Welcome to Bordeaux
Bordeaux is the sixth-largest French metropolis and the capital of the Aquitaine area. It’s positioned in southwest France, near the Spanish border.
The romantic technique to consult with Bordeaux is ‘Porte de la Lune’ (Port of the Moon), for the mild moon-like curve that the Garonne River creates.
It’s value figuring out that Bordeaux represents the world’s largest city ensemble of the celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Record, since 2007.
Desk of Contents
1
- Bordeaux Itinerary
- Why Go to Bordeaux?
- The best way to Get to Bordeaux
- What number of days in Bordeaux?
- Issues to do in Bordeaux
- Admire the Romanesque and Flamboyant Gothic type of Bordeaux
- Get misplaced within the markets
- Go to distinctive artwork hubs and wine establishments
- Immerse your self in wine tasting experiences across the metropolis
- Buy groceries the Bordelaise method
- Day journeys from Bordeaux
- St. Émilion
- Dune du Pilat
- The place to Keep in Bordeaux
- Bordeaux Itinerary Map
- Bordeaux Itinerary
Bordeaux Itinerary
On this Bordeaux itinerary, we’ll share among the greatest issues to do in Bordeaux. From a gastronomic viewpoint, the Bordeaux area is legendary for its prestigious, wonderful, and full-bodied wines.
Greater than 80% of the Bordeaux wines are pink wines made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grapes. The completely different blends and ageing processes make these wines among the greatest on this planet!
So now it’s time to dive into this itinerary, perceive the the reason why you must go to Bordeaux, try among the greatest issues to do in Bordeaux, and skim a number of extra sensible data to rearrange your journey.
Why Go to Bordeaux?
- The city panorama is a singular combine of latest and previous. Bordeaux boasts an fascinating architectural heritage, from the Roman ruins of Palais Gallien to the ultra-modern workplaces and vertical gardens of the riverbank space.
- It’s an excellent vacation spot for all of the artwork, historical past, and tradition lovers on the market. There are greater than 300 historic buildings and tens of artwork galleries, museums, and cultural experiences to attempt. On high of that, Bordeaux affords an fascinating city artwork scene and there are completely different spots across the metropolis to not miss!
- The Bordeaux area is legendary for its wines. Which means that by visiting Bordeaux you possibly can pattern completely different ones throughout your keep. The quantity of wine tasting experiences are countless. From the one, you possibly can expertise inside museums, to the extra ‘native’ ones on the bar together with cheese and cured ham boards.
- Bordeaux is an ideal place to start out day journeys across the Aquitaine and Médoc areas. These areas of France are in style for the countryside and their vineyards. Ideally, hire a automobile, as there’s an absence of public transport to many of the châteaux.
The best way to Get to Bordeaux
The Bordeaux airport is also called Bordeaux-Mérignac, and it’s solely 10 kilometers away from the town heart.
There may be the bus n. 1 connecting the airport to the town heart each 10 minutes, between 6 am to 11 pm, and the experience is simply 40 minutes lengthy.
Pont du Pierre
The ticket value is 1,70euro. Should you pay with money, bear in mind to purchase your ticket on the close by machine, because the bus driver gained’t provide you with any change. You can even pay by card on the bus.
Bordeaux airport is well-connected to many European cities, comparable to London, Manchester, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, and Madrid.
You can even get to Bordeaux from London by Eurostar, with a change of prepare in Paris. You possibly can journey from or to Paris, by taking the prepare from the Gare St-Jean station, generally for lower than 20euro every method.
What number of days in Bordeaux?
We advise spending 4 or 5 days in Bordeaux. This Bordeaux itinerary is ideal for somebody that wishes to spend a weekend or lower than per week within the metropolis.
The streets of Bordeaux
To profit from your keep, purchase the Bordeaux Metropole Metropolis Move that provides you free entry to greater than 10 museums, reductions on wine tastings, and lunch or dinner cruises, and limitless entry to public transport for twenty-four, 48 or 72 hours.
You possibly can lengthen your journey, by exploring the remainder of the Aquitaine area or driving in direction of the Basque Nation in Spain.
In actual fact, there are completely different choices when it comes to highway journeys to discover this a part of France and ranging from Bordeaux.
Should you like the concept of renting a automobile, you possibly can both go for a Bordeaux wine highway journey stopping in villages like St. Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac, and Médoc or uncover the great thing about the Atlantic Ocean coast with stops in Aracachon to see the Dune du Pilat and La Rochelle.
Issues to do in Bordeaux
With so many issues to do in Bordeaux let’s have a look at in style actions that you just wouldn’t need to miss out on throughout your keep within the metropolis.
Admire the Romanesque and Flamboyant Gothic type of Bordeaux
Throughout your journey to Bordeaux, you’ll witness the robust presence of the magnificent Flamboyant Gothic type throughout Bordeaux.
Cathedral St Michel
There are at the least three cathedrals or basilica you must embrace in your Bordeaux itinerary: the Cathédrale St-André, the Basilique St-Seurin, and the Basilique St-Michel.
