We went on a day trip to Namur and found that there are so many things to do in this beautiful city in Belgium. So why is nobody talking about Namur?
Because this city really has it all.
Namur, also known as “Namen” in Flemish, is an old historical city with many interesting things to do and see, incredible viewpoints, merging rivers, and tasty beers. What’s not to like?
In this city guide, we’ll share everything that we’ve learned from our day trip to Namur. We’ll first give some basic information about the city and how to plan your trip, and then we’ll suggest 16 great things that you can do in Namur.
Hopefully, you’ll be ready to plan your own trip and go see Namur for yourself.
AFFILIATE LINKS DISCLOSURE: Dear Reader, this blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.
Plan your trip to Namur in Belgium
We always like to share a bit of practical information before diving into a destination.
So in this section you can find out why you should visit Namur, how to get there from Brussels, where to stay, and some tips for visiting this beautiful city.
If you already have the planning under control, then jump to the list of things to do.
Why visit Namur
Even though Charleroi and Liège have almost twice the inhabitants, Namur still remains the capital of Wallonia with the Walloon government placed in the city.
But even though Namur is the capital of Wallonia, it doesn’t feel like a big city at all.
With more than 100.000 inhabitants, a big shopping street, and many things to do, you would expect Namur to be crowded. But it really isn’t.
We absolutely love Namur because there is room to explore all its wonderful old streets and attractions without any big tourist crowds. It seems like one of those cities that aren’t on the tourist trail in Belgium, yet Namur is crazily beautiful with its old historical buildings, beautiful merging rivers, and unique citadel on the city’s hilltop.
So why should you visit Namur in Belgium? Simply because you get to see a very beautiful part of the French side of Belgium, but you will not have to share it with any big tourist crowds.
How to get to Namur from Brussels
It’s super easy to get around in Belgium with public transportation.
Since we used to live in the city of Ghent in Belgium, we took the train from here. But most of you who found this blog post will most likely have your base in Brussels, which is why we’ll dive into how to get from Brussels to Namur.
There is a direct train from Brussels to Namur every 3-4 times an hour.
The train takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes and cost €10,80 for a one-way ticket. If you’re below 26 years old, you only pay €7,5 for a one-way ticket. You can download the SNCB app to get the Belgian train timetables on your phone.
Where to stay in Namur
Do you want more time to explore Namur? Then why not stay for a night or two.
We’ve done some research on booking.com and found some hotels for you. Below is a list of what we think are the 3 best places you can stay in Namur.
Hotels in Namur
- BED Collège: Looking for the most affordable place to stay in Namur for two? This hotel is located in the middle of the city centre and the room rates are very fair.
- Péniche d’hôtes MS Elisabeth: Fancy staying on a boat? Try something different and stay in this boat hotel, which is located only a short walk from the city center.
- Les Tanneurs: Do you value comfort highly? Check out this 4-star hotel in the middle of the old historic city centre of Namur.
Top tips for visiting Namur
16 Fantastic things to do in Namur
All right, let’s dive into the essence of this city guide. Here are all the top attractions and things to do in Namur in Belgium.
1. Visit the Citadel of Namur
Out of all the things to do in Namur, visiting the Citadel is an absolute must.
The Citadel of Namur is located on a hilltop over the city where the Sambre and Meuse Rivers are coming together. It’s impossible to miss it.
Because of its advantageous position, the Citadel was an excellent place to defend and monitor the crosspoint of the two rivers.
The Citadel of Namur has a rich history and it has been rebuilt and occupied by many different rulers over the centuries. You can learn more of the history by either going on a guided tour or by listening to the audio guide from the Visitor’s Centre.
It’s completely free to visit the Citadel of Namur if you just want to walk around the area and enjoy the incredible viewpoints over Namur. However, there are also several tours you can go on, and we’ve listed the price below for these:
| Type of Citadel Tour | Adult Ticket Prices (2024) |
|---|---|
| Guided underground gallery tour | €12 |
| Guided train around the grounds | €6 |
| Access to the Visitor’s Centre | €6 |
| Citadelle Pass (All above activities & tours) | €18 |
| Walk around outside and visit the viewpoints | FREE |
2. Go for a ride in the cable car
Are you not a big fan of walking uphill? But you’d still love to experience the great viewpoints from the citadel? Then jump on Namur’s cable car.
You can take a cable car from the city centre by the river to the top of the citadel.
Since we chose to walk uphill, we can’t share our experience, but we’re sure that you get some pretty amazing views over the city while riding up. Below is a price table of the cable car:
| Ticket types (2024) | One-way | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Adults 18+ years old | €5 | €7,5 |
| Young people up to 17 years old + students | €4 | €5,5 |
| Children from 4-5 years | €3,5 | €5 |
| Children under 4 years old | FREE | FREE |
| Seniors 65+ years old | €4 | €6 |
| Persons with reduced mobility | €3,5 | €5 |
3. Go shopping on Rue de Fer
One of the best things to do in Namur, if you love shopping, is to stroll down Rue de Fer.
