Namur or Dinant: Which Should You Visit?

Last Updated on 29th February 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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In this article, we’ll break down whether you should visit Namur or Dinant and the pros and cons of a visit to each (as well as whether you can see both Belgian towns in one day)…

With their impressive citadels, riverside locations, and quaint cobbled lanes, Namur and Dinant in Belgium share more than just a few similarities.

They also both happen to be in the French speaking part of Belgium, in a region known as Wallonia. As such, it’s not uncommon for people to wonder whether it’s worth visiting both towns during a trip to Belgium.

An overview of Dinant

The main attraction of Dinant is its citadel, but what makes it so unique is that the sheer rock face on which the citadel sits is juxtaposed perfectly against the little Belgian houses and onion-spire topped church of the town below, making the town a photographer’s dream.

Dinant also boasts its own brewery and is home to none other than iconic Belgian beer Leffe. The more unusual claim to fame of the town is that it was the birthplace of the inventor of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax, and so all around town there are memorials and monuments dedicated to the musical instrument and its inventor.

An overview of Namur

Similarly, the main attraction of Namur is its imposing citadel, though this is slightly larger than that of Dinant and is a little more interesting to visit history-wise as its seen more use over the years and so there is more to visit and explore.

It’s a bit strange, but Dinant’s citadel has actually been a museum longer than it was ever in use! The other point of interest in Namur’s citadel, which Dinant’s citadel doesn’t have, is that you can go on a tour of the underground tunnels.

Other highlights of Namur include several museums, churches, and boat rides on the River Meuse. Namur is also home to its own university, whereas Dinant isn’t, and so a visit to Dinant is more like visiting a holiday destination as opposed to Namur, where you’ll get more of a feel for what life in Wallonia is really like.

Can you visit Dinant and Namur in the same day?

Thanks to their small size, compactness, and relative walkability, it is definitely possible to see both Dinant and Namur in one day- in fact I even suggest this as an option in my Belgium itinerary.

You can easily see Namur in the morning followed by Dinant in the afternoon before heading back to Brussels if you’re not the kind of traveller who minds visiting at a somewhat fast pace. You won’t save any money by doing this on train tickets but you will get to see both towns.

If you’re not pressed for time and have a few days to spare in Belgium, then it would likely be preferable to spend an entire day in Dinant and an entire day in Namur so that you don’t miss any attractions and can really take your time at the museums.

Travelling between Namur and Dinant

Unfortunately, while both towns offer boat cruises on the Meuse, there is no boat service between the two towns. The easiest way to get between the towns is by taking the train, which takes around half an hour and trains depart regularly (around every half an hour) throughout the day.

In terms of actually reaching Namur and Dinant, Namur is slightly easier to reach as a day trip from Brussels as it is on the direct train line.

Trains regularly depart from Brussels-Zuid and take around an hour to reach Namur. If you want to visit Dinant from Brussels, then you’ll have to change trains at Namur.

Which is the more affordable town?

Due to its larger size (and the fact that it’s certainly less touristic than its nearby neighbour), it’s fair to say that a visit to Namur is often a little cheaper than a visit to Dinant. This is not only the case for eating out, as there are more options in Namur, but also in terms of accommodation too.

Indeed, thanks to the fact that Namur is slightly larger and better connected (after all, there are direct train links to Brussels), there are more hotel options.

We personally stayed in Namur as it was much cheaper to find hotels than in Dinant, plus we liked the fact that we could hop straight onto a direct train to Brussels when we were leaving the region to head back home.

Is Dinant or Namur more beautiful?

Dinant is the most beautiful town in Belgium and so visitors are more likely to be awed by its impressive citadel and pastel hued house views. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t fabulous views to be found in Namur too.

For picturesque views of Namur, you’ll want to head over the Pont de Jambes, where you can enjoy views of the houses below set against the backdrop of the steep rock face and citadel above.

With this being said, if you only see Namur and you’ve seen pictures of Dinant, you’ll probably be a bit disappointed if you don’t get to see Dinant!

Conclusion

To be honest, I’m not really sure that any town in Belgium has the capacity to replace Dinant, which truly is the most beautiful town in the country.

With this being said, there is certainly more than meets the eye in Namur, and certainly more than enough things to see and do to fill an entire day’s worth of activities.

As such, if you’re able to visit both then I would certainly recommend doing so. Otherwise, if you’re only able to see one town, I would still prioritise a visit to Dinant.