Explore City of Bordeaux, France 🍷 wine yards, local food and world famous wines 🌎

👋 Hello travelers, let me introduce myself, my name is Gints, I am a Latvian who lives in Guernsey(channel islands) and about to settle in France, but previously I called my home -Germany, Amsterdam, and Jersey. Traveling is like a "DRUG" for me. Bordeaux really stood out for me as an obvious choice for a city break. First and foremost, due to the excellent choice of French cuisine and red wine – I absolutely love a foodie holiday and great wine just tops it off! Bordeaux is home to over 250,000 acres of vines and has over 20,000 wine producers in the region. However, the city offers so much more than just its delicious wine. The city population is less than 250,000, which is extremely low when compared to some of the most famous cities in Europe, including London, Paris, and Rome. Due to this demographic, Bordeaux delivers a city break experience without the feeling of being rushed as a tourist. I believe that this is purely down to their slow and calm pace of life, it’s truly so relaxing and refreshing. I really felt that my Bordeaux experience was all about living in the present moment, enjoying the local surroundings, tasting their mouth-watering French cuisine, and drinking their regional wines. Simply appreciating all the small details of a new destination, as sometimes these elements can sadly get lost when rushing around a bustling city. In my opinion, the best way of experiencing Bordeaux is to travel around like a local, hire a bike, and cycle! The streets of Bordeaux have been designed with cyclists in mind and it’s a great way to see many attractions in one day (it’s also a bonus exercise!). Another great way to get around is to walk or catch a tram to explore further. About the trip 🗺️ GETTING THERE 🚌 Our Bordeaux 4-day Aim is to get an early morning flight into Bordeaux, we always feel that this is so crucial when going on a short city break, you need to make the most of the time you have there! Try and get exploring from the moment you reach your destination! You can easily get into the city from the airport using a bus service, there are two bus options available which are located just outside of arrivals: > A local bus service (Lianes 1+) takes approx 45 minutes – 1 hour (depending on traffic) to the train station (Gare St Jean). > Shuttle 30’. takes you directly to the train station (Gare St Jean) from the airport in 30 min. We opted for the local bus service from the airport, it is a way how to start enjoying local life. Once we reached the train station, I organized a driver that took us to our home for 4 days. 🛏️ ACCOMMODATION My choice is one of the local Airbnb super hosts. The pretty house is located in a very nice area, in front of Park Bordeaux. It is 10 min walk from all amenities (Monoprix, Picard, bakery, tobacco press,...) and trams to go to the center of Bordeaux. 🏠 The space On the ground floor, the living room of 50 m2 is divided between the kitchen, lounge, and dining room and leads to a large furnished terrace of 35 m2 where you can have lunch with family or friends (plancha). There is also a bedroom, bathroom, and separate toilet. Upstairs there are 3 double bedrooms including one with mezzanine, a shower room, and a separate toilet. With a delicious French breakfast every morning. however if you would love to experience the local Boulangeries and coffee shops for our breakfasts, we can grab one! 📍 WHERE WE WILL START EXPLORING? We will start this day by walking everywhere, a really simple and effective way to discover the true culture of the city. See below my list of sights to see during our first day, make sure you have comfortable walking shoes as you’ll get a few good kilometers in! ✅ DAY 1 1. Jardin Botanique, You will find a hidden botanical garden that is free to the public all year round. The garden is divided into 6 different spaces which feature large wetland ponds, exotic plants, and trees. It’s a great place for a stroll if you are located on the right side of the river, in the Bastide quarter. There is also an exhibition located in the Jardin Botanique greenhouse. Just across the bridge Pont de Pierre, we will reach the city center where we will find the below attractions (they are all based quite close to each other) 2. Place de la Bourse: A royal square that was built in the 18th century, this has been one of Bordeaux’s most recognizable locations that have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage since 2007. 3. Le Miroir d’eau: Just across the road, you will find Le Miroir d’eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool that creates a beautiful mirroring effect of the Place de la Bourse and the surrounding buildings. A fog mist that rises more than two meters creates a pool of water, making it a stunning attraction but additionally, it's great fun for kids who want to splash around during the summer heat. Try seeing the Le Miroir d’eau at different times of the day to benefit from its full beauty. 4. Girondins Monument: Stop at this towering column on the route to Jardin Public (next attraction below), it is placed moments away from the park entrance. This monument honors the Girondin revolutionaries and features a fountain and extraordinary statue figures. 5. Jardin Public: Without a doubt, this is the most beautiful park located in the heart of Bordeaux. It’s perfect for a stroll, cycle, run or a lazy picnic in the sun. The park is surrounded by stunning townhouses, inside Jardin Public you will find large ponds with ducks and swans, vibrant plants, trees, and a small botanical garden. If you are traveling with kids, there is also a fun playground for them! It is definitely worth visiting this park more than once during your trip! 