This small medieval town in Belgium's Ardennes has 500-year-old limestone buildings, a topiary park, and claims to be the world's smallest city.
Durbuy, a medieval town in Belgium's Ardennes region, lies 1.5 hours from Brussels along the Ourthe River. The town's 14th-century street layout remains intact, with stone houses and cobbled lanes winding between hills. You can paddle down rapids on the Ourthe River, walk among giant green elephants and dolphins crafted from yew trees, or scale 20-meter limestone cliffs at Adventure Valley park.
Walking the Medieval Streets
The old town of Durbuy spans just 2 hectares, with 14 narrow streets dating back to medieval times. Stone houses from the 17th and 18th centuries line the cobblestone paths, and you can walk the entire town center in about 30 minutes. Small shops sell local chocolates made with Ardennes honey and the town's signature La Durboyse beer, brewed with local spring water. In summer, the central square fills with market stalls and café terraces.
Exploring the Topiary Park
At Le Parc des Topiaires, you'll find more than 250 plants cut into detailed shapes - from 3-meter-tall elephants to intricate chess pieces. The one-hectare garden requires daily trimming to maintain its precise forms. Walk through the garden in spring to see new growth emerging, or visit in winter when frost outlines each carefully sculpted branch. Most visitors take about two hours to explore all the plant sculptures.
Adventure Valley Activities
Adventure Valley spans multiple locations in Durbuy and nearby Barvaux. You can ride the longest zipline in Benelux, measuring 120 meters, or try one of 35 climbing routes on natural limestone cliffs. When it rains, head inside for laser tag games and escape rooms. The park operates from March through November, with limited indoor activities during winter.
Geological Formations
The Roche à la Falize anticline, part of the UNESCO Famenne-Ardenne Geopark, shows dramatic folds in limestone layers created by ancient tectonic movements. Walk five minutes from the town center to see these 360-million-year-old rock formations. Look for the distinct parallel bands in the rock face that mark different periods of geological history.
Getting to Durbuy
Take the train to Barvaux station (4 kilometers from Durbuy) from Brussels, changing at either Marloie or Liège. The LeTEC route 11 ProxiBus connects Barvaux to Durbuy but runs only four times daily. By car from Brussels, follow the E411 and N4 highways for about 1.5 hours. You'll find parking lots at Place aux Foires and Rue des Récollectins, both within walking distance of the center.
