2 days in Bordeaux

Day by day

1. Day 1: Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'Eau and Porte Cailhau

   Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'Eau, Porte Cailhau, Grosse Cloche and La Cité du Vin, then Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'Eau

      In front of it, the Miroir d'Eau is a granite reflecting pool of about 3,450 square metres covered by a couple of centimetres of water that alternates between a mirror and a cool mist. It is the city's signature view and is free.

   2. Late morning

      Porte Cailhau

      It looks more like a fairy-tale castle than a city gate, and a small exhibition inside explains the history of the medieval ramparts, with views of the Pont de Pierre from the upper windows.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Canelé

      Specialist canelé shops and pâtisseries across the centre, particularly around Rue Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Pierre; mini versions are sold by the bag.

   4. Afternoon

      Grosse Cloche

      It marks the southern edge of the old town, and the streets around it have small bars and bakeries.

   5. Late afternoon

      La Cité du Vin

      The permanent tour uses audio guides, smell stations and films to cover wine history, regions and rituals, and the ticket includes a glass of wine on the eighth-floor belvedere with views over the river and the Chaban-Delmas bridge.

   6. Evening

      Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux

      A ballet or opera ticket in the upper tiers is often the least expensive way to see the auditorium.

2. Day 2: Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland and Esplanade des Quinconces

   Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland, Esplanade des Quinconces, Basilique Saint-Michel and Musée d'Aquitaine, then Pont de Pierre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland

      Its bell tower, the Tour Pey-Berland, stands apart from the church and is topped by a gilded statue of the Virgin; the climb up its spiral stairs gives the best panorama of the old town's rooftops and spires.

   2. Late morning

      Esplanade des Quinconces

      It hosts funfairs and the spring and autumn Foire, and the riverfront end has two rostral columns.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Entrecôte à la bordelaise

      Classic brasseries around the Triangle d'Or and Allées de Tourny, and wine-country restaurants in Saint-Émilion and the Médoc.

   4. Afternoon

      Basilique Saint-Michel

      The square around it is the heart of the Saint-Michel neighbourhood, with café terraces, grocers and weekend bric-à-brac stalls, and the Marché des Capucins is a few minutes away.

   5. Late afternoon

      Musée d'Aquitaine

      Its rooms on the city's role in the Atlantic slave trade in the 18th century are among the most direct treatments of the subject in France, and help explain the wealth behind the riverfront façades.

   6. Evening

      Pont de Pierre

      Walk across at sunset and continue along the right-bank Quai des Queyries for the classic panorama of the left bank.

Before you go

• La Cité du Vin: Timed tickets can sell out on summer weekends and holidays; buy online a few days ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in CAPC musée d'art contemporain (Chartrons): Check the programme before you go; the main nave is sometimes closed between exhibitions.
• Swap in Bassins des Lumières (Bassins à Flot): Visit on a hot or wet afternoon; the bunker stays cool, and weekday mornings are quieter.
• Swap in Cap Sciences (Bassins à Flot): Check which exhibition is running; the programme rotates and some are aimed at teenagers rather than toddlers.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–11 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.8 hours in December to 15.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The old town, the Triangle d'Or and the riverfront are close together and largely pedestrianised; Rue Sainte-Catherine runs for about a kilometre through the centre.

More or fewer days

• One day in Bordeaux
• 3 days in Bordeaux
• 5 days in Bordeaux

Questions travellers ask