Bucket list experience:
Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Place de la Bourse
Bordeaux has some 347 listed buildings – only surpassed, in France, by Paris – such that UNESCO designated the entire city as World Heritage site in 2007.
The ‘old’ style architecture falls into two main periods. The Quartier Saint-Pierre and the city’s great churches recall the Middle Ages, when Bordeaux was the main port of English Aquitaine.
The harmonious riverfront façade and majestic Quartier des Grands Hommes was built around the 18th-century Enlightenment – much of it funded by the massive wealth generated by the slave trade. Recent years has seen Bordeaux graced with striking new architecturally-interesting buildings.
Laid out in the 18th century, the wide streets of the Golden Triangle are home to some of Bordeaux’s best buildings. The Place de la Comedie, houses the majestic Grand Theatre and nearby, there’s the wonderfully overblown Monument aux Girondins in the enormous Place des Quinconces, dedicated to Bordeaux’s revolutionaries. Inside its grand Medieval gates, the Porte Cailhau and the Grosse Cloche, you’ll discover old Bordeaux – a maze of streets filled with intimate boutiques.
Many of the city’s monuments are beautifully illuminated at night and open late, making it a great time to see the sights during the hot summer months.
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Destination Guide >Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Bordeaux’s enormous Gothic Cathedrale Saint-Andre is the city’s most majestic medieval landmark; the church dates back to 814 AD, but it was predominantly constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries. Don’t miss the sculptures of the Porte Royale and a climb up the Tour Pey-Berland belltower for a bird’s-eye view over the city centre.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Designed by the great Parisian architect Victor Louis (1731-1800), this neo-classical beauty features 12 columns with twelves statues, representing the nine muses and three goddesses. It’s equally grand inside, with heart-stopping frescoes and a grand staircase. First inaugurated in 1780, today’s it’s home to the National Opera of Bordeaux.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
A dazzling new addition to the Garonne riverbank, this 120m-long, futuristic, looping arch of golden concrete is a popular cultural centre and creative hub. Designed by appropriately-named architect firm Big and Freaks.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Set on a crescent-shaped bend in the Garonne, Bordeaux’s riverfront port is a work of art. The kilometre-long, UNESCO-listed façade of 18th-century buildings by Jacques Gabriel is breathtakingly illuminated after nightfall. The stunning Place de la Bourse is reflected in an enormous mirror of water from 900 misting jets.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Once a cardinal’s luxurious townhouse in the heart of Bordeaux, now a charming little hotel with characterful guestrooms and apartments. An excellent base for first-time visitors.
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Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
This comfy, chic boutique hotel is within walking distance of the city’s historic centre, with excellent food and drink.
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Pauillac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Surrounded by world-famous vineyards an hour from Bordeaux, this lswish 17th-century manor house in Medoc is a dream for food and wine connoisseurs.
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Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
A striking industrial-chic hotel overlooking Bordeaux (but 9km outside) with a Michelin-star restaurant and cooking school. A rural idyll in France’s biggest wine region.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
A vintage wine and culture destination with delicious tastings, grand architecture, gourmet restaurants and a glorious coastline.
