The bridge, the Gothic cathedral, the art and the music. On the trail of Monsieur Sax, the inventor of the saxophone born right here in Dinant. One of the most important tourist destinations in Belgium, one of the most beautiful towns in Europe, Dinant is located in the center of the country, in the Ardennes. The overall view offers a breathtaking landscape; the village is located on the bank of the Moselle, between the Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame and the picturesque Citadelle. According to legend, Dinant was born from the river whose waves deposited her at the base of the stones of the Ardennes.
An itinerary to visit Dinant can only start from the beautiful one citadel, to reach which you have to climb 408 steps; for everyone else there is the funicular. The Citadelle was built in the sixteenth century on the orders of the princes of Liège and after many alterations today it presents itself in the "version" of the nineteenth century, when it was rebuilt during the period of Dutch occupation. Don't miss the weapons museum and the viewpoint from which you can admire the river and the city: a breathtaking view.
From there, the Dinant skyline will leave you speechless and will allow you to identify the next stages of the itinerary. First of all, you will notice the flagship of the Belgian village: the Gothic church of Notre Dame, with its characteristic bulbous bell tower. In the past, the church (or collegiate church) has undergone many reconstructions due to fires and devastation that have distorted its appearance: the Romanesque portal, the eighteenth-century pulpit and the blue stained glass window are authentic and worth admiring.
Between the church and the river you will see the Rue Grande where the beautiful town hall and the courthouse are located. And a stone's throw from the collegiate church is the House of Pataphony, focused on the magic of music which allows every object to become a musical instrument capable of making fantastic chords and producing unexpected melodies.
Your gaze will then rest on the de Gaulle bridge. The bridge in Dinant has existed since the times of the Roman occupation of Belgium. Over the centuries it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times due to wars, fires and river flooding. All the changes that involved the bridge tell the story of the city. In the latest version, that of 1953, the structure appears very large. The bridge is named after Charles De Gaulle, who was injured here fighting against the Germans in 1914.
In Dinant you can visit a magical place dedicated to Adolphe sax, the musical genius who invented the saxophone and who was born in this Belgian town in 1814. It is the Maison de Monsiueur Sax. It is not a real museum, but a center where his work is studied and presented, all his brilliant traits and intuitions amidst challenges, successes and failures. Here you can discover the secrets of the saxophone through a captivating scenography enriched with sounds and musical extracts.
Even nature manages to excite in Dinant, as in the case of marvelous cave. The discovery of the "cave of wonders" was due to the excavation work for the construction of the city trench in 1904. The owners, the Rouline brothers, decided to complete the excavation and make it accessible to the public. These are 3 kilometers of tunnels up to 110 meters deep, among the most beautiful in Belgium. The cavity is famous for the mysterious well and the original stalactites. The galleries unfold on three different floors. Don't miss the "mysterious" room with its colorful minerals.
The surroundings of the city of Dinant are also beautiful. We suggest a visit to the castle and the Giardini di Freyr in Hastiere. A place out of time. This is the ancient summer residence of the Dukes of Beaufort-Spontin in Renaissance style, a place rich in history and furnished with refined taste over the centuries. The gardens designed by the architect Le Notre, the same as the gardens of Versailles, are fantastic, among the murmur of the jets of water and the centuries-old orange groves and small labyrinths. The small garden dedicated to card games will surprise you.
In the Dinant area, don't miss a stop at the Caracole di Falmignoul Brewery where you can watch the processing of barley for the production of craft beer, a true Belgian specialty. You can taste some beers here, made in the old-fashioned way, with copper vats heated with a wood fire.