The Cathédrale St-André is also called the Bordeaux Cathedral, and it was an necessary cease for medieval pilgrims on their technique to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
We advise climbing up the 231 steps of Tour Pey Berland, the cathedral’s freestanding bell tower, for an excellent view of Bordeaux.
Keep on the AMA as these flats are meters away from Bordeaux cathedral, the Saint-Michel cathedral and the Museum of Aquitaine.
One of the best place to remain in Bordeaux is near the principle sights!
The Basilique St-Seurin is positioned in place des Martyrs et de la Résistance and gained the UNESCO World Heritage standing in 1998.
The Romanesque basilica was constructed on high of an historic Gallo-Roman necropolis.
Place de la Bourse
The Basilique St-Michel is one other spectacular instance of the Flamboyant Gothic type. The works to construct the basilica continued for 200 years and began within the 14th century.
On sunny days, the stained-glass home windows supply to the customer a fascinating play of lights and colours.
Other than church buildings and cathedrals, you must undoubtedly go to essentially the most lovely medieval Gothic gates of the town: the Grosse Cloche and Porte Cailhau.
Get misplaced within the markets
Essentially the most genuine technique to get to know the true Bordeaux is by visiting the native markets.
Marche des Capucines
With a variety of recent native substances and their vibrant environment, the markets are one of the best place to pattern and purchase native merchandise like oysters, cured hams, and cheeses.
The Bordeaux custom of markets is sort of robust, and essentially the most liked by locals is the Marché des Capucins. It is a coated meals market and the best place to sip white wine and slurp oysters for lunch.
There are a few bars and small eating places the place you possibly can get pleasure from a beautiful lunch on the go too.
The Sunday morning market of Marché des Quais can be value a go to.
Get there round 9 am, order a espresso and a freshly handmade croissant and benefit from the view of the Garonne River.
Twice per 12 months in Place des Quincones the largest antiques and second-hand market truthful takes place.
Place des Quincones is a significant landmark in Bordeaux. To benefit from the occasions within the close by sq., keep on the marvelous Le Joyau by Cocoonr solely 600 meters away and a brief stroll away from Place de la Bourse.
You can even go to the Brocante du Dimanche, an antiques and classic Sunday morning market in St-Michel, and the Halles de Bacalan for a contemporary meals market expertise.
Go to distinctive artwork hubs and wine establishments
France is thought for its expressions of artwork, and Bordeaux is a implausible vacation spot in Europe for artwork and museum lovers.
Cite du Vin
The vary of exhibitions on supply varies from fine-art shows to modern reveals inside garages and warehouses.
Crucial artwork museum within the metropolis is the Musée des Beaux-Arts, with collections from the Renaissance to the mid-Twentieth century.
One other artwork museum to discover is the Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design with porcelain, iron, glass, and pottery artworks, positioned in an 18th-century resort.
For an alternate museum expertise, we advocate paying a go to to the Base Sous-Marin, a recent artwork exhibitions hub in a WWII bunker, and the Miroir d’Eau, the world’s largest reflective pool, in entrance of the Place de la Bourse.
Lastly, don’t overlook in your Bordeaux itinerary so as to add the Cité du Vin (Metropolis of Wine) museum. An actual establishment within the metropolis and on this planet for wine lovers. It’s an interactive and fashionable museum that celebrates every part about wine by sensory experiences.
You possibly can pre-book your ticket and keep away from queues on the entrance with this skip-the-line ticket & wine tasting, together with a ultimate wine tasting with a view of the town, from the 35-meter-high museum’s belvedere’
The museum structure resembles the form of a wine decanter. One other wine museum to go to is the Musée du Vin et du Négoce if you’re seeking to know extra about wine from Bordeaux.
This museum is hidden in one of many oldest buildings within the metropolis.
Immerse your self in wine tasting experiences across the metropolis
Bordeaux is among the largest producers of wine in France and we are able to safely say that among the greatest pink wines on this planet come from Bordeaux!
Cheese and Cured Ham in Bordeaux
Right here you’ll be spoilt by the large number of wine bars, programs, and workshops to be taught concerning the Bordelaise wine tradition while consuming scrumptious pink wines.
We advocate staying on the Ténéo Apparthotel Bordeaux Maritime if you wish to be tremendous near the Cité du Vin museum.
The wine tasting record of experiences is sort of lengthy and various! We advocate, on the finish of the Cité du Vin museum go to, to go to the Belvedere rooftop and select from a variety of native wines to style.
L’Intendendant is the largest French wine store to go to for Saturday-morning tastings and the Bar à Vin is the correct place the place to have aperitivo and the place every wine will likely be paired with some nibbles!
If you need a neighborhood skilled to show you every part about wines, then be part of this Bordeaux morning wine tasting class. Pattern wonderful Bordeaux wines and learn to evaluate wines and create your individual ‘cuvée”
Buy groceries the Bordelaise method
One of the best place the place to buy in Bordeaux is Rue Sainte-Catherine which occurs to be the longest pedestrian purchasing avenue in Europe!
