Itineraries for Your Trip to Bordeaux
3 Days in Bordeaux for First Timers
I first visited Bordeaux as a child, following my parents on wine-tasting trips around the Médoc and scrambling up the medieval lanes of St. Emilion for a view over the vineyards. Later, I wrote about the region for a guidebook to France, and when one of my best friends recently moved to the city, it was the perfect excuse to continue my love affair with France’s wine capital.
Three days in Bordeaux gives you time to slow down and savor the experience, exactly what the city’s winemakers tell you to do. With that in mind, this itinerary is packed with UNESCO–listed monuments, market visits, and unique museums, encouraging you to dive deeper into Bordelais culture.
The Gironde region around Bordeaux has recently experienced floods and wildfires; check the local forecast before planning day trips to the coast and forests.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a wine-tasting tour of Bordeaux’s famous vineyards.
Bordeaux’s vast historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and architectural importance, and more than 340 listed buildings are dotted throughout. You’ll clock up some miles exploring on foot; so, mix things up with a bike, Segway, or e-scooter tour.
Once you’ve stopped at Place de la Bourse, Place des Quinconces, and Place de la Comédie, head to the Cité du Vin wine museum to immerse yourself in France’s winemaking history. Then in the evening, take a night tour to admire the city’s illuminated monuments or set sail along the Garonne River for a scenic sunset cruise.
Bordeaux is the wine capital of France, so day two is about sampling the region’s famous reds. First stop: the medieval village of Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the gateway to some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wineries. Climb to the hilltop village for a view over the vineyards, and then go wine tasting.
After lunch, head to the Right Bank of the Garonne to explore another of Bordeaux’s renowned wine regions, the Médoc. Book a wine-tasting tour and go behind the scenes at a family-run winery, then enjoy a road trip along the Castle Road (Route des Chateaux).
Visit the Marché des Capucins in the morning to sample regional specialties such as cheeses, wines, and sweet canelés pastries. To fully experience the flavors of Bordeaux, join a guided food-tasting tour or take a cooking class at the renowned L'atelier des Chefs cooking school.
Spend your final afternoon in Bordeaux’s atmospheric Chartrons district, where highlights include the Cap Sciences museum, CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art, and Quai des Marques shopping center. Stick around after sunset when the bars and bistros along the waterfront Quai de Chartrons afford views along the Garonne.
