How to Spend 24H in Namur, Belgium
One of my favorite cities in the french part of Belgium is Namur. It also happens to be the capital of Wallonia. However, given that it is the capital, it is actually still quite small and easy to visit in just one day. Some of the highlights are the cable car, the citadel and the confluence of the 2 rivers. If you want to make a weekend trip out of it, I highly recommend visiting Dinant and the near by region of the Ardennes.
How to get to Namur?
If you are coming from a different city in Belgium, I highly recommend traveling by car. This allows you to have some freedom when it comes to staying late or exploring other places in the area. Do note that parking in the city centre can be a bit expensive, especially for a full day stay. If you are coming with public transport, then the trains will be the easiest way to get there. However it is a bit of a walk from the central station to the centre of the city.
Start the day with some Brunch
Any day trip is best started with fueling your body with some delicious food. There are plenty of little cafes and cute breakfast spots in the Walloon Capital. My favorite places in Namur are Pain Quotidien ($$) and Cafe Fleuri ($). Both offer great breakfast options and are a perfect way to start the day.
Explore the area around the Saint-Loup Church
This area is filled with cute little boutique stores and quirky places. It is the perfect place to wander around, see the city and enjoy some local shops. If you prefer a bit more mainstream shopping (like H&M and Zara) then head towards the following streets: Rue de Fer and Rue de L’Ange.
Time to head towards the Water
A unique aspect to the city of Namur is that there is a confluence of 2 rivers, the river Meuse and the river Sambre. You can view this from some of the points around the city or whenever you are exploring the citadel. If the weather is nice, there are some boat tours which you can partake in as well.
Quick Lunch Break
You must be hungry after this boat ride, so head back towards the city center and grab some lunch at one of the many restaurants. Almost every kitchen is represented in Namur, which is great and allows for everyone to get what they love. Some of my favorite restaurants are:
Cable Car
A must do in Namur is take the cable car up to the top of the citadel. You can just walk or park at the top, but taking the cable car is definitely a fun experience as well. A ticket will cost you 4,5 euros (one-way) or 6 euros (return). Always take the cable car from the bottom to the top & don’t pay for a return as you can just walk down from the top. The walk down is very doable, but if you are unsure, you can take the cable car back down.
Citadel
Once at the top of the citadel, you can explore the many different sites. If you want to enjoy the views and walk down to the bottom, it is completely free. However if you would like to see some of the exhibitions that are currently shown or visit the underground area there is an entrance fee of 15 EUR. The tour takes around 1-4 hours to complete.
One of my favorite cities in the french part of Belgium is Namur. It also happens to be the capital of Wallonia. However, given that it is the capital, it is actually still quite small and easy to visit in just one day. Some of the highlights are the cable car, the citadel and the confluence of the 2 rivers.