Dinant is one of Belgium’s most picturesque towns and a rewarding day trip from Namur or Brussels.
Lining the banks of the River Meuse beneath a craggy cliff, a medley of pastel-hued buildings surrounds the onion-domed Notre Dame Church. A dramatic clifftop citadel keeps watch on the town below.
Home to Leffe beer and famous as the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, this lovely town in French-speaking Wallonia has something for every traveller. Here’s what to do during a day in Dinant.
How Long Do You Need in Dinant?
You can hit the highlights of Dinant in half a day (I whiled away three hours, filling in time until I could check in to my guesthouse in Namur). It is compact and very walkable and there is not a huge number of must-see sights.
My one caveat is that you might need to factor in queueing time if you plan on taking the cable car to visit Dinant Citadel. I visited on a very busy Sunday afternoon and the line snaked back to the bridge.
I started my day trip by walking over the Charles de Gaulle Bridge to the Citadel and Notre Dame Church before exploring the town and riverside promenade. My day ended with a visit to Maison Leffe and a cooling beer in its lovely garden
How to Spend a Day in Dinant
Check out the saxophone sculptures on Charles de Gaulle Bridge
There has been a bridge at this point in the River Meuse since Roman times but this one dates from 1953. It is dedicated to Charles de Gaulle who was wounded here in 1914. There’s a life-sized statue of him close to the bridge.
Pont Charles de Gaulle is lined with massive saxophone sculptures, a nod to Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone.
He was born in Dinant and the town has several saxophone-themed attractions. These include more of these colourful saxophone sculptures and the Adolphe Sax House (Maison Adolphe Sax), a small interactive museum dedicated to his life and inventions.
Visit Dinant Citadel (Citadelle de Dinant)
Rebuilt several times over the centuries, Dutch occupiers constructed today’s citadel between 1818 and 1821. It saw heavy fighting in both world wars and there’s a memorial to those who lost their lives here.
Dinant Citadel is now home to a museum exhibiting military bits and bobs with a focus on the WWI battles.
The entrance is next to the Notre Dame Church. You can either climb 408 steps to the clifftop or take the cable car. There’s a lovely café at the top if you are feeling peckish.
For more information, including opening hours and ticket prices, visit the official website.
Explore the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame
At the base of the citadel lies the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame. This Gothic church, with its distinctive onion-shaped dome, replaces a 10th-century Romanesque church which collapsed in the 13th Century.
Although it has a plain interior, I loved the gilded altarpiece and carved pulpit.
It has beautiful stained-glass windows (its Ladon Window is one of Europe’s largest).
Stroll around the town and along the river promenade
It might seem a little lame, but one of the best ways of spending time in Dinant is to explore the few blocks behind the River Meuse. As it is small it won’t take you long, but here are a few sights to watch out for.
The River Meuse is central to Dinant’s charm and its promenade is perfect for a leisurely stroll.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants to enjoy a coffee or a meal while watching the boats pass by. For a different perspective, consider a 45-minute river cruise to see Dinant from the water.
Go beer tasting at Maison Leffe
I confess this was my favourite thing to do in Dinant.
Housed in a former abbey, Maison Leffe is a museum dedicated to the famous Leffe beer. The setting is magnificent: the Gothic ribbed ceilings, choir stalls and stained glass have all been preserved.
Information in your language of choice is delivered via touchscreens, covering the history of Leffe beer to food and beer pairings (my favourite!). At the end of this self-guided tour, there is a quiz to determine how much you’ve learnt.
My visit ended with a glass of Ruby Leffe in the garden overlooking Dinant. And I left with a free Leffe beer glass. Cheers!
Getting There
Frequent rail services connect Dinant and Namur, 30 minutes apart by train. If you are visiting Dinant as a day trip from Brussels, you are looking at a journey time of 1 hour 50 minutes with a change of train at Namur.
Dinant train station is a 5-minute walk to Pont Charles de Gaulle.
Where to next?
And that’s a wrap. I hope this article helps you make the most of your day in Dinant and you have time to visit Namur when you are in Wallonia. I have also written this guide if you can’t decide whether to visit Dinant or Namur(and it tells you how you can see both towns in one day).
If you have found this helpful, take a look at my other Belgium guides before you leave, including this 7-day Belgium itinerary.
BRUSSELS: Discover what to do in the Belgian capital with my 24-hour Brussels itinerary. Find out why you should take a day trip to Mechelen or visit Tournai. Alternatively, have the best day by the sea with these awesome things to do in Ostend.
GHENT: Get the lowdown on what to do in Ghent and if you should buy the Ghent City Card. There’s also my guide to where to stay in Ghent and the best chocolate shops in Bruges.
LEUVEN: Spend the perfect day in Leuven, perhaps exploring Belgium’s oldest botanical garden.
HASSELT: Find out if it’s worth visiting Hasselt. Chase cherry blossom in Japanse Tuin Hasselt or go gin tasting at the Jenever Museum.
Happy travels!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.