Dinant is a charming city located by the river Meuse in Wallonia – the French-speaking part of Belgium. This town is quite picturesque and just a short journey away from Brussels, the capital. There are some fun and interesting things to do in Dinant, but considering that it is pretty small, one day here is enough unless you want to explore the surroundings too.
The small city of Dinant is most famous for being the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. Apart from that, Dinant also has a pretty interesting history. This town has often been exposed to battles and war due to its strategic location along the river Meuse.
If you’re a lover of the outdoors, you will love to hear that there are beautiful hikes, fairytale castles and gigantic caves in the region surrounding Dinant too. You will find these at the end of this post.
I am from Belgium and I’ve visited Dinant and its surroundings a couple of times. This is an easy day trip from Brussels and I love exploring this region.
But without further ado, from visiting the Saxophone Bridge to heading to some of Belgium’s most beautiful castles, here are the best things to do in Dinant!
The Best Things to See and Do in Dinant
1. Visit the Citadelle de Dinant
If you would like to learn more about the history of the city, then you cannot miss the Citadelle de Dinant.
The Citadel of Dinant stands high on the Dinant Rock. It was built in 1815, but the site on which it stands has been fortified since 1051.
Inside this fortress, you will find a museum of weapons and history. This is the perfect place to learn more about the history of this city.
You can either reach the Citadelle de Dinant by taking the cable car (which is included in the price of a museum ticket) or by climbing up its 408 stairs.
It’s good to know that even if you don’t want to visit the museum inside the citadel, it’s still worth heading to the citadel to see a beautiful view of Dinant and its surroundings.
2. Enter the Church of Our Lady (Collégiale Notre Dame)
This majestic 13th-century cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Belgium. The Church of Our Lady was originally built as a Romanesque church, but a rockfall destroyed it in 1227 and it was later rebuilt in Gothic style.
The exterior of the church will immediately catch your eye and wait until you see the interior – the stained glass windows are stunning! The largest of these windows, which is called the “Stained Glass Window of Ladon”, is one of the largest stained glass windows in all of Europe.
So, if you’re into architecture, Dinant’s Church of Our Lady is a place that you will love visiting!
3. Cross the Charles de Gaulle Saxophone Bridge
This bridge crosses the river Meuse, and it’s one of Dinant’s most famous sights.
The Charles de Gaulle Saxophone Bridge gives access to the main square of the city. This is where you will find the Church of Our Lady and the Citadelle de Dinant. It was named after Charles de Gaulle, the former president of France, who was injured in Dinant during WWI when he was a lieutenant in the army.
While crossing the bridge, you will undoubtedly notice the 28 colourful saxophones adorning it. These saxophones were placed here in 2010 as a tribute to the EU countries and if you look a little closer, you will see that each of these instruments represents a country in the European Union
Today, the bridge and its saxophones have become a symbol of Dinant. After all, this city is the birthplace of the saxophone, which brings me to the second point…
4. Visit La Maison de Monsieur Sax
One of the things Belgium is famous for is that this is the country where the saxophone was born. Adolphe Sax, who invented this instrument, was born in Dinant in 1814.
La Maison de Monsieur Sax (which means “The House of Mister Sax” in French), is the place where Adolphe Sax was born and it has been transformed into a museum.
You can learn more about Sax’s life and work here, and it will tell you the story of how the saxophone was born too. This is a great place to visit if you like music and the best part is that it’s completely free to visit!
5. Take a sightseeing cruise on the River Meuse
A great way to relax and admire Dinant from another point of view at the same time is by taking a sightseeing cruise on the River Meuse.
There are three options for these cruises:
- 45-minute boat tour: This tour will take you from Dinant to Anseremme and back, and it will bring you to the Anseremme Priory.
- 2-hour boat tour: The 2-hour tour goes from Dinant to Freyr and it passes the beautiful Castle of Freyr.
- 3-hour boat tour: This tour takes the same route as the 2-hour boat tour, but it will stop at the Castle of Freyr so that you can visit it.
