From kayaking to cat cafes, Belgian city Namur is a real find
ENJOY a gorgeous weekend away in the incredible Belgian city of Namur.
Whether you are looking for activities to do with the kids such as kayaking and drinking milkshake in a cat cafe – or a romantic getaway where you can stay in a luxurious hotel and enjoy a Michelin-starred meal, this city will take your breath away.
PEDDLE PAST A CHATEAU
Rent a bike from ProVelo at Namur train station, and hit the 21-mile Namur to Anhée round-trip route. Push bike hire costs £9 a day, and electric bikes are £20 (Provelo.org).
You’ll pass Belle Époque suburbs, thick forests, a small chateau and soaring cliffs.
At Anhée, park your wheels at the bridge, then walk 10 minutes uphill to Annevoie Water Gardens, a romantic series of canals, ponds and fountains set amid landscaped gardens. Entry costs £8.50 (Annevoie.be).
Or join the swans, geese and ducks in this pretty city and hop on a paddle board or in a kayak from Les Capitaineries to paddle beneath bridges and around islets in the gentle Meuse river. Hire costs £13 an hour (Lescapitaineries-de-namur.be).
HIT THE CAT CAFE
Head to the leafy, 15-hectare Citadelle de Namur Park to walk along the medieval ramparts for sweeping views over the Old Town, the city’s two rivers and the foothills of the Ardennes Mountains (Citadelle.namur.be).
Later, visit the Old Town museum dedicated to Félicien Rops, a local 19th-century satirist who sketched the darker side of life, from bored sex workers to macabre depictions of life and death – it’s creepily fascinating. Tickets costs £4 (Museerops.be).
For light relief, the city’s most adorable tea room, Chez Miss Miaouw, has helped rehome 200 cats since opening in 2018.
Sip a hazelnut and caramel milkshake, £5, as you play with one of the 12 resident felines (Facebook.com/chezmissmiaouw).
PICK OUT A PERFUME
Splurge on embroidered boho skirts and handmade lace tops, from £80, at Manice Atelier (Manice.be).
Designed in the on-site studio, clothes are made either in Namur or at a women’s cooperative in India.
The couple behind Nez Zen Artisanale Parfumerie previously worked for major perfumers, and now their own line uses all-natural vegan ingredients, with scents inspired by nature and their travels. Perfumes cost from £26 for 15ml (Nezzen.be).
For a chocolate fix, grab pralines by Chantale Florent and other sweet treats from local food makers at Paysans Artisans cooperative (Paysans-artisans.be).
BTW
Building work at Les Tanneurs is due to finish by the end of this month, so check before you book.
Eurostar takes two hours from London to Brussels, from £78 return (Eurostar.com).
Fast trains from Brussels to Namur take 45 minutes, £15 return (Raileurope.com).
It’s a four-hour drive from Folkestone via Eurotunnel, from £31 each way (Eurotunnel.com).
EAT RIVERSIDE
Settle back at Le College bar on Rue du Collège for a glass of Chimay Triple, one of Belgium’s renowned Trappist beers, £3.
Then splash out at La Plage d’Amée, a glass-fronted Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking the river serving creative cuisine, such as runny egg in baked angel-hair pasta nests, topped with fish mousse and baby prawns. Three courses cost £45 (Laplagedamee.be).
Or take a perch at Tapasoif, a wine bar serving Greek-style tapas – think courgette koftas and baked halloumi with caramelised onions. Small plates cost around £7 (Tapasoif.be).
SLEEP IN A PRISON
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A clutch of 17th-century buildings, including former tanneries and a prison, make up four-star Les Tanneurs.
It boasts original oak beams and stone fireplaces, as well as the loveliest staff, and is just minutes from the Old Town. Double rooms cost from £75 B&B (Tanneurs.com).
For some R&R, book The Royal Snail, a design hotel below the citadelle with sauna, whirlpool and outdoor plunge pool. Double rooms cost from £115 (Theroyalsnail.com).
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