Things To Do In Dinant
Dinant is one of those towns that barely looks real in photos, with cliffs rising straight from the Meuse and a citadel sitting high above the river. It feels dramatic at first glance, yet the town itself is compact and easy to explore without much planning.
Most people visit on a day trip from Brussels, wander along the waterfront, head up to the citadel and spot the saxophones scattered across the bridge before moving on. A few relaxed hours are usually enough to see the main highlights.
If you are planning a visit, these are the best things to do in Dinant, along with the smaller stops you will naturally come across while you are there.
Walking around Dinant
Dinant is small enough that you will end up walking most of it without trying. The town stretches along the Meuse, with the cliffs and citadel rising on one side and the river running quietly on the other. It is compact, easy to navigate and ideal for exploring on foot.
The riverside and town centre
Before focusing on individual sights, take some time to walk along the river. From here you get the classic view of the cathedral backed by the citadel, the image that likely brought you to Dinant in the first place.
You do not need a designated viewpoint. Anywhere near the bridge or along the opposite bank gives you that layered skyline of church, cliff and fortress. It is the kind of setting where you will naturally pause more than once.
Charles de Gaulle Bridge
The Charles de Gaulle Bridge links both sides of town and frames some of the best views back towards the cathedral. It is also where you will start noticing the colourful saxophones that appear across Dinant.
You do not need to hunt them down. Once you spot the first one, you will see them everywhere.
The Citadel of Dinant
The citadel dominates Dinant. You will notice it constantly as you walk through town, sitting high above the river and cathedral. Going up is not optional for most people. It is the main event.
The view from the top
The real payoff is the view. From the top, you can see the entire curve of the Meuse, the cathedral spire below and the cliffs framing the town. It gives you perspective on how small Dinant actually is.
Even if you do not linger inside, the viewpoint alone justifies the visit.
Cable car or on foot
You can reach the citadel by climbing more than 400 steps or by taking the cable car. The entrance ticket covers both options.
We took the cable car up and walked down the stairs afterwards, which felt like the right balance. The climb is direct and steep but manageable if you are reasonably fit, while the cable car saves your legs at the start.
Either way, you end up in the same place with the same view.
Is the museum worth it
Inside, the citadel doubles as a compact military museum. You move through a series of historical rooms before reaching the reconstructed trench sections at the end.
This is the part most people remember. One area simulates a battlefield with sound effects, while another is built at an angle so the floor feels uneven as you walk through it. It is slightly disorientating and far more immersive than you might expect.
You can see everything comfortably in around an hour. The view remains the highlight, but the museum adds context rather than feeling like an afterthought.
Collégiale Notre Dame de Dinant
The Collégiale Notre Dame is impossible to miss. Its dark stone façade and distinctive pear-shaped bell tower sit directly beneath the cliffs, creating the classic Dinant skyline you see in photos.
From the outside alone, it is worth slowing down for. The way it presses up against the rock face gives the whole setting a slightly dramatic feel.
Inside, entry is free, and the space is calm and surprisingly simple. The stained glass windows are the highlight, especially when the light filters through in the afternoon. You can see everything in around 15 to 20 minutes without rushing, which makes it an easy addition while you are already exploring the centre.
Adolphe Sax & La Maison de Monsieur Sax
Dinant is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, and the town makes that clear as you walk through it. The colourful saxophones you notice around the bridge and centre are part of that tribute.
There are around 60 large saxophones placed across town, each painted to represent a different European country. You do not need to actively look for them. Once you spot the first, you will keep noticing them as you move through the streets.
La Maison de Monsieur Sax
La Maison de Monsieur Sax sits on the site of his former home and functions more as a small interactive exhibition than a traditional museum. Entry is free, and it fits easily into a wider walk through the centre.
Inside, you will find displays covering his inventions, including the lesser-known saxhorn and saxotromba, alongside interactive elements built into the walls. The oversized saxophone embedded in the floor is hard to miss.
You can see everything in around 20 minutes without rushing. It adds context to the instruments scattered around town rather than feeling like a major attraction in its own right.
A river cruise on the Meuse
With Dinant set directly along the Meuse, a boat trip is one of the more obvious additions to a visit. We did not end up taking one, simply because we ran out of time, but they run regularly from the centre and are easy to slot into a relaxed afternoon.
Most cruises last around an hour and give you a broader view of the cliffs and riverbanks that you do not quite get from the promenade. If you have already covered the citadel and walked through town, it looks like a calm way to see the setting from a different angle.
A few smaller stops in Dinant
Beyond the main highlights, there are a handful of smaller spots that fit naturally into a walk through town. None of them requires much planning, but they add texture to the visit.
Maison Leffe
Belgium takes its beer seriously, and Leffe has been brewed here since the 13th century. Maison Leffe sits around a ten-minute walk along the Meuse from the centre, so it is easy to reach on foot.
Inside, the museum runs as a self-guided interactive experience covering the history and brewing process behind the brand. It finishes, as you would expect, with a tasting session. If you are interested in Belgian beer, it adds context to a name you have probably seen far beyond Dinant.
Couque de Dinant
The couque de Dinant has a reputation as one of Europe’s toughest biscuits. Made from honey, flour and sugar, they are sold in shop windows across town in various shapes, often large and decorative.
I gave them a miss rather than risk my teeth, but if you do try one, you are meant to suck on it rather than bite straight in. Even if you skip tasting it, you will see them everywhere.
Rocher Bayard
A couple of kilometres south of the centre, Rocher Bayard is a dramatic split rock formation with the road running directly between the two halves. It only takes a few minutes to stop and look, especially if you are passing by.
Legend says a magical horse split the 40-metre rock with its hooves. Whether or not you buy that story, the narrow gap between the cliffs is impressive in its own right. We watched a bus edge its way through the gap, which felt slightly mad given how tight the space looked.
It is a quick stop, but it adds to the theatrical landscape that surrounds Dinant.
Is Dinant worth staying overnight
We visited Dinant as a day trip, catching one of the first trains in and one of the last trains back out. That gave us enough time to see the main sights without rushing.
By late afternoon, though, it did feel like the kind of place that would be pleasant to stay for dinner, especially once the day trippers thin out and the riverfront settles down. The train schedule dictated our return more than anything else.
You do not need to stay overnight to see Dinant properly. A well-planned day trip covers the highlights comfortably. But if you prefer slower evenings or want to explore nearby spots without watching the clock, staying one night would make the visit feel less compressed.