How to Spend One Day in Dinant, Belgium

Located in Belgium’s Walloon Region near the French border, Dinant is a small and charming Belgian town.  The town is characterized by its dramatic cliffs, a perfect back drop for the beautiful Gothic style church and colorful buildings in front.  And most famously, Dinant is well-known for being the birthplace of the saxophone!

If you’re traveling throughout Belgium, it’s easy to stop and spend one day in Dinant.  Here’s how…

 

Is Dinant Worth Visiting?

I enjoyed my time in Dinant, however I have to say that there were places in Belgium that I enjoyed infinitely more.  If you’re not going to skip somewhere else to visit Dinant and you have tons of time – then yes, you should stop in for a day.  However, it certainly wasn’t my favorite place in Belgium and I would advise against going out of your way to visit.

I will say that Dinant is very beautiful and much less touristy than Bruges and Ghent.  So if you’re looking for a quieter destination, then Dinant is probably for you.

 

How Much Time Should You Spend in Dinant?

You really only need one day in Dinant to see the city entirely.  You don’t need to spend the night, although you certainly can if you’d like.  I spent two days in Dinant and was a bit bored by the end of my trip.

 

The Best Time to Visit Dinant

I recommend visiting Dinant in the warmer months from June-September.  While the warmer months will certainly bring more tourists, I visited Dinant in December and a lot of things were closed due to it being “off-season”.  The Dinant Christmas market is also underwhelming and I don’t suggest visiting to see it.  (If you are looking for Christmas markets, I highly suggesting visiting Bruges instead!).

 

Where to Stay in Dinant

While you don’t necessarily need to spend the night in Dinant, if you do choose to, I recommend staying in or near downtown Dinant as that’s where most things are located.  However, Dinant is small and walkable meaning anywhere you stay is probably an okay area.

Here are some hotels I recommend in Dinant…

• La Belle Etable
• La Merveilleuse by Infiniti Hotel
• Le Cerf Vert
• Les Terrasses de Sax
• Nomad Apartments

 

BOOK YOUR STAY IN DINANT HERE!

 

How to Get to Dinant

To get to Dinant you can either arrive by train or by renting a car and driving to Dinant.  Chances are, even if you are coming from elsewhere in Belgium, you will stop in Brussels to take your final train to Dinant.  For that reason, this section focuses on traveling from Brussels to Dinant.

If you’re planning on making this a day trip from Brussels, I would try to arrive to Dinant by 11 am (you can eat breakfast in Brussels before you leave) and take a later train back so that you have time to eat dinner in Dinant.

 

Taking a Train from Brussels to Dinant

The train from Brussels to Dinant takes just under two hours and there are no transfers required.  You’ll depart from Brussels-Midi (most common) or Brussels-Luxembourg and arrive to Dinant.  You can purchase your train ticket online here.  (If you’re coming from elsewhere in Belgium, just keep in mind that you will likely be stopping in Brussels to change trains).

 

BOOK YOUR TRAIN TICKET FROM BRUSSELS TO DINANT HERE!

 

Driving from Brussels to Dinant

If you want to drive from Brussels to Dinant, I recommend using Discover Cars to compare prices across multiple different rental agencies.  Once you pick up your car, you’ll make the easy, two hour drive south.

 

 

How to Get Around Dinant

Dinant is easily walkable and I don’t think that I saw a taxi cab while I was there.  The train station is nearby the downtown area and aside from visiting the cave, I don’t see much reason to leave downtown.  If you want to have a car to explore a larger part of Belgium, I recommend using Discover Cars to search through different options and compare prices across multiple different rental companies.  However, it is certainly not necessary to have a car to visit.

 

One Day in Dinant, Belgium Itinerary

Below you’ll find my suggested itinerary for spending one day in Dinant.  This includes the best places to visit in Dinant, the best restaurants in Dinant, and more!

 

Spending the Morning in Dinant

Spend the morning in Dinant by getting pastries and coffee from Solbrun, before heading out to see the city.  Make your first two stops Notre Dame de Dinant, a beautiful and old Gothic style church in the city.  I also recommend visiting Maison Adolphe Sax’s home, the inventor of the saxophone.  Both of these attractions are free to enter and don’t take much time.

 

Spending the Afternoon in Dinant

Once the afternoon hits, head for lunch at Le Confessionnal – a bit off the beaten path, but well worth it!  I highly recommend making reservations here ahead of time.

After lunch, I suggest exploring the underground cave, Grotte de Dinant La Merveilleuse – a cave that was discovered in 1904.  This is a self-guided tour and the cave is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Once you’re done at the cave, head back to town and stop for waffles at MaMaMia!

Before night falls, make sure to head up the funicular to the Citadel of Dinant.  (You can also walk the 405 stairs up to the top… but yikes!).  The fort that stands today was built in 1815 and has quite an interesting history that you’ll learn about at the top.  Not only is the museum great, but the views from the top of the Citadel are pretty incredible too.

 

Spending the Evening in Dinant

Once the evening arrives, head down to the river and get beers at La Capsule before heading to dinner.  I suggest making dinner reservations at Les Amourettes, a tacky (but delicious) dinner restaurant.

 

Belgium Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting Belgium

 

Like I said earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Dinant, but you certainly don’t need to visit for long.  One day is plenty of time to see and do everything in the city!  I also highly recommend Bruges and Ghent over Dinant if you don’t have time for all three.

I hope that this one day in Dinant itinerary helps guide your travels.  If you have any questions about visiting Dinant or Belgium in general, let me know in a comment below!

 

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For a more recommendations and a visual look at Dinant, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel and search “#ppinbelgium” or look for the “Belgium” highlight

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