Durbuy, a charming city to discover

History

The village is first mentioned as ‘Durboium’ in a written text of 814, and its earliest castle was built around 889. Then, from the eleventh century onwards, the village name starts to appear in a number of official documents.

As early as the fourteenth century, Durbuy had already acquired a city wall, and its own court house and police force. And then in 1331, John, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, granted Durbuy city status and its own city charter of rights.

Durbuy has retained this title right through into modern times. So, despite its tiny population, it remains a city which its inhabitants proudly call "the smallest city in the world". However, it’s likely that this particular "record" really belongs to the city of Staverden, in the Dutch province of Gelderland, which has only 40 inhabitants.

Durbuy’s principal assets

The city’s main tourist attraction is its Topiary Park which houses a collection of 250 beautifully sculpted boxwood evergreens. Some of these magnificent specimens are said to be over 100 years old. The park is open to visitors every day from March to December, and on weekends during the month of February, between the hours of 10 am to 5 pm (or up to 4 pm during December). This is a very pleasant walk and admission costs 4.5 euros for adults and 1 euro for children between 6 and 12 years old (free admission for children under 6 years of age).

Durbuy retains the atmosphere of a medieval town and is a very tourist-friendly destination. It is home to many restaurants and hotels set in charming blue stone buildings. If you find yourself spoilt for choice, you could always try the Le Sanglier des Ardennes or Le Fou du Roy, two of Durbuy’s best-known restaurants.

The Ourthe River passes through the city and also marks the border between three of Wallonia’s principal geographical regions: the Condroz, the Famenne and the Ardennes. This charming river is absolutely perfect for water sports such as rafting or kayaking.

You can also rent mountain bikes or go horse riding in Durbuy – two great ways to explore the city’s peaceful surroundings.

Access

Public transport in the area is somewhat is limited, so it’s a good idea to travel to Durbuy by car if at all possible. However, buses on the Brussels-Luxembourg route stop twice a day at Barvaux station. From there, you must then take a taxi to Durbuy, which is four kilometres away.

Arriving by car, simply follow the signs to Durbuy from the E411 or E25 or else take the N4.