We hadn’t really planned on visiting Durbuy, Belgium. Our host at our accommodation in Belgium however highly recommended Durbuy when we asked her about great places to visit with kids.
We obviously had to follow the local advice and we were stunned by how beautiful the city was. A big bonus was that there were loads of things to do in Durbuy too! Well, not loads but enough to keep us entertained for the day.
From riding the tiny train (which was a big hit among the kids!) to indulging in some of the best food in Belgium, you have to admit that Durbuy is a great place for a day out!
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Looking for a great place to stay in Durbuy? I would recommend booking a room at Hotel Sanglier. It has an amazing view of the castle and great rooms too!
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How To Get To Durbuy, Belgium
Brussels is the closest city near Durbuy. The best way to Durbuy would be by car. That’s how we did it at the very least. It gave us the flexibility we needed with two toddlers in tow. We could also visit other locations and stay at rather offbeat places which was really nice.
The other way to get to Durbuy is by train. There are frequent trains that leave from Brussels Centraal station and that stop at Barvaux in Durbuy. This is certainly convenient if you stay in Brussels and aren’t renting a car. It takes a little over 2 hours to reach Durbuy by train. Barvaux is 4 km away from Durbuy though so you still have to make your way to the city.
What Is Durbuy Known For?
Did you know that Durbuy is the smallest city in the world? There are a couple of debates about this but suffice to say that the city of Durbuy is really tiny. You can easily walk around it and see everything in a day and still have time to spare. This is probably one of the most popular reasons why Durbuy Belgium is famous.
Did you know that while loads of tourists visit Durbuy every year, the actual number of residents in Durbuy’s city center is only 400? For a person like me this is so hard to fathom. In India, our cities are so crowded that this is really refreshing.
Things To Do In Durbuy, Belgium
Durbuy may be the smallest city in the world but you will find that there are a surprising number of things that you can do in Durbuy. In fact, you could spend a whole weekend here and not get bored. This is especially true if you love the outdoors and if you have great weather.
1. Take The Tiny Train
The tiny train is one of the best things to do in Durbuy because it gives you a view of the city from different perspectives.
I highly recommend starting the day with a train journey through Durbuy. This is one of the fun things to do in Durbuy, Belgium with kids. The small train accommodates both adults and children. You can book your tickets right in the center of the city.
The train tour will take you through the whole city. It will highlight all the iconic sights in Durbuy and will tell you a bit about the history of the town. This way you will know exactly what to watch out for when you take your own walk around the city.
2. Walk Around The Old City Center
The gorgeous buildings make walking through the city one my favorite things to do in Durbuy Belgium.
Walking around the old city center will not take a lot of time if you do it at a normal pace. If you decide to do it like we did, you probably could spend hours just taking in the scenic buildings. Kidding… you could definitely wander around for an hour. The buildings in the area are really unique and pretty. The narrow cobbled paths are great places for photographs.
While we were there, we even saw a couple of sales which caught our attention. All in all, walking around is a pretty lovely experience.
3. Head To La Belvédère For The View
Okay so you can walk to La Belvédère but if you have taken my advice and taken the tourist train around the city, you won’t have to.
The La Belvédère is a tower that you can climb up. It offers you an unparalleled view of the city and is by far one of the best things to do in Durbuy, Belgium.
The best time to visit La Belvédère is either early morning or in the afternoon. This is especially true if you have a lot of tourists in Durbuy when you visit.
I would recommend avoiding the crowds because La Belvédère has a narrow staircase and a very small platform at the top. So you would definitely have to wait a turn if there are lots of people.
4. Topiary Park
Now if you are an avid gardener, you will find that the Topiary park is one of the things to do in Durbuy, Belgium that you should not miss. The park has sculpted bushes and bonsai of all kinds in it.
Now the topiary park is pretty small and it does have an entrance fee so it may not really appeal to everyone. You can however take your dog in on a leash. There is also a nice quiet terrace where you can sit and relax. Plus the views are really spectacular.
