La balades des Gnomes / © TravelmatKanner
This overnight excursion packs in magical cities, dream-like accommodation, a trojan horse, adrenaline-filled activities and megalithic standing stones.
Recently, we went on a short getaway, travelling just one and a half hours from the Luxembourg border towards the smallest city in the world, the magical Durbuy in Belgium.
And although we have been to Durbuy before, this time it was different. Unexplored treasures were discovered, fascinating places were unveiled, and a dreamland captured our emotions in the best way possible.
We started our journey on a Friday morning, during the last week of Christmas holidays in Luxembourg.
First stop was a little cute town I had read about called Weris. It is the place where you can observe original neolithic structures, the megaliths or standing stones. I immediately thought of Asterix and Obelix, this was going to be interesting…
Weris was a pleasant surprise. Having been named one of the most beautiful villages in Wallonia, it is indeed a very picturesque little village, with traditional architecture, peaceful surroundings and one of the cutest cafes we have tried in the area, where everything is homemade (omelettes, crepes, sweets and more). Not even the grey, wintry weather could take away from its beauty. Actually, Weris is one of those places that are beautiful at any time of the year.
But Weris is also the base of the Museum of Megaliths and the hiking trails that lead to the neolithic standing stones. A series of menhirs and dolmens (which served as tombs) are fascinating to visit on foot. These massive old stones, that ancient people placed without almost any tools, spread across beautiful fields. They proved exciting for the children, who viewed the whole experience like a treasure hunt.
Weris Museum of Megaliths / © TravelmatKanner
Before you start on the hiking trails, visit first the museum where you can learn about the history of the site from films and exhibits. You will be also provided with a map of the hiking trails and where to locate the megaliths.
A mini-Stone Henge at Weris. / © TravelmatKanner
After the hiking, a little break for refreshments, coffee and homemade food.
In Weris, you will find the cutest little café, Creations Gourmandes, where its owner makes delicious omelettes, crepes and more.
Creations Gourmandes / © TravelmatKanner
A neat little terrace is also available, which seems wonderful for the sunny days.
Before we left Weris, we had one more stop: the ‘’Maison de Hary Cot”.
This particular building comes out of the fantasy world, although it is still not clear to me if it is a hotel, or a restaurant, or both, it seems it can be booked as accommodation via Airbnb.
Maison de Hary Cot / © TravelmatKanner
In any case, we stopped to admire it and take some photos. Doesn’t it look other-worldly?
The overnight stay was really amazing. We chose to stay at La balades des Gnomes.
The accommodation has twelve unique rooms straight out of a fairy tale and is only 15 minutes’ drive from Durbuy. Each room has its own theme: from a cabin in the forest to a trojan horse! The owners have taken care of every little detail in this dream-like hotel, which transports you to different worlds. The breakfast is served in the rooms. It is quiet and serene in the morning, and very cosy in the evening, Most rooms are for two people, but there are a pair of family rooms available (the trojan horse and the wine room). If you like fairy tales and fantasy worlds this hotel will become one of your favourite
The photos do not do this place justice.
La balades des Gnomes / © TravelmatKanner
We will never forget our stay there: it created a magical atmosphere for the whole family and we will definitely like to be back. The trojan horse is very popular with families so you need to book at least two to three months in advance.
For dinner we tried Marmite des Trolls, which is just opposite the hotel. It was designed by the same architect and is another dream-like place with fireplaces, a cosy atmosphere and delicious food. After a long day of exploration a good meal was definitely needed. There is even a play corner for the children.
Marmite des Trolls / © TravelmatKanner
Next day we were ready for more action discoveries.
In the morning we arrived at Adventure Valley Durbuy.
It is the biggest adventure park in Belgium and is based in different locations around the city. There are many activities to try with the family, like:
Escape rooms, bowling, laser tag, fast tag, indoor and outdoor playgrounds for kids, zipline, adventure forest, high-ropes, tubing, caving experience, climbing, free fall, big air jumping, bike park, kayak, paddleboarding, nature walk, and more!
Adventure Valley Durbuy / © TravelmatKanner
We tried out bowling and laser tag and had lots of fun. Adventure Valley Durbuy also has a great restaurant and impressive, life-like dinosaurs at the entrance. If you go with the children I am sure you will all love it.
The final stop of our getaway is the smallest city in the world: Durbuy.
Durbuy / © TravelmatKanner
A popular destination for Luxembourg residents, it’s cute, small, beautiful, and has a Christmas market lasting until the first week of January. So we got lucky and also enjoyed the Christmas market atmosphere. We strolled the pebbled streets, had a delicious meal, and admired the architecture. Lunch was delicious Belgian fries and a cocktail (mocktail for kids) at the iconic pirate’s bar La Tortuga Durbuy.
Durbuy / © TravelmatKanner
Other activities and experiences in and around Durbuy
Caves of Hotton
Le Labyrinthe de Barvaux-sur-Ourthe (seasonal, normally open from July to October)
Battle Kart Wex
Archeoparc de Rochefort, Malagne
Les Grottes de Remouchamps
Parc des Topiaires
I hope you enjoyed this itinerary, and can’t wait to get your impressions.
Unti then, enjoy and Let’z TravelmatKanner!
