Things to do in Wallonia: Dinant, Namur & the Ardennes

Namur Citadel offers a 450-metre guided tour of its underground passages and a commentated tourist train past the fortifications and the Meuse valley, with a cable car up from the city centre, while the clifftop Dinant Citadel looks out over Dinant and the Meuse, with themed immersive rooms explored on a HistoPad tablet and a 3-in-1 package that adds a Meuse cruise. At Han-sur-Lesse, the Domain of the Caves of Han pairs the 'Discovery' tour of the Caves of Han with the Han Wildlife Park, seen by Safari-bus or on foot, and in the Ardennes the thousand-year-old Bouillon Castle has underground passages, a drawbridge and 360-degree views from the Autriche Tower, while the small town of Durbuy is known for its Parc des Topiaires. Families can spend a full day at Pairi Daiza in Brugelette, an 80-hectare zoological garden with giant pandas and polar bears, or at Walibi Belgium in Wavre, home of the award-winning family coaster Mecalodon, which becomes Walibi Winter with eight Nordic-inspired areas in the cold season. At Waterloo, climb the 226 steps of the Lion's Mound, see the circular Panorama painting and watch the 4D film in the Memorial 1815 exhibition, all on one ticket.

Good to knowDinant Citadel's cable car is closed for renovation, so check access before you go, and book a slot for the 'Discovery' tour of the Caves of Han at the online ticket office; in winter the Han Wildlife Park's last departures are earlier. Walibi Belgium opens seasonally around themed events, so check its calendar (Early Bird tickets for Walibi Winter are cheaper online), and Pairi Daiza's indoor tropical garden Edenya needs a separate booking and fee. Bouillon Castle has many stairs and narrow passages, so strollers are best left at the entrance, and the opening hours of Durbuy's Parc des Topiaires vary by season.