Bordeaux may be famous for wine, but let’s be honest—this city is far more than vineyards in pretty bottles.
Think grand squares, riverside strolls, art that rivals Paris, and food that’ll ruin you for supermarket baguettes forever.
Whether you’re here for a weekend or a week, Bordeaux serves up the good life on a silver platter (or perhaps in a crystal glass).
1.Sip (and Learn) at Cité du Vin
This isn’t just a wine museum—it’s Willy Wonka for wine lovers.
At Cité du Vin, you’ll swirl your way through exhibits, tastings, and stories from wine regions across the globe.
Bonus: the top floor bar offers panoramic views over Bordeaux with a glass in hand.
2.Stroll the Place de la Bourse & Miroir d’Eau
If Bordeaux had a “most photogenic” award, this duo would win.
By day, the elegant Place de la Bourse shimmers in 18th-century glory.
By night, its reflection in the Miroir d’Eau (world’s largest reflecting pool) doubles the drama. Instagram eats it up.
3.Explore Bordeaux by Bike
Bordeaux is wonderfully flat and bike-friendly.
Rent a vélo and roll along the Garonne River promenade, stopping at leafy squares and cafés as you go.
It’s sightseeing with a breeze in your hair — much better than a stuffy bus.
4.Wander Rue Sainte-Catherine
Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, Rue Sainte-Catherine is a marathon of boutiques, cafés, and people-watching.
Start at Place de la Comédie for designer names and end near Place de la Victoire, where vintage shops and student haunts keep things affordable (and fun).
5.Visit the Bassins de Lumières
An old WWII submarine base transformed into a dazzling digital art space.
Bassins de Lumières projects masterpieces onto cavernous walls, reflected in pools of water.
The result? You’re literally standing inside the art. Trust me, even museum skeptics get goosebumps.
6.Climb the Pey-Berland Tower
Sure, you’ll huff and puff up 231 steps, but the view over Bordeaux’s rooftops is worth it.
The Pey-Berland Tower, next to the cathedral, gives you a bird’s-eye look at the city — with fewer crowds than Paris’s towers.
7.Picnic in Jardin Public
Every great city has a park where locals escape, and for Bordeaux it’s the Jardin Public.
Pack some cheese, wine (naturally), and pastries, then sprawl under the trees.
It’s peak French lifestyle, minus the clichés.
8.Take a Wine Tour to Saint-Émilion
A trip to Bordeaux without visiting vineyards is like Paris without the Eiffel Tower.
Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO-listed medieval village surrounded by vines, is less than an hour away.
Cobblestone streets, limestone cellars, and endless tasting opportunities await.
Cheers.
Where to Stay in Bordeaux
From chic boutiques to budget-friendly beds, Bordeaux caters to every style.
Luxury: InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel — think Belle Époque elegance, Michelin-starred dining, and spa bliss right on Place de la Comédie.
Budget: Mama Shelter Bordeaux — funky décor, a rooftop bar, and surprisingly affordable rates.
Mid-Range: Hotel de Tourny — small, stylish, and perfectly located for exploring on foot.
Tours Worth Booking
If planning isn’t your strong suit (or you just prefer someone else to drive after a few tastings), these tours are spot-on:
Day Trip to Arcachon Bay – Swap wine for oysters and climb Europe’s tallest sand dune, Dune du Pilat.
Saint-Émilion Wine Tour – Half or full-day trips with tastings at top châteaux.
Bordeaux River Cruise – See the city from the Garonne with a glass in hand.
Food Walking Tour – Sample canelés, cheeses, and charcuterie while hearing the stories behind them.
Our Experience
Wine and I don’t get along. I suppose I started it. Not with any intention though – I can either curse it as one of the many pitfalls of aging or blame it on my youth and the way in which I repeatedly drowned my weekday sorrows in liquid-y weekend fun. Either way, my body now rejects alcohol, and wine most vehemently. I can barely finish a glass of red before pain begins to seep into my brain.
And so to visit Bordeaux seemed preposterous, blasphemous even. It’s a “must stop” on a south of France road trip and one thing that Bordeaux is famous worldwide for is their lovely fermented grapes. But on our three day visit, I didn’t even sniff a sample.
Was I a waste of space? Did I fail as a traveler and explorer by forgoing this renowned cultural experience? I can see how some may say that.
Without wine tours to the countryside, tasting cruises on the river Garonne and the like, it might appear to others that there is little other reason to be there. And I did have to wonder myself, but upon arrival both Pete and I were very pleasantly surprised. It is a great city to enjoy our favourite activity – simply wandering about – and we spent almost our entire time doing exactly that.
There are palaces and a grand opera house to be seen, several perfectly manicured parks to linger in. The Miroir d’Eau swallowed up hours of our time, watching kids run through it as a giant puddle, and then dance in its rising fog later. We found fairy tales down alley ways. We eavesdropped on delicious gossip in French tongues while delighting our own with some of the best cuisine we found in our weeks in the country.
There’s a vibrant youthful flair to the city, which was amusing but also a mournful reminder of those days when I could have joined them with a glass in hand.
My plan has always been to age as disgracefully as possible…and thus wine and I need to make up.
(Maybe more time in Bordeaux will do the trick…or a visit to Saint Pierre and Miquelon as it’s much closer to Canada.)
Final Pour
Bordeaux is one of those rare cities that balances elegance with ease.
One minute you’re wandering historic squares, the next you’re sipping wine in a medieval cellar or watching digital Van Gogh swirl across submarine walls.
It’s a city that rewards curiosity—and good walking shoes.
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