Guide Market place des Quincones
Right here there are all of the attainable purchasing shops from the Galerie La Fayette to the Galerie Bordelaise, a Nineteenth-century purchasing arcade.
However the unbiased boutiques and design outlets are positioned on Rue St-James, within the Saint-Pierre quarter, and in Rue Notre-Dame in Chartrons.
When in search of presents from France or in case you’re in search of a memento to take residence or to offer to family and friends, you possibly can’t get it fallacious by selecting a regionally produced wine or another ‘Made in Bordeaux’ treats.
For all of the foodies on the market, we advise making an attempt after which bringing residence some canèles and the Dune Blanche.
The canèles are small pastries flavored with rum and vanilla and Dune Blance is a crunchy pastry garnished with a lightweight and ethereal cream. Probably the most scrumptious pastries you’ll ever attempt!
Day journeys from Bordeaux
Doing day journeys from Bordeaux offers you ample alternative to see greater than you normally would inside a shorter time-frame.
St. Émilion
The picturesque village of St. Émilion is a must-see place so as to add to your Bordeaux itinerary.
St Emilion
St. Émilion is positioned 47 kilometers east of Bordeaux and you will get there by automobile, prepare from Gare St-Jean railway station, or be part of a tour.
We advocate trying out this one From Bordeaux: St. Emilion Village Half-Day Wine Tour.
The medieval village is surrounded by vineyards from the place among the greatest Bordeaux wines come from and is a UNESCO World Heritage Website since 1999.
It’s actually a captivating place to discover, and also you shouldn’t miss a go to to the historic metropolis heart.
Among the many 12 architectural gems to go to, don’t overlook to incorporate:
- The Monolithic church and the bell tower,
- The Tour du Roy
- The collegiate church and its cloister (Église Collégiale et son Cloître) and the steep streets (Tertres).
Wine tasting St Emilion
Being in St. Émilion is a good alternative so as to add a wine tasting expertise. Simply select one of many many wine outlets of the town heart, or guide a go to to a close-by château (conventional manor or large nation home).
Should you don’t know which one to choose, simply go to the vacationer workplace, and so they’ll present a château record full with tour prices, distance from the town heart, and languages spoken.
You can even check out Rue des Vignerons to guide your go to.
Dune du Pilat
One other day journey you possibly can plan and add to your Bordeaux itinerary is the Dune du Pilat and Bassin d’Arcachon.
Dune du Pilat
The Dune du Pilat is the most important sand dune in Europe and you’ll get pleasure from a mind-blowing view from the highest of it!
You possibly can’t miss the exhilarating emotion of strolling down the wood staircase or barefoot and be in the course of this fascinating white dune dealing with the ocean.
To get there, you must first take a prepare from Bordeaux Gare St-Jean to Arcachon (one hour) and from that prepare station, take the Baia bus, line 1 to Dune du Pilat (half-hour).
The Bassin d’Arcachon is the proper escape for Bordelaise individuals in search of some recent air and to calm down on the seaside.
Alternatively, you possibly can be part of this Arcachon Bay morning journey leaving from Bordeaux within the morning.
That is the place the place you possibly can style one of the best oysters in France, it’s only a matter of selecting your favourite native restaurant the place to do this!
The place to Keep in Bordeaux
Should you’re staying in Bordeaux for simply a few nights then the most suitable choice is to guide your lodging in a central space.
Bordeaux Quai
The neighborhoods you possibly can have a look at for various kinds of lodging and costs are Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul, and Quincones.
For a solo traveler on a finances, we advise reserving a hostel. In Bordeaux, you could find very good hostels, such because the Central Hostel with clear and enormous rooms, a cool bar the place you possibly can have a drink with of different vacationers, reception accessible 24 hours and free Wi-Fi.
In case you are a pair in search of a mid-range and central lodging then you possibly can go for the three-starred Resort de la Presse, positioned 5 minutes stroll from the Grand Théâtre and Rue Sainte-Catherine.
It’s a designed and household resort with spacious and brilliant rooms, free Wi-Fi, and 24 hours reception.
Bordeaux Itinerary Map
See the map beneath to accompany your journey to Bordeaux:
Bordeaux Itinerary
Now you must have an concept of what are crucial issues to do and what you must embrace in your Bordeaux itinerary.
Is that this all you are able to do within the metropolis? Completely not!
There’s far more to see within the metropolis and we assure that Bordeaux can actually shock you and generally is a good different to Paris!
Bordeaux is stuffed with hidden corners, from unbiased outlets to cafès or guide outlets, and is incessantly positioned fairly near the principle streets.
Get misplaced exploring and get acquainted with the genuine aspect of the town. Additionally, you should definitely observe a few of our sustainable journey ideas to make sure that your journey has a constructive impression on the native surroundings.