6. Kayak on the River Lesse
If a river cruise isn’t active enough for you, you can also kayak on the nearby River Lesse. This is a great way to explore the surroundings.
It’s possible to start kayaking in the centre of Dinant, and you can choose between a kayak trip of 12 km (7.5 mi) or 21 km (13 mi).
Tip: Make sure to pass by the beautiful Walzin Castle if you go kayaking. This is one of the most beautiful places in Belgium (you can read more about it at #11 on this list)!
7. Pass Rocher Bayard
This 35-m (115 ft) high rock formation is one of Dinant’s most iconic landmarks. Rocher Bayard is split in two, which gives it a pretty unique look.
This rock carries an interesting legend which explains why the rock was split. According to the story, there were once four brothers (the four sons of Aymon) who had a horse named Bayard.
Charles the Great wanted to have this horse and decided to kill the brothers. He went after them and when the brothers reached the river Meuse, they had nowhere to go. However, Bayard came to rescue them. The brothers climbed on his back, and the horse jumped over the river, splitting the rock in two with his hoof.
If you’re going to Dinant by car, you will pass through Rocher Bayard when you enter the city (which is a pretty cool thing to do). You can also walk to the rock or see it during a river cruise, though.
8. Visit Maison Leffe
Set in a former monastery, Maison Leffe will tell you the story of Leffe beer, which is one of Belgium’s most famous beers.
As you might have guessed, Leffe beer originated in Dinant. It was first brewed in the Abbaye de Leffe in the 13th century, but this abbey was destroyed. Today, this beer is brewed in Leuven.
Although the original Leffe Abbey doesn’t stand anymore, Maison Leffe is the perfect place to learn more about this beer and its history. You will learn everything about the beer brewing process here, and the best thing is that at the end of your visit, you will be able to taste various Leffe beers and determine which one is your favourite!
Would you like to taste more Belgian beers? Make sure to check out my post featuring the best beer tours in Brussels!
9. Try the Couques de Dinant
Couques de Dinant are Belgian biscuits that originated in Dinant and are made of wheat flour and honey.
These biscuits are quite unique, though!
After the dough is made, it’s put in wooden moulds in a wide variety of shapes. It’s then cooked and once the cookies cool down, they become very hard and can be preserved indefinitely!
These biscuits are not meant to be bitten into, but you’re supposed to break them into little pieces that can melt in your mouth. This being said, couques de Dinant are often used as decoration instead of being eaten. People use them as Christmas tree ornaments, for example.
According to the legend, the Couques de Diant originated in 1466 when Dinant was sacked during the Liège Wars. The citizens were desperate as they didn’t have anything to eat but flour and honey. That’s when they came up with the idea of mixing these two ingredients to make cookie dough. As the dough was so firm, they decided to imprint it and make various designs.
If you’re looking for a unique travel souvenir from Belgium, this might just be it!
Tip: Don’t forget to try some delicious Belgian chocolate too while you’re in this country. This is truly the best chocolate in the world (and I’m not saying that because I’m from Belgium)!
10. Go on outdoor adventures
There are plenty of fun outdoor, bucket list adventures around Dinant.
I already mentioned kayaking on the river Lesse (#6 in this post) but did you know that you can also go zip-lining and rock climbing in the region? One of the most famous rock climbing areas in the area is the Rochers de Freyr. You will find climbing routes for all levels here.
Other popular activities in the area are hiking, playing golf and exploring caves. The beautiful Grottes de Dinant La Merveilleuse are just a 10-minute walk from the centre of Dinant, for example.
If you have a little more time, you could also head to the Caves of Han. This is a pretty impressive cave complex that’s half an hour’s drive from Dinant. You can even spend an entire day here, as there’s a wildlife park here as well.
11. Visit the nearby castles
Some of Belgium’s most beautiful castles are just a short drive from Dinant. I briefly mentioned the stunning Castle of Freyr with its Versailles-like garden at #5 on this list. This castle is definitely worth visiting, but there are more!
Another castle, looking as if it comes straight out of a fairytale, is Vêves Castle. This castle is just 10 km (6 mi) from Dinant and it’s truly enchanting. It’s easy to understand why it’s also called “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle”. Vêves Castle dates back to the Middle Ages, and it looks like a castle from a fairytale.
