5 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 and Grosse Cloche, then Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'Eau

      Come at dusk, when the floodlit façades reflect in the water; the pool is usually switched off during the colder months. (30–45 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Porte Cailhau

      Photograph it from Place du Palais, then walk five minutes to Place du Parlement for a coffee. (30 minutes, low cost).

   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

      Walk under the arch and continue north along Rue Saint-James and Rue du Pas-Saint-Georges to reach Saint-Pierre's squares. (15 minutes, free).

   5. 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: La Cité du Vin and Bassins des Lumières

   La Cité du Vin, Bassins des Lumières and Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, then Pont de Pierre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Cité du Vin

      Allow at least two hours for the permanent tour before heading up to the belvedere, and arrive by tram B (stop La Cité du Vin). (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Bassins des Lumières

      Visit on a hot or wet afternoon; the bunker stays cool, and weekday mornings are quieter. (1–1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   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

      Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas

      Watch a lift from the Cité du Vin belvedere or the quays if a large ship is due; lifts are announced in advance by the city. (20 minutes, free).

   5. 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.

3. Day 3: Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland and Esplanade des Quinconces

   Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland, Esplanade des Quinconces and Basilique Saint-Michel, then Saint-Pierre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland

      The cathedral is free; pay separately for the tower and climb it in the morning for clearer light over the river. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Esplanade des Quinconces

      Combine it with the Grand Théâtre and the tourist office on Cours du 30 Juillet, all a few minutes apart. (20–30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Arcachon oysters

      Oyster bars inside the Marché des Capucins (busiest on Saturday mornings), the Sunday Marché des Quais, and oyster shacks around Arcachon and Cap Ferret.

   4. Afternoon

      Basilique Saint-Michel

      Visit on a weekend morning, when the square is at its liveliest, then walk to the Capucins market for lunch. (45 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      Saint-Pierre

      Wine bars and terraces around Place du Parlement and Place Saint-Pierre, busy every evening from spring to autumn.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Saint-Émilion

   About 35 minutes by train each way. Getting there: TER from Gare Saint-Jean to Saint-Émilion station, then a 2 km walk.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Saint-Émilion

      About 35 minutes by train (TER from Gare Saint-Jean to Saint-Émilion station, then a 2 km walk); about 40 km.

   2. Day

      Saint-Émilion

      A UNESCO-listed hilltop wine village of honey-coloured stone, steep cobbled lanes and the Église Monolithe, a church carved out of the limestone hillside. Best for couples, food lovers and culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in Bordeaux

      Dinner: try Lamprey Bordeaux-style.

5. Day 5: Musée d'Aquitaine and CAPC musée d'art contemporain

   Musée d'Aquitaine, CAPC musée d'art contemporain and Jardin Public, then Victoire in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Musée d'Aquitaine

      Start upstairs with the 18th-century port rooms if your time is short; they connect most directly to what you see on the quays. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      CAPC musée d'art contemporain

      Check the programme before you go; the main nave is sometimes closed between exhibitions. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lamprey Bordeaux-style

      Traditional restaurants in the old town and wine villages in spring; it is also sold preserved in jars in delicatessens.

   4. Afternoon

      Jardin Public

      Pick up pastries on Rue Notre-Dame or Cours de Verdun and picnic on the lawns, which are open to sit on. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Victoire

      Inexpensive student bars around Place de la Victoire and Cours Pasteur, lively late into the night during term time.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for La Cité du Vin and Bassins des Lumières before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Saint-Pierre keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Triangle d'Or and Quinconces ($$$$) suits luxury, shopping, first-timers and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 5 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.

More or fewer days

• One day in Bordeaux
• 2 days in Bordeaux
• 3 days in Bordeaux

Questions travellers ask