Idea of itinerary to visit Dinan
To visit the city center of Dinan as a couple or with friends, we share our itinerary with you! Follow us during our day trip to the heart of the medieval city...
Departure from Dinan Castle
Step 18:30 a.m. marks the start of our day in the medieval city of Dinan. To start, let's meet at dinan castle, the 14th century ducal residence that we wanted to visit in the morning. Impossible to miss, the imposing fortress is located south of the Dinan old town.
→ You can book your guided tour of the city of Dinan here!
To make the most of our escapade in the Dinan city center, we opt for the guided tour of the Château de Dinan. We are warmly welcomed by the tour guide who gives us a brief overview of the history of the place.
What to remember: the castle is composed, at the end of the 16th century, of three elements: the ducal tower, the Porte Guichet and the Tour Coëtquen.
Inside, we pass from room to room with anecdotes from our guide who takes us back to the daily life of knights in the Middle Ages.
Sweet break in the city center of Dinan
Step 2After the visit, a gourmet break is essential. By following our map of Dinan, we decide to join the St. Claire Street : here, we can say that the Dinan restaurants are not missing!
It's hard to choose from the restaurant menus, each more enticing than the next. We finally decide to play it "local color" by falling for one of the Dinan creperies. Between pancake and crepe, the wide choice of toppings reminds us that we are indeed in the kingdom of the crepe.
Improvised shopping spree
Step 3All occasions are good to enjoy a shopping trip! Neither one nor two, heading for the clock street, the place to know to do some shopping in the city center of Dinan.
Between the clothing or shoe shops, we stop in the souvenir shop to leave with a box of Gavottes.
Climb to the top of the Clock Tower of Dinan
Step 4We quickly arrive in front of the famous Clock Tower ! It is only at the foot of the building that you really realize its size: to see the top, you have to look up at more than 45 meters in height!
By straining the ear, one distinguishes the guide who explains that the tower had been built by the rich person bourgeoisie of Dinan in the 15th century. It symbolized the power of the bourgeois against the clergy as well as the ducal power. If at the beginning, it was used to watch over the city, the clock was only installed in the 16th century. An anecdote ? the clock mechanism dates from the 15th century : it is one of the oldest in Europe. Today the Clock tower has become an emblem of the city!
Here we go, we climb to the top of the tower! If the ascent requires a little courage, the effort is largely rewarded: the panoramic view of the city offers a photo worthy of a postcard.
- Adult entry is 4 euros
- Open from April 1 to October 6: Every day from 10:30 a.m. to 18:30 p.m. except Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 13 p.m. and from 14 p.m. to 18:30 p.m.
Stroll through the historic center of Dinan
Step 5We continue towards the Place des Merciers and Cordeliers : a perfect place to observe the pretty half-timbered houses typical of Dinan town centre.
On our way, we meet the Halls of Dinan where we see the market gardeners arranging their goods: we will come back tomorrow for the market in Dinan.
We continue our route in the city center of Dinan towards theChurch of Saint Malo. For the record, the church dates back more than 500 years and is still not finished!
- During the visit, many secrets are revealed to the most observant. A little clue? Stop in front of the colorful stained glass windows, and read, stained glass after stained glass, the history of the city...
Stroll along the unmissable rue du Jerzual
Step 6Who says visiting the city center of Dinan, says an essential passage through one of its emblematic streets: the rue du Jerzual that connects the historic center to the port of dinan. This steep street offers us real Middle Ages scenery, for a very pleasant stroll.
Art lovers (of all kinds), this is THE street to go to meet artists and artisans. Paintings, sculptures and other works of art are to be observed in their shop.
- When you go down rue du Jerzual, and after passing the door of the same name, the street becomes rue du Petit Fort!
- Discover here our hotels near rue du Jerzual
Stroll along the port of Dinan
Step 7If Dinan is a city to see absolutely for its architecture, we must not forget that it is (also!) a pretty port!
Who hasn't loved walking to the sound of lapping water and enjoying an ice cream with a view of the boats? It didn't take us long to come to an agreement... The walk along the port of dinan is really relaxing...
Relax in the English garden
Step 8Going up the rue du Jerzual, direction the English garden for a nature walk! Today, this park is a must-see spot for families and friends who want to get together. We then decide to know a little more about these places…
A lady explains to us that the park was theformer cemetery of the parish of Saint-Sauveur, next to the cathedral. For hygiene reasons, the cemetery was moved in 1830 to the current location. Fancy a second panoramic photo on the port of dinan ? Direction the Sainte-Catherine tower !
Before leaving, it's impossible not to miss the unmissable (and famous) Saint-Sauveur Basilica, located right next to the garden. In a mixture of styles, the Basilica reveals its Romanesque, classical, Baroque and Gothic architecture...
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