Today, Bordeaux Visite offers to present you an original program to spend 7 unforgettable days in Bordeaux !
Bordeaux is located in southwestern France, and is the capital of the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Bordeaux holds many secrets and is full of emblematic monuments.
This holidays program can be adapted to families with children or to couples. Follow the guide !
First day :
When you arrive in Bordeaux we advised you to take a walk in the historical center of the city.
The city centre is human-size, everything is within a walking distance and you can easily find the most important monuments.
Begin with the « Place de la Bourse » and cross the road to see the biggest « Miroir d’eau » (water mirror) in the world.
Go to the “Place de la Comédie” to discover the “Grand Théâtre” and the “Allées de Tourny”. Wander in the streets of the « Triangle d’Or” and enjoy the city’s specialties such as the “canelé” ! If you want, private visits are available all year long on request to discover all the secrets of Bordeaux.
The shopping streets of the historical centre will allow you to go window shopping without noticing time passing ! Something you can’t miss in your trip is a walk in the street “Sainte-Catherine”, the longest pedestrian street of Europe, to shop in the numerous stores.
At the end of the day, enjoy the local aperitif (the Lillet) in the “Quartier Saint-Pierre” and enjoy an outside diner on the famous “Place du Parlement”.
Second day :
Today, for your second day in Bordeaux, we suggest you a cultural day ! Our pretty city is full of museums and historical sites. Next to the “Hôtel de ville”, reachable with the tramway B you will find many museums. Choose the one you want to visit, between the “Musée des Beaux-Arts”, the “Galerie des Beaux-Arts” and the “Musée des Arts-décoratifs”.
These museums are very close from each other so you can visit all of them in the same day if you feel like it !
To perfect your knowledge of Bordeaux’s monuments, we invite you to visit the “Cathédrale Saint-André” which is in free access. Next to the cathedral you can climb the 233 steps of the “Tour Pey Berland” (full price: 6€) to reach the summit and appreciate one of the most beautiful views of Bordeaux.
To enjoy your evening, take a walk on the “Pont de Pierre” and go to the right side of the river where you will discover a view that will take your breath away. Find many restaurants for all budgets ! Our favorite is “L’estacade”, a restaurant built on stilts, over the Garonne river, which serves fresh products.
Third day :
Today comes the time for you to discover what made the richness of Bordeaux : the wine ! There are so much places in the city dedicated to that divine beverage: wine bars, wine cellars, châteaux, museums… It will probably be difficult to keep track, so what Bordeaux Visite recommands you to do is to take advantage of your holidays to take an initiation to wine tasting!
If you are interested in trying this out, we suggest you to go to the bar “Aux quatre coins du vin” located “Rue de la Devise” close to “Place Saint-Pierre”. It is only open in the evening but the place has an original concept of wine list. Indeed you can buy a smart card, load a value into it and you will access to machines containing bottles and distribute the quantity of wine you desire. To eat during the tasting, the bar has a selection of great plates of delicatessen and cheeses. With this original concept you will taste wine as you want and only pay for your consumption. To wait till the evening, you can begin the day by visiting the “Cité du Vin”, situated in the “Bassins à Flot” district. The view from the belvedere is incredible. During that afternoon, go to “L’intendant”, a wine shop in the “Allées de Tourny” which has a vertiginous collection of wines !
Fourth day :
For everybody, holidays remind us of sun and beach. By chance Bordeaux is close to one of the most beautiful beaches of southwestern France ! During your trip go explore the “Pyla sand dune” and the city of “Arcachon”, you can’t miss these places! The “Pyla” is one hour long by car from Bordeaux without traffic jam but you also can take the train. Climb the dune to dip your feet in the ocean. In Arcachon, taste the famous oysters and visit the summer’s and winter’s cities. For lunch we recommend you to go to the “Place des Marquises”, you will be right in the city center where there is a very colored market. There is an excellent restaurant which is called “Le Bouchon du Marché”, which cooks fresh products at the best value for money.
Fifth day :
After your sunbathing at the beach, get back to Bordeaux for new adventures !
Our city abounds of fun activities. Among the most original ones, you will find a Wave Surf in a café located in the north of Bordeaux in the “Galerie Tatry”. The price starts at 25€ per person and per hour. If you prefer outdoor activities, treasure hunts are made for you. They are available all year long and permits to visit the city differently (12€ per person for an activity of 2:30).
In the evening Bordeaux is still awake. They are many theaters to enjoy with your family or partner. One of the restaurants which will make you spend a wonderful evening is not far from the “Grand Théâtre”, situated “Place du Chapelet” and is called “Mably”. There is a pleasant and romantic terrace. The menus begin at 18€ (starter-main course-dessert) but if you are a gourmet, the chef offers you the beef rib and its delicacies, marrow bone to be shared for 56€.
Sixth day :
For your sixth day , enjoy an escapade to the heart of the vineyard and visit the village of Saint-Émilion. This medieval city, situated less than an hour from Bordeaux on the right side of the Garonne is a major step to make sure your stay in Bordeaux is a success ! This village has kept the charm of former days with its beautiful limestone buildings and its shaded places. You will find a succession of shops specialized in wine and the famous almonds macaroons of Saint-Émilion ! You can discover the natural and cultural landscape of the vineyard registered in the World Heritage Sites of the Unesco since 1999. Among the symbolic sites you will see in Saint-Émilion, we recommend you to climb the steps of the “Tour du Roy”, to go and visit the collegiale church and its convent and finally, to discover the underground museum of the pottery.
Seventh day :
Before leaving “The Sleeping Beauty », we advise you to discover Bordeaux by the river. A short cruise on the Garonne will allow you to see the whole facade of the quays which make the fame of Bordeaux. You will see the “Pont de Pierre”, the “Place de la Bourse”, the “Quinconces” square and the new bridge “Chaban-Delmas” inaugurated in 2013.
During the afternoon you can take a walk in a pleasant district of Bordeaux: the “Chartrons” district, famous for being the former wine district of Bordeaux. It is situated in the north, just next to the quays and there are trendy shops, antique shops and flea markets in the street “Notre-Dame”. The village “Notre-Dame” is the antiques dealers’ first gallery of Aquitaine that would please the amateurs of antiquities. Not far away, close to the Garonne you will find the “Quai des Marques” with outlet shops and coffees with view on the river.
We wish you a very pleasant stay in Bordeaux! Do not forget your cameras 🙂
Go check our article to spend an unforgettable week in Arcachon!
Article drafted by Nancy Gabel, guide for Bordeaux Visite.
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