Rue de Fer is one of the streets that are located in the old town of Namur. The street is full of popular clothing stores, so it’s the best place to go if you’re looking to add a new item to your wardrobe.
Rue de Fer is also where you’ll find public toilets and the City Hall, so you’ll most likely make your way past at one point or another during your trip to Namur.
4. Take a selfie with Namur’s quirky statues
Namur has some of the weirdest statues we’ve ever seen.
On the way to the top of the citadel, you’ll discover a massive golden statue of a man riding a massive turtle. Yes, it’s as weird as it sounds.
The golden turtle of Namur is named, “Searching for Utopia”, and it’s been standing there, overlooking the city since 2015. It’s honestly a pretty cool sculpture. Although, it’s probably not the fastest way to get around…
You’ll find another funny statue at the Central Place d’Armes. It depicts two cartoon characters and two snails. One of the snails is in a cage – just in case it’s trying to make a run for it… You hopefully understand the sarcasm here.
It turns out, the snail is actually the symbol of Namur, and it refers to the slow pace of the city, which is refreshing to see in the fast-paced world we live in today.
So make sure to check out the funny sculptures in Namur – taking a selfie with a massive golden turtle surely must be one of the best things to do in the city!
5. Visit Namur’s Cathedral Saint Aubain
The St. Aubain Cathedral in Namur was originally built as a church back in 1047, and it didn’t receive its cathedral status until 1559. It’s a special building because it’s supposedly the only cathedral in Belgium, which is built in baroque style.
The cathedral of Namur is one of the many attractions that you can easily visit on a one day trip. It’s free to enter, and you can easily find the entry on the right part of the facade.
Notice that there are candle vending machines in the cathedral (it’s exactly how it sounds). We loved how Namur kept surprising us with things we’d never seen before.
6. See the UNESCO Belfry of Namur
The only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Namur is the old belfry. The Belfry of Namur is part of a list of 33 belfries in Belgium, which are inscribed as World Heritage. Hence, the Belfry is one of the must-see attractions in Namur.
A belfry is a tower with a bell inside of it. Belfries had many features back in the Middle Ages such as warning the city of danger, announcing events, controlling the working hours, and much more.
The Belfry of Namur, originally known as “Tour de Saint-Jacques”, was built in 1388 as part of the city wall. It wasn’t until 1745 that the tower officially became the belfry of Namur.
Compared to the incredible Belfry of Bruges, you cannot enter the Belfry of Namur. However, it’s completely free to stand and gawk at it. Just follow the signs in Namur that says, “Le Beffroi”, and you’re on the right track.
7. Find Isaac Cordal’s small, old men
One of the best things to do in Namur, is to follow the trail and story of the little businessman!
Allow me to explain.
Isaac Cordal is a Spanish artist who works with sculptures and photography. Cordal has created 45 miniature sculptures and scattered them around the city of Namur.
It’s basically small sculptures (only about 15 centimeters tall), which are depicting elderly businessmen. The men wear suits, and they stand in different positions such as looking down on their phone or holding a briefcase.
The sculptures are supposed to tell a story and make us reflect on our place in a society dominated by bureaucracy and politics.
The 45 sculptures are placed on the walls, facades, and cornices around Namur. They’re not easy to spot, so you need to look really hard for them or follow this map: Isaac Cordal Map in Namur.
The trail begins in the garden of Namur’s City Hall.
8. Go for a walk by the river bank
As mentioned earlier, the Meuse River and the Sambre River meet in Namur. This means that there are plenty of opportunities to go for a walk along the river banks.
We found that one of the calmest and best free things to do in Namur, is to head down to the riverfront and have a stroll or a sit, and enjoy watching all the boats go by.
Plus, you can see the citadel from so many angles depending on which side of the river you’re at.
We also encountered a group of geese, who were curious about us and our camera. So, we naturally did a little photoshoot with them.
9. Visit the Church of Saint-Loup
The Saint-Loup Church, also known as the “Saint-Ignace Jesuit Church” because of its dedication to Saint Ignatius, was built between 1621 and 1645.
It’s considered one of the most beautiful baroque buildings in all of Belgium.
However, it’s the inside of the church that really takes your breath away. Therefore, visiting the Saint-Loup Church is one of the must-see attractions and things to do in Namur.
Visiting the church is completely free. However, the opening hours are scarce since it’s only open for visitors on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
But even if you visit outside of opening hours (like we did), you should still pay the church a visit because you can peek in through the big glass entry.
10. Enjoy the local beers of Namur
Just like any other city in Belgium, one of the best things to do in Namur is to try the local beers.
While we couldn’t find any breweries located directly in town, there are several breweries scattered around the Namur Province.
So naturally, you should try some of the beers from these breweries. Most popular are the Rochefort, which is a Trappiste beer and the Maredsous, which is an Abbey beer.
During our visit in Namur, we had the Maredsous.
We enjoyed our drink at one of the many bars at the plaza next to the Church of Saint-Jean Baptiste, which is another beautiful building in Namur.
