Wining and dining
You don’t want to drink all that wine on an empty stomach, so it’s lucky Bordeaux has an excellent dining scene. Head to the Place du Parlement — a pretty square with a choice of restaurants.
Trip to the vineyards
Let’s face it, you’re here for the wine and even if you don’t like the red stuff you should still make time to visit the wine-growing region, as it is such an intergral part of the area. The Bordeaux Tourism Office offers day tours out to the nearby regions, including St Emillion and the Médoc.
Museums Bordeaux’s museums offer free entry to permanent exhibits. The small Musée d”Histoire Naturelle is worth a look if you’re wandering around the Jardin Public, but is unimpressive compared to natural history museums in London or New York.
The Musée d’Aquitaine offers an interesting look at the city’s history and art buffs should head to the Musée des Beaux-Arts.
Jardin Public
Of all Bordeaux’s green spaces the Jardin Public is perhaps the most impressive. Built in 1755 it incorporates the Jardin Botanique.
The riverfront esplanade
Bordeaux’s 4km-long riverfront esplanade is the city’s modern face. Walk, cycle or just stop for a rest. Check out the Pont du Pierre — it was built during Napoleon’s reign and has 17 arches, one for each of his victories.
Try your hand at walking on water here too — the water mirror is a gorgeous, shallow, water feature that reflects the city depending on where you stand of course.
Vieux Bordeaux
The 18th Century city centre is the place to head for shopping (rue Ste-Catherine) and dining (place du Parlement).