Walzin Castle, one of my favourite Belgian castles, is also close to Dinant – it’s 8 km (4 mi) from this city. Although you can’t visit this castle’s interior because it’s a private domain, Walzin Castle is a really spectacular one. It’s perched high above a rock and overlooks the River Lesse.
Tip: You can hike from Vêves Castle to Walzin Castle through the Nature Park of Furfooz. This is one of my favourite hikes in Belgium! The map of the Vêves Walzin trail can be found by clicking the link.
Map of the best places to visit in Dinant
How to get to Dinant
Dinant is located in the Belgian province of Namur, 97 km (60 mi) from Brussels. You can reach this city by:
- Train: Dinant can easily be reached by train from Brussels. You will need to take the train from Brussels to Namur first, then another train from Namur to Dinant. It takes approximately 2 hours in total and the railway station is located just 5 minutes from the city centre of Dinant.
- Car: If you want more flexibility or would like to visit the nearby caves or castles too, then the best way to head to Dinant is by car. Dinant is a little over an hour’s drive from Brussels.
- Guided tour: Dinant can also be visited by taking a guided tour from Brussels. If you book this tour, you will get to visit Luxembourg as well.
If you want to rent a car in Belgium, I recommend using Discover Cars. This company compares car rental companies so that you can get the best price.
Best Time to Visit Dinant
The best time to visit Dinant is in April, May and June or in September and October. The weather will be at its best during these months, and it won’t be too crowded.
This being said, Belgium is a country that can be visited all year round. You will find an overview of the weather that you can expect according to the seasons below:
- Spring (April to June): Spring is a great season to visit Dinant, with temperatures between 9°C and 25°C (48°F and 77°F).
- Summer (July to August): Dinant can be visited during the Summer, but this is the most crowded time as it’s a school holiday in Belgium. You can expect temperatures between 21°C and 34°C (70°F and 93°F) at this time of the year.
- Autumn (September to November): Autumn is also a great season to visit Belgium. During this season, temperatures will be between 10°C and 27°C (51°F and 81°F).
- Winter (December to March): Dinant can get pretty cold during the Winter, with temperatures between -6°C and 5°C (21°F and 42°F).
Where to Stay in Dinant
There are quite a few hotels to choose from in Dinant. It all depends on your personal taste and budget. You will find my top recommendations below.
- La Merveilleuse (⭐ 8.5/10): Located in an old monastery, La Merveilleuse is one of Dinant’s best hotels. The rooms are stunning and either offer a view over Dinant or the garden. On top of all that, there’s also a great breakfast buffet here every morning.
- Les Terrasses de Sax (⭐ 9.9/10): What makes this B&B so nice is its perfect location by the River Meuse. Les Terrasses de Sax offers beautiful rooms and some of them even come with a balcony overlooking the river.
Things to Do in Dinant: Final Thoughts
And there you have it – the best places to visit in Dinant and the surrounding region! I hope that you found exactly what you were looking for in this post.
The small city of Dinant is a wonderful place to visit if you want to explore more of what Belgium has to offer. This is a charming town full of beautiful places that aren’t visited by too many foreign tourists.
Check out the following places too if you would like to see more of Wallonia: Caves of Han, Radhadesh and Villers Abbey.
Read more about Belgium:
- 12 Great Hikes in Belgium
- 16 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Belgium
- 28 Famous Landmarks in Belgium
- 30+ Best Day Trips from Brussels
- 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Belgium
- Belgium Itinerary: The Best Places in 3, 4 or 5 Days
- Backpacking Belgium: A Local’s Guide
Belgium Travel Planning Guide
🛫 Find the cheapest flights to Belgium on Skyscanner.
🏨 Find the best accommodation via Booking or Hostelworld.
🚗 Rent a car with Discover Cars to get the best rates.
💰 Get travel insurance via VisitorsCoverage, one of the best-reviewed travel insurance companies.
📋 Don’t forget to check if you need a visa to visit Belgium.
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