11. Visit a museum in Namur
One of the classic things to do in a big city like Namur is to visit a museum. And while we didn’t find the time to visit one of the museums in Namur, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t.
The museums in Namur are very affordable with prices ranging between €3 to €8 depending on which museum you visit.
You can find everything from a Strawberry museum to a museum of the Ancient Arts of Namur to an IT museum. There are so many different ones to choose from.
Some of the museums are even completely free to enter such as Saint Julie’s Centre, Commando Museum, Mutien Marie Museum, and Les Bateliers.
12. Marvel at the street art in Namur
Namur is honestly so cool.
Not only does the city have quirky golden statues and funny sculptures of old men, Namur also has a lot of beautiful street art.
In fact, there is an urban street art trail that you can follow through Namur, which includes 18 works of art. Check out the map and street art in this link made by the tourist board: Street art trail in Namur
13. Get out on the river: Boat tour & Kayaks
Another one of the best things to do in Namur is to experience the city from the river.
While we didn’t get to do this activity ourselves, we learned that you can easily rent a small boat, a paddle board, or a kayak. Just head to Port de Jambes in Namur and check out the prices at Les Capitaineries.
These activities are only possible if you’re visiting Namur from mid-April to mid-October.
14. Hire a bike or go on a hike around Namur
Wallonia is known for incredible landscapes full of forests, hills, cliffs, and even caves!
So if you are staying in Namur for a couple of days, and you want to see more of the beautiful nature in Belgium’s Wallonia, then get out there.
You can either hire a bike or strap on your hiking shoes.
Even though we haven’t tried any trails in this exact area, we know that Wallonia is famous for its great hiking routes. You can also easily hire a bike from Namur and follow the Meuse River past some great viewpoints and caves.
We like to call Wallonia, “Belgium’s green lungs”, because the area is so green. It’s way less populated than Flanders, so you have the best opportunities to enjoy the nature of Belgium here.
15. Fun activities: Escape room, treasure hunt, axe-throwing
If you’re looking for some fun things to do, which doesn’t involve sightseeing in Namur, then go play a game.
Namur has bowling lanes, mini golf, laser tag, escape rooms, and even an axe-throwing bar. Yes, you heard the last one right. You can visit Drakkar Rouge in Namur and throw some axes around while getting drunk… It doesn’t sound safe, but it sure sounds like fun!
So basically, there are plenty of opportunities if you want to do some fun activities in Namur, which doesn’t involve the classic, touristy things to do.
You can also book a self-guided game where you discover Namur while playing a virtual Urban Escape game. Pretty cool right? It cost €20 per group (up to 6 people).
16. Take a one day trip from Namur
If you’re staying for a couple of days in Namur and want to do a day trip in this particular area of Belgium, then check out these 3 places:
- Dinant: Dinant is one of the more popular places to visit in Belgium. It’s kind of like Namur, but a lot smaller, quieter and greener. It also has a citadel with a great view and the Meuse River also runs through this city. Dinant is SO beautiful, and it’s only a 30 minute direct train ride away from Namur. Read more: Best things to do in Dinant
- Maredsous: Maredsous Abbey is located just 26 kilometers south of Namur, and it’s where the popular Maredsous cheese and beer originates from. It’s a great little day trip from Namur, and you can take a direct bus to Maredsous Abbey in just 45 minutes.
- Rochefort: Rochefort is a great little picturesque town in Belgium. You can easily go on a day trip to Rochefort from Namur with a direct train that takes 40 minutes. Popular things to do in Rochefort includes trying the local Rochefort beer and visiting the incredible caves in the area.
Our favorite things to do in Namur
Now that we’ve shared all the attractions and things to do in Namur, we want to tell you our personal top 3 favorite things to do and see in this lovely city in Belgium.
Visiting the Citadel was without a doubt our favorite thing to do in Namur, and it’s the biggest recommendation from us. We were absolutely blown away by the immensity of the place and its incredible viewpoints.
Then we really enjoyed discovering Namur’s quirky statues, funny sculptures, and beautiful street art. It really gives the city another layer that we were pleased to discover during our trip. So we advise you to look out for all the cool art that are hidden around the city.
The last thing we really enjoyed in Namur, was walking up and down the rivers. There is just something about water in a city. It creates another feel and dimension to the place. Watching the geese and the boats go by in the river while enjoying a good baguette is one of my favorite memories of Namur.
We hope you enjoyed this blog post about all the best attractions and things to do in Namur! We were blown away by Namur, and we keep wondering why nobody in Belgium talks about this city? It’s truly a hidden gem, and it’s the perfect place to stay if you want to explore Wallonia.
If you have any questions about Namur in Belgium, then don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Check out some other great cities in Belgium:
Namur sounds really interesting! I hadn’t heard of it before, so thanks for putting it on my radar. I love hidden gems, will add it to my Belgium travel bucket list!
Oh you’re so welcome Keri! I also never heard of Namur before, but I loved it here. Take care!
Thank you so much you really provided me with lots of information for my visit in a few weeks.
You’re much welcome Guylaine 😊 We hope you will have an amazing trip to Namur. We really liked it there!