Dream Destination: 48 Hours in Bordeaux, France

Only a few driving hours from Paris, Bordeaux is a city you’ll fall in love with! Delight in the food, wine, and architecture and discover why Bordeaux is known as a city rich in art and history.

There’s plenty to do in Bordeaux, and if you’re short on time, we’ve got you covered with this guide on 48 hours in Bordeaux.

Things To Know

Where to stay? Avoid the Triangle d’Or. Yes, it’s very centric but also, very expensive. If you want to stay in a good area and not spend too much, search for places near Saint-Michel, Lac, and Chartrons.

How to get from the airport to the city? Take the bus line 1 outside the airport for 1.60 €, the route passes by central spots of the city. You can also take the taxi, but it’s more expensive (20 € more than taking the bus).

How to move around? Bordeaux is walkable, all the main attractions are near. But also, you can use public transportation. You can buy tickets for days or trips. One trip costs 1.60 € and a travel pass for a day costs 4.60 €. You can also get the CityPass for 29 € to use public transportation and get free entry to some places. You can check what that includes here.

And now for the itinerary.

Where To Go

Day 1

Bordeaux has a long history of wine culture, you should visit La Cité du Vin , even if you don’t like wine. The building will amaze you and makes it worth the visit. To get there, you can take a ferry from Pont de Pierre and navigate the Garonne -the river that crosses Bordeaux- in the way.

From Cité du Vin, go to the Chartrons district. There are a lot of antique shops and vintage stores in this district. One of the most famous ones is Rue Notre Dame.

For a truly bordelaise experience: go to Marche des Quais, buy some food, and go watch the Garonne while eating. This is a market that opens on Sundays, you can buy oysters and wine for 10 €. But, since it’s a market, you can also get other foods if you’re not into oysters.

After finishing eating, walk in the banks of the Garonne in direction of the center of the city. Just take a little detour to see the Girondins Monument and the Grand-Théâtre. Hopefully, you’ll still be on time to see the sunset in the Place de la Bourse. In this place, also enjoy the Miroir d’eau.

You’ll probably be a bit hungry after walking. Head down to the Place du Parliament. There are many places to choose from in this place, so don’t worry. If you want a safe bet, go to L’autre Petit Bois.

And, to end the day… party! There are a lot of options in Bordeaux, for the wine lovers, for the music lovers, for the beer lovers. From Place du Parliament walk near the Garonne until you get to Quai de Paludate, this is a place where you’ll surely find a bar or club.

Day 2

Wake up and have a good breakfast, or lunch if the party was too hard the night before. Go to the Marché des Capucins. This is another market in Bordeaux where you can find several food options. Don’t forget to buy cheese.

After a fortifying breakfast, walk to the Clocher Saint Michel, which is a beautiful gothic church. Close to the church, you can see the Porte de Bourgogne, near the Ponte de Pierre. Walk a little bit more and cross the Porte de Cailhau.

Maybe you’re short on time but if you have the mood, go to the Musée d’Aquitaine. This museum will give you a glimpse into the history of Bordeaux. If you’re not into museums that much, walk the Rue Sainte-Catherine where you can shop, or just window shop. After that, go to the Café des Arts. Here, you can have a complete meal for 15 €.

Having eaten something, walk a few blocks to find the Cathedral of Bordeaux. You don’t need to go inside since the most impressive views are from the outside.

And finally, for your last night in Bordeaux, have a glass of wine in Bar à Vin. This place is on the ground floor of the Bordeaux Wine Council. Relax and enjoy a great view of the Grand-Théâtre if you go there during the summer months.

Enjoy Bordeaux, even if it’s a short visit, you’ll love this city!

Author Bio: Justine Camacho loves inspiring people through interesting and useful content. She loves traveling and eating her way through a new city. Justine works as a content manager in Talk Travel App, a voice app that enables travelers to connect with locals to plan trips without hassle.

Let me know in a comment below if you have visited Bordeaux or any other city in France. We would love to read about your experience!

If you liked this article please share it and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog!