WORLD ▫
EUROPE ▫
BELGIUM ▫
NAMUR
|
Namur
Namur is the capital of Wallonia, the French-speaking southern part of Belgium.
Namur is located 60 km south-east of Belgium's capital city, Brussels.
It is easily accessible by road (E411 highway from Brussels), train or boat (The Meuse coming from France and The Samber flow through Namur where they actually meet)
Get around
Namur is a substantial city and might be too large to discover on foot. The layout of the city is complex and navigation is not easy. Cycling does not appear to be very popular with the locals, perhaps due to the number of cobbled streets. On the other hand, many one-way streets are "except bicycles", so cyclists enjoy special privileges.
See
The biggest tourist attraction is the citadel. It is situated on a hill next to the river Meuse (Dutch: Maas) and open for visiting. On a rainy day, the Museum of Old Namurois Art is also worth a visit. It has recorded guiding in English and a collection of Medieval and Renaissance Christian art. The Archaeological Museum, mostly displaying artifacts from Roman Namur, is less organised and interesting. Much of the old city is beautiful, in a rather French style.
Do
Hire a bicycle and cycle up and through the Citadel. This is better than doing it on foot as the access road is mostly wide and uninteresting. There is also a network of mountain bike itineraries beginning and ending in Namur, but the signage, which is very good at the beginning, with large coloured arrows painted on the road, suddenly vanishes without explanation.
A tour company in nearby Dinant (Les Kayaks Bleus, www.lessekayaks.be) organises river kayaking trips. It would probably be possible to paddle downstream all the way to Holland and the North Sea.
Sadly, the Salzinnes swimming pool building was deemed to be structurally unsafe and therefore closed down until further notice, and the local swimming pool is now in adjacent Jambes.
Buy
Namur lacks a proper shopping mall. The inner city supermarkets are one Match and one (smaller) Spar.
Eat
Pâtisserie Café Dumont is cosy and tastefully decorated. Its waffles with whipped cream and melted chocolate are downright decadent. Opening hours 07:30 to 18:30 Monday to Saturday (so one could have breakfast there), 14:30 to 18:30 on Sundays. Le Panorama restaurant, on the Citadel (Route Merveilleuse, 82, Tel. 081/222804) has a terrace with a great view over the city and the river and a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Plat du jour costs under €10.
Drink
Galler is a chocolate shop-cum-café. The café is exquisitely old-fashioned and offers a wide range of hot chocolates. Les Thés de Sophie also sells and serves speciality teas.
Sleep
The Youth Hostel is right by the river and it has free unlimited Wi-Fi, a nice view, a good self-catering kitchen and a bar. They close all common areas by 23:00, however. Guests are required to wash their own dishes after breakfast.
Get out
Namur might also be your gateway to the Ardennes. There is an international train going to Basel, Switzerland.
...
|
Hotels in Namur
 | La Mosane  |
Score 9.275 from 42 reviews | | Rue Eugène Falmagne 127 |  |
| The rooms "La Meuse" and "La Lesse" have views of the valley of La Meuse. ... more | | |
 | Hotel Du Vieux Moulin De Lisogne |
Score 6.95 from 46 reviews | | Rue De La Lisonnette 60 | |
| Savour the authentic charm of this traditional hotel, established in a former stone windmill, and enjoy simple, practical accommodation amidst the Belgian countryside.
Located at the northern end of the Fonds de Leffe and in the enchanting, characteristic village of Lisogne, this hotel offers a homely base for discovering the picturesque surroundings. Absorb the romantic, rural style of the interior with its exposed beams and bright colour scheme. The warm atmosphere of this small-scale hotel provides a great environment for relaxation.
Weather permitting, why not sit out in the beautiful garden and admire the lush, green setting. You can hike through the surrounding forests or hop on your bike to further explore the wonderful municipality of Dinant. After a pleasant day, you can sample excellent wines from the cellar and taste the chef’s delectable cuisine. Don’t deny yourself the chance to taste the local speciality, “couque” - a pastry according to a 500-year-old recipe. ... more | | |
 | Best Western New Hotel De Lives  |
Score 6.3 from 43 reviews | | Ch. de Liege 1178 | |
| Our hotel has an ideal location, at the gateway of the Ardennes, near the banks of the Meuse river. In the hotel, you can organise your private meetings, seminars (with or without stay), banquets, cocktail parties, etc.
Our hotel is situated at 65km from the airport of Brussels, 37km from the airport of Charleroi, 53km from the airport of Liege, and it is very easy to reach. ... more | | |
| | Domaine des Champs  |
Score 6.325 from 3 reviews | | Chemin des Charrons 14 | |
| Location
3 km from Wavre station (bus & train)
15 minutes from Brussels
30 km from Zaventem Airport (Brussels National Airport) ... more | | |
 | Leonardo Hotel Namur |
Score 7.95 from 182 reviews | | Chaussee de Dinant 1149 | |
| Located on the shores of the pleasant Meuse river, this is the perfect location for a seminar or holiday, at only 8 km from the city centre of Namur. 70 km from Brussels airport and easy access by road and train. 110 rooms with room service, indoor and outdoor swimming pool and 25 meeting rooms, large garden with playground for children, badminton, volleyball, minifoot, ping-pong, billiard, dolfi corner with playstation 2. Easy and free outdoor parking. ... more | | |
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | | More hotels in Namur |
| Antwerp Diamond Bus Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour |
24 hours |
|
With great views from the top of the bus, strategically placed stops and an interesting commentary, this truly is the best way to see the sights of Antwerp.
You can hop on and off the Antwerp Diamond Line as many times as you like aboard this open-top double-decker bus. There are 7 stops and the bus departs every hour from each stop. Tickets are valid for 24 hours from first use.
Stops Include:
- Central Station
- Park
- Groenplaats
- Royal Museum of Fine Arts
- Sint-Michielskaai
- Suikerrui/Steenplein
- Londenstraat
Click here for more information and Booking Details
|
| Flemish Art Collection Combi Pass |
Flexible |
|
For the true art lover, a Combi pass to three of Belgium's most prestigious museums is a must.
Your pass gives you entry to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Groeninge Museum in Bruges and the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent. Please note the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent is currently closed for renovations and will re-open on 26 May, 2007.
Valid for 3 years from the date of purchase, you have plenty of time to visit all three!
Click here for more information and Booking Details
|
 |
4.5 hours |
|
In Waterloo you will visit the battlefield (all visits are optional), where you can see the historical farmsteads as well as the monuments erected by the Nations that participated in the battle. Stop and choose to visit the Panorama painting (by L. Dumoulin), and the Visitor's Center, where you can join an audiovisual reconstruction of the battle. There is also some free time to climb the Lion Hill. All visits on the battlefields are optional. You will also have time to visit the Royal Army History Museum if you wish. For a change of scenery, travel to the remarkable medieval Castle of Gaasbeek, where in the 16th century the Count of Egmond lived. It houses important collections of furniture, porcelain, arms, silverware and tapestries from the 15th and 16th century.
Click here for more information and Booking Details
|
|
|
|
