One (Brief) Night in Namur, Belgium

One of my goals when visiting Belgium in 2014 was to see some of the quaint little villages that speckled the countryside. Namur, located along the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre Rivers, fit the bill perfectly.

Unfortunately for Ben and I, my ability to edit my travel plans meant we spent much less time in Namur than I would have liked, arriving later in the early evening than desirable, but still getting a quick feel for the charm that this little town exudes.

In another adventure around Belgium, I would go back, spending more time here, perhaps two to three days, enjoying the easy-going vibe, the lovely architecture, the history that abounds, and all the charm that Namur gives off. This college town and capital of Wallonia with its beautiful and historic citadel overlooking the town below should definitely be added to any Belgium adventure.

Here's a quick look at our one (much too short) evening in Namur.

Stay at The Royal Snail Hotel

One of the places I was most looking forward to staying at in our travels to Belgium was The Royal Snail Hotel, with its funky design, interesting rooms, and fun vibe. In hindsight, I would love to spend more than the one night, take a dip in the pool, maybe grabbing a bite to eat at Agathopède.

Generally when we travel, we aim to stay at hotels within my husband's chain, followed by apartments, then branching out to smaller boutique hotels. There are times when a hotel makes more sense than an apartment, such as a quick overnight stay.

Located right across the street from the Meuse, and only a 10 minute walk away from the city center (and even closer to the citadel), The Royal Snail is a great place to spend a night or two exploring Namur.

We stayed here on October 15, 2014 in a Standard Pool View room at the cost of €95, well worth the money for a comfortable bed, stylish décor, view of the fun pool, and ease of getting to and from the property. I would highly recommend this hotel if you're heading to Namur, and I would look to book it again the next time I'm in the area.

Stroll Through Town and Dinner

Because we didn't give ourselves enough time to actually enjoy Namur (my bad, my bad), once we got to the hotel we immediately head out into town. We strolled along the Meuse River, crossing the bridge into the main part of Namur. We walked along the quaint back streets, some covered in stone pavers, with very few cars. This being Belgium, a gentle rain had just coated the roads, allowing the street lights and illuminated store signs to leave a bright shine on the pavement.

This 15-20 minute walk would be the most sight-seeing we'd get of Namur, and it allowed us to take in some of the charm of the village-like feel of the downtown area.

We eventually reached our dinner destination, Le Saint Loup, a fondue restaurant that happened to have a large selection of local Belgium beers. We opted for some melty cheese fondue, dipping in some delicious crusty bread, accompanied by a leafy salad (not dipped in the fondue, obvs), some potatoes, and a charcuterie plate. After a long day of exploring the French, Luxembourg and Belgium countryside, this was the perfect meal to end a long day. Washing it all down with some yummy beers made it complete. Even though our time in Namur wasn't the most exciting, the beer, cheese, atmosphere and fun we had in our short time made it a few hours worth remembering.

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Getting to Namur, Belgium

Having come from a very brief stopover in Luxembourg City, Namur is a quick hour and a half drive along fast moving Belgium highways. It could make for a great base to explore a few of the surrounding villages, such as Dinant, or a quick side trip from a longer stay in Dinant.

Whatever you do, don't do as I did and only spend an evening there. Give yourself at least an entire day to take in its charms, and, if you have the time, perhaps another day to not feel so rushed. Next time, that's exactly what I'll be doing.