Stephanie and Joe's Dinant day: a quiet cave and a Flemish dinner

On Friday 19 June, Stephanie F. and Joe M. spent the day around Dinant with me. They come from California, and Belgium was part of a three-country trip with the Netherlands and Luxembourg. They first wrote in April, with one practical question. They were sleeping in Brussels that night, so could I drop them off there?

How the day was built

I picked them up at 08:00 at their hotel in Brussels. The plan was to have them back at the same door around 20:00. Through the day I set out small tastings, and at the end they told me they liked those.

Coffee above Walzin

The first long stop was the viewpoint above Château de Walzin. I made coffee in a moka pot and set out tea, chocolate and biscuits. Joe later called it a mini-picnic in the woods by a river, with the castle in the background.

A cave almost to themselves

That day we went to Grotte La Merveilleuse, the cave right in Dinant, not the one at Rochefort. It saved us about forty minutes of driving each way.

It turned out to be their highlight. For most of the visit they were the only people in their part of the cave.

Trappist beer and lunch by the river

Around midday I poured a Trappist tasting with charcuterie. Lunch was at a Belgian restaurant in Dinant, looking out over the river. On the table: boulets in Liège sauce, croquettes, scampi in curry sauce and sea bream as the fish of the day. Stephanie reads French, and she ordered in French.

The citadel, Leffe and Freÿr

After lunch we went up to the citadel of Dinant. In Dinant we also stopped for a drink at Maison Leffe. Then we drove to the cliff above Château de Freÿr and looked down on the gardens. After that came the gardens themselves, and a beer.

A Flemish dinner to end the day

The day ended over a Flemish dinner together. They were the youngest guests I had ever had, and the same age as me. Afterwards I told my partner it felt like being on the road with two American friends.

In Joe’s words

Joe posted this review on TripAdvisor in July 2026, under the name Stephanie & Joe M.

Our guide, Joris, and the trek were an absolute pleasure! I would highly recommend this experience, especially to anyone interested in the Belgian countryside, Dinant and its history, Trappist beers, castles, or simply spending a wonderful day exploring with a knowledgeable local. This trek was one of the major highlights of our three-country trip through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, which speaks for itself.

There were so many highlights throughout the day. We began by chatting each other’s ears off, learning about Belgium, sharing life adventures, and exploring the differences between our cultures. It set the tone perfectly for the rest of the experience.

From there, we enjoyed a lovely mini-picnic with coffee, chocolate, and biscuits in the woods alongside a river with an elegant historic castle in the background. We explored underground caves near Dinant and were essentially the only people there, creating another wonderfully private-feeling experience at an otherwise popular attraction. Joris deserves a great deal of credit for planning the timing so well.

Joris treated us to a delicious Trappist beer tasting with charcuterie, followed by a relaxed lunch overlooking the river, castle, and gardens in Dinant. We visited the town itself, along with several castles and historic sites throughout the surrounding countryside. The day offered an excellent balance between receiving a crash course in the area’s history from Joris and having time to explore independently.

We ended the day with a drink at a local Trappist brewery overlooking Dinant and the river, followed by a visit to one final picturesque town and a delicious Flemish dinner with Joris at a local restaurant.

From the very beginning, conversation with Joris about Belgium, travel, and life felt completely natural. Well before the end of the day, it felt as though we were old friends taking a mini road trip and adventuring through the countryside together. It was a lovely experience from start to finish.

A few additional notes for anyone interested:

[…]

• Joris kept us well hydrated throughout the day with a ready supply of water.

Overall, this was an exceptional experience, and we could not recommend Joris and the trek more highly.

Well before the end of the day, it felt as though we were old friends taking a mini road trip and adventuring through the countryside together.

Joe M., on TripAdvisor

A day like this

This day suits people who like a full, active day: castles, a cave, a citadel, tastings and two meals. It is long. Stephanie and Joe left Brussels at 08:00, and the plan was to be back around 20:00. If you want a short day, or grand château interiors are not for you, tell me first. Then I build the day around the stops that suit you.

What would a day like this cost today? Read what a private day in Belgium costs, and what is in it.

If you would like a day like theirs, send us your dates on our private day page.