🍽️ At LUNCH & DINNER we will explore local cuisine which is remarkable. ✅ DAY 2 Start your day right with a delicious coffee and Brioche for Breakfast @ KURO Espresso Bar. They also have granola, scones, and the best quiche I have ever had! Kuro’s is part of the list of specialty coffee shops in Bordeaux. Check out the Bordeaux Coffee Map to find some of the other favorite spots for coffee lovers. For Day 2 I booked a wine tour, I wanted to ensure that we experienced the finest local wines of the Bordeaux region and went ahead to purchase a full day experience with Vines Tour. I would recommend these guys over and over again as they know how to deliver an excellent day out and have a wealth of knowledge. I specifically booked the ‘Electric Bike Tour of Saint Émilion’. We will be transported from the Bordeaux Rustic Vines office to Saint Émilion by minivan (the journey lasts approximately 45 mins). During the course of the journey, our guide will explain to us in detail the different vineyards in Bordeaux and St Émilion and the various classifications of the wines. Once we reach the destination, we are equipped with an electric bike (these are super fun! But can take a little getting used to!), and you cycle through the beautiful Vineyards until we reach the first Chateau, to experience a tour and the very first wine tastings of the day. The guide prepares a delicious French gourmet picnic lunch and we will continue to enjoy the wines from the tasting whilst you have your lunch! Post lunch, we will head to a second Chateau for another tour and tasting and finish the day in the medieval town of St Émilion, for a final tasting at a boutique wine merchant. In the late afternoon/early evening, you are transported back to the Bordeaux city center and there’s no doubt you will have had the most wonderful experience! You may be quite tired after such a fun-packed day, full of wine tastings & cycling, you may want to be flexible about the timings of your dinner plans! I chose to have our Dinner at our accommodation cooked by a local chef and served with i nice bottle of ‘Chateau Aimée’. ✅ DAY 3 Bordeaux cycling day! we will get a bike from bike rentals dotted around the city. Breakfast @ one of the local cafés– those little gems are also one of the coffee specialists that is featured on the Bordeaux Coffee Map! a really lovely interior and they are also veggie friendly! We will explore wonderful coffees and mouth-watering freshly baked croissants and some cake to start off our exploring day. Time to experience some of Bordeaux’s culture and head to the CAPC (Museum of Contemporary Art of Bordeaux) Here we will find some site-specific works which are available to view at the museum at all times, some of which include: Keith Haring (Untitled 1985), and Richard Long (White Rock Line & Garonne Mud Circles 1990). The interior of the building which was created in the seventies by Jean-Louis Froment is exceptionally beautiful in itself. At the top of CAPC, we will find a rooftop with a hidden gem of a restaurant, Café du Musée. Lunch @ Picnic in the park! Head to a local supermarket near Jardin Public, there is a large Carrefour located at the shopping center Les Grands Hommes (3 min cycle to the park, 9 min walk) where we can pick up meats, cheeses, salads, fresh bread, drinks to make a serious picnic spread! But first, before settling down in the park and camping up with your picnic food, lets go for a quick cycle around the beautiful Jardin public to take in its beauty, we will find great spots to have your picnic towards the front of the park, where there are large green grass areas. Dinner & Night Out Fancy some dinner & dancing? Get yourself down to Guinguette Alriq! A large open air venue located by the river on the Bastide side of the river (really convenient if you’re staying at the Ibis Bastide!). It has a super fun vibe with live music, food, and drinks – the perfect way to spend your last night in Bordeaux! ✅ DAY 4 Home time! If possible, get a flight back which is as late as possible. This will ensure that you get most of your last day and won’t have to rush around! Bordeaux airport is really small and quick to get through security-wise. We would advise getting to the airport 1.5 hrs before if you have luggage to check in and would like to grab something to eat! For your last morning in Bordeaux, I will make sure you get one last epic feast in & head up for an INCREDIBLE brunch! Have time to squeeze in a bit more culture? we will Check out La Cite du Vin – the wine museum! Not only the architecture of the building is extraordinary, but there are a variety of different experiences available which includes: interactive exhibitions, tours, workshops, and tastings. we will visit the Le 7 panoramic restaurant, located on the 7th floor to enjoy a glass of wine whilst taking in the exceptional views of the city. To summarize, what is included in the price? 💰 🛌 Accommodation 🚌 Transportation Little tip❗ Try learning a few French phrases/words before you go! Start off your conversation on the right foot and instead of saying ‘Hello’, say ‘Bonjour!’, say ‘Merci!’ instead of ‘thank you!’, these small words and gestures will be greatly appreciated by the locals, they like when tourists make an effort in their city. Due to this gratitude, you will usually receive a much better and kinder service that will make your experience a whole lot better! looking forward to being Your TripLeader 🌎