, which means Brocken Heart.
The Cathedral of Dinant
The Gothic Style Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Dinant was built in the 13th and 14th centuries, it has a unique onion dome and has one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe, depicting the story of salvation.
The House of Adolphe Sax, the Inventor of the Saxophone
Dinant is the home of the inventor of the Saxophone, there is a very small museum (of sorts) on the main street down from the Gothic church and is free to enter.
Dotted around the town are many saxophones representing different countries around the world, it is great fun trying to find them all as well as trying to guess which design is for which country. Most of them are found on the bridge, Pont Charles de Gaulle, across the River Meuse heading towards the Cathedral.
River Cruise on the Meuse
In the spring and summer months you can go on a river cruise along the River Meuse to see the sites of Dinant from the water.
There are several Cruise options available:
One option is included in your ticket with the Citadel tour, it is about a 50 minute boat ride.
There are other tour groups offering longer routes from 1 - 2 hours long and another will take you to the Castle of Freÿr
The castle was unfortunately closed when we visited and is closed from early November to late March every year, but if you do get a chance to visit, it is a stunning Renaissance Castle with 18th Century Gardens.
Other things to do in and around Dinant
Places to eat - If I am honest I was not overly impressed by the food in Dinant, we went to three restaurants (two for dinner and one for lunch) and the food was nothing special. Don't get me wrong it was nice but nothing amazing, however the wine was very good.
We ate at Chez Bouboule, the place to go for moules - frites - yes the food was nice but I have had far better mussels in Scotland... sorry Belgium.
We also ate Le Cafe Ardennais, which is a place to go to if you love steak and red meat, which I don't particularly, I had a local meatball dish, which wasn't very nice.
We then ate lunch in a restaurant opposite the church on the corner, again not great...
Overall the food is average in Dinant and I don't really have anything great to say about it all, but may be there are other gems you can find when you visit.
Places to Visit just outside the City
Grotte La Merveilleuse - These Caves of Dinant were found in 1904. This attraction is a very short drive from the City centre and open most of the year (due to the recent snow fall it was closed when we were there)
The Wonderful Caves consist of numerous underground chambers with extraordinary beauty. Visitors can look in awe at the spectacle of stalagmites and stalactites of different sizes, all of which are shining in an abundant white colour.
The atmosphere is complemented by a few vibrant and lovely cave waterfalls, an underground river, picturesque rock curtains, and an overall rich and vibrant interior. In winter, the “Great Hall” of the Cave is inhabited by hundreds of bats.
The tour of the caves takes about an hour, good shoes are required as the paths can be wet and slippery.
Castle of Freÿr - The castle was unfortunately closed when we visited and is closed from early November to late March every year, but if you do get a chance to visit, it is a stunning Renaissance Castle with 18th Century Gardens. Prices are 10 Euros for an Adult.
Walzin Castle - Only a 20 minute drive from Dinant, built in the 13th Century and is one of the Grandest castles in Belgium as well as being one of the most photographed.
It is privately owned so you cannot visit the castle itself, but it is a great place to hike to and take in the beauty of the castle perched on a high cliff surrounded by nature. Important to note; do not follow google maps to find this castle as it will take you to the wrong side of the river, the place to park is Rue De Barrage, it is also important to note that this is not the easiest to find or access, so do do your research before you visit.
Park Furfooz - A Nature Reserve located at the gateway to the Ardennes, in the Lesse Valley a short drive from Dinant (again this was closed when we visited due to the snow but otherwise open all year round). This 4km walk will take you past historical ruins, caves, stunning views and half way round there is a café, a great trip out for everyone.
If you fancy going a little bit further a field the Cities of Durbuy and La Roche-en-Ardene are a must visit on your trip to Belgium, both look like places that belong in a fairy tale.
Belgium's Highest Point Signal de Botrange located in the High Fens, at 694m, is a great place for walking and cross country skiing in the winter months and when we visited it was like a winter wonderland!
Brussels - My Personal Opinion
Okay, so we visited Brussels on our last day in Belgium and I have to say I'd never return and for the capital of a country with absolutely stunning cities this one fell short indeed.
Other than the main square and the streets just off it, it is a rather grubby city and I felt rather unsafe. So if you prefer the outdoors, smaller towns and cities with prettier architecture and less people and you aren't drawn to the same old shops you find in every big city, then avoid Brussels and head to Ghent, Bruges, Dinant, Durbuy or La Roche-en-ardene.
Though I will say the food was a lot better in Brussels than Dinant and the main square was very pretty but for me that was it, and in all I was rather underwhelmed.
I hope this blog has inspired you to travel to some of the lesser known places of Belgium as they sure are beautiful.
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