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For a wonderful, relaxing weekend try Dinant. It has great architecture, great views from the fortress on top of the mountain and great food. Sit a cafe and watch the world go by in one of Belgium’s most beautiful cities.

The Ardennes refers to a hilly, forested corner of Wallonia and encompasses the cities of Namur and Dinant as well as many picturesque towns and villages. Largely undiscovered by foreign tourists, it’s a local getaway for sports activities, relaxing, and enjoying nature. The drive along the Meuse River is studded with castles, scenic lookouts, and wonderful restaurants.

Maison Collard’s claim to fame is a cookie so hard they have to print a warning on it. Legend has it, during the great siege of 1466, the people of Dinant were starving and had only two things at their disposal: flour and honey. They made these into dough and baked it. Later, they began to stamp patterns into the hard dough, with brassware found in their kitchens. In reality, there is little historical evidence to support the existence of the couque before the 18th century. Throughout the period, couques were decorated with depictions of important historic events. Although the tough dough is no longer kneaded by hand, the cookies are still pressed into hand-carved pear wood moulds. Popular shapes include animals, fruits, and scenes of Dinant. Nowadays, sugar and spices are also frequently added to the mix. Couques sold these days must be labeled with a warning advising people not to bite into the hard cookie. Instead, you are advised to dunk it in a beverage, to soften it, or break off a small piece and suck it. In fact, couques are traditionally given to babies to suck on while they are teething. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/08/flamiche-couques-de-dinant-foodie-favourites-wallonia-belgium/

As a fan of all things artisanal, nothing excites me more than stepping into a place that looks the same as it did 100 years ago. When my eyes adjusted to the dim light, inside the Brasserie Caracole, I could see this Belgian brewery was just such a place. Dinant’s Brasserie Caracole brews artisanal and organic Belgian beer over an open fire, just as they have since the 18th century. In the centre of the front room stands one large vat for mixing the 850kg of malt with hot water. (Caracole is apparently the last beer to be brewed over an open fire in all of Europe.) Hops and spices are added to the mix as the beer gradually ferments. From there, the beer is piped into a holding tank, for 15 days, where it will become clearer as it cools. My favourite part of the Brasserie Caracole was tucked behind the brewing room. Here, the building opened into a large hall, filled with tables, and the prominent bar displaying Caracole’s Belgian beer varieties. The walls were decorated with posters of the colourful and quirky beer labels, each one sporting a ‘caracole’ or snail-shell. The Brasserie Caracole is well worth a visit. It’s open every day during July and August and Sunday afternoons the rest of the year. To organize a tour, be sure to contact them in advance. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/artisanal-organic-belgian-beer-caracole-brewery-dinant/

Face it: what would jazz be without the saxophone? And where would the saxophone be without Adolphe Sax? Well, there wouldn’t be a sax because Mr. Sax from the town of Dinant invented it. Today the town celebrates him like you wouldn’t believe. There are saxs along the main bridge, sax shaped statues and cookies, and also a statue of the musician himself sitting outside his old house that is now a quasi-museum celebrating his life. The house is located on, you guessed it, “Sax Street”.

While fields of sheep, cattle and horses are common sights in rural Belgium, you may do a double-take while passing by L’Autrucherie du Pont d’Amour, near Dinant. Yes those giant birds are ostriches (and a few emus, rheas and cassowaries). The ostrich farm has been in operation since 1995 and sells many different products in its farm shop. You an purchase ostrich meat, which is extremely low in cholesterol, ostrich eggs, which can feed up to 8 people, feathers and even ostrich leather. The farm also sells home-made sausages and pates. The farm has open days and you can arrange a tour of the facilities. Even if you don’t stop by the shop, it’s worth driving by the farm just to see these majestic birds in such an unlikely place.

Strawberry season in Belgium is a big deal, particularly in the town of Wépion, near Dinant in the Wallonia region. Wépion’s berries are known throughout the country, as the best strawberry, and their arrival on store shelves is eagerly anticipated. In fact, the town loves its red berries so much, they have their own museum, the Musée de la Fraise, or Strawberry Museum. This tiny museum tells the history of strawberry growing and production in this region and explains its importance to the economy and culture of Wépion. The museum also boasts a small shop of strawberry products (pictured here) including: jams, candies, liqueur and, of course, strawberry beer (It is Belgium after all). In the summer, there are also guided tours of the 35 acre “Jardin des Petits Fruits,” a garden of local and exotic fruits. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get a taste. Don’t forget to stop at one of the town’s many strawberry stands to taste these local legends for yourself.

The fortress/castle was built back at the beginning of the 14th century on a rocky outcrop. Two centuries later the castle was destroyed and that is what remains today. The castle can be visited in the warmer months, but not in October, I just found out today! Still you can walk close to it but the best view are from below, unless you plan to scale the cliff.