We knew that the kids wouldn’t let us sit and chill because toddlers will be toddlers. So we didn’t really enter. Instead we let them run wild near the river. They had so much fun finding all kinds of leaves.
5. Durbuy Anticline
The anticline is one of the coolest things to do in Durbuy.
One of the most interesting attractions in Durbuy is a natural one. The Durbuy Anticline is super easy to visit. In fact, it is very very close to the city center. It should take you only 3 minutes to walk to it from the city center.
If you haven’t seen an anticline before or know what one is, don’t worry. Neither did we. Luckily Shawn had studied Geology in college so the girls and I got an impromptu lesson. The Durbuy anticline is 300 million years old. It has a classic U shaped formation
6. Head Out On One Of The Hiking Trails
One of the nicest things to do in Durbuy, Belgium is to head out hiking. There are loads of hiking trails in the area. We explored a few that were very close to the Durbuy anticline. Our exploration did not take us far though since we weren’t really prepared for hiking with toddlers and the skies decided to dump a bucketload of water on our heads.
It is definitely one of the parts of Durbuy that I would love to explore a bit more.
7. Visit The Durbuy Castle AKA Château de Durbuy
Don’t forget to add the Durbuy castle as one of the things to do in Durbuy that you should check out when you are in the city.
Right in the heart of Durbuy, is the famous Durbuy castle. I’ll be honest. You can’t really get in because the castle is not open to the public. Don’t tick it off your list just yet though. You can wander around the castle and admire it from the outside.
It is also one of the best places to catch some epic photographs. Now if you really want to catch an epic view, I would suggest crossing the bridge to the otherside of the river. This way you can get a pic of the castle, the bridge and the river all in one frame.
8. Adventure Valley Durbuy
Adventure Valley in Durbuy is one of the most sought after attractions in the city. Most of the activities there are designed to give you an adrenaline rush. There is both an indoor and outdoor section in this adventure park. Wondering what activities that you can take part in Adventure Valley in Durbuy? It is the biggest adventure park in Belgium so there are a lot of activities. Here are some of the ones that caught our attention.
- Escape room
- The Durbuy Labryinth
- Kids zone
- Bowling
- Fast tag
- Challenge Park
9. Kayaking In Durbuy
You will find that watersports are some of the popular things to do in Durbuy.
One of the best things to do in Durbuy, Belgium is kayaking. I highly recommend renting kayaks from the Adventure valley in Durbuy. That way you can have a nice lazy kayaking journey down the river. Mind you, not only is the place scenic, it also gives you a chance to see Durbuy from a different perspective.
10. Cycle Through The Countryside
Cycling is another way in which you can explore Durbuy and the surrounding areas. Now many people bring their own cycles when they visit. You will probably see everyone driving around with their cycles attached to the back of their cars.
Don’t worry if you don’t have your own. You can also rent a bicycle in Adventure valley in Durbuy. They have all kinds of different cycles there. I mean you can even rent a mountain bike if you want!
Looking for a great place to stay in Durbuy? I would recommend booking a room at Hotel Sanglier. It has an amazing view of the castle and great rooms too!
As you can see, the city is an amazing place. There are loads of different things to do in Durbuy to suit everyone’s need. The adventure activities are great for older kids and adrenaline lovers. The quiet streets call to the quieter souls and the ones who love history. The food is exquisite.
I really can’t say which of these numerous things to do in Durbuy is my favorite because the whole city is amazing. If you have any other activities that you would love to add to this list, let us know in the comments below.
Additional Resources You May Love
- Dinant Citadel: Gorgeous views & Loads Of History
- Le Château De Vêves – A Gorgeous Castle In Belgium
- 13 Amazing Souvenirs From Belgium That You Should Get!
- Is Ghent worth visiting?
- Cool things to do in Ghent
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