Bordeaux is the world’s wine capital, but the city itself is an 18th-century architectural gem. In the 1990s, Mayor Alain Juppé cleaned centuries of soot from the limestone facades and pedestrianized the center, transforming Bordeaux from a blackened port city into one of France’s most beautiful urban destinations. Here are the specific things to do.
Top Things to Do in Bordeaux: Attractions, Landmarks, and Activities
La Cité du Vin (The Wine Museum)
Bordeaux’s flagship cultural attraction is a striking glass-and-aluminum building shaped like a decanter on the Garonne riverbank. The permanent exhibition covers world wine history, culture, and production across 20 interactive zones on the 2nd floor. The audio guide (included) uses sensors to trigger content as you move through the galleries.
The Belvedere on the 8th floor (included in the ticket) offers 360-degree views of Bordeaux and a glass of wine (choose from 20 rotating wines). 134 Quai de Bacalan. Open daily 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (June-August until 7:00 PM). Adult tickets: €22. Budget 2.5-3.5 hours. The Latitude 20 wine shop on the ground floor sells 800+ wines from 70 countries. Book online to skip ticket queues, especially in summer. Tram B to La Cité du Vin.
Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d’Eau
Place de la Bourse is Bordeaux’s most photographed square, built between 1730 and 1775 as a royal showcase opening onto the Garonne. The Miroir d’Eau (Water Mirror), installed in 2006, is the world’s largest reflecting pool at 3,450 m². It alternates between a 2 cm-deep mirror effect and a fog effect every 15-20 minutes.
Free, open daily. The fog effect operates April through October (water temperature dependent). The reflection of the 18th-century facades in the water is best photographed at dusk. Located on the Quai de la Douane. Tram B or C to Place de la Bourse. The square is particularly photogenic in the hour after sunset when the facades are floodlit.
Bordeaux Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-André) and Tour Pey-Berland
The Gothic cathedral, consecrated in 1096 and rebuilt in the 12th-14th centuries, hosted the royal wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII in 1137. The separate bell tower, Tour Pey-Berland (built 1440-1500), stands 66 metres tall with 231 steps and a statue of Notre-Dame d’Aquitaine on top.
Cathedral: free entry, open daily 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Sunday until 5:30 PM). Tour Pey-Berland: €6 climb, open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM (summer until 6:15 PM). Closed Mondays. The view from the tower covers the entire city and the Garonne. Place Pey-Berland. Tram A or B to Hôtel de Ville.
Saint-Émilion Day Trip
The medieval village of Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site 35 km east of Bordeaux, is the most popular day trip from the city. The village sits on limestone hills honeycombed with wine cellars, including a monolithic church carved from a single rock in the 12th century. Wine shops line the steep cobbled streets offering tastings (many free, some charge €5-10 for premium pours).
TER regional trains from Bordeaux Saint-Jean station to Saint-Émilion take 35 minutes (€8-10 one-way, 10 trains daily). Guided chateau visits in the surrounding vineyards require booking; the Saint-Émilion tourist office on Place des Créneaux arranges tours from €25-65 depending on length and number of tastings.
Budget a full day. Visit on a weekday to avoid the weekend crush from Bordeaux day-trippers. For more activities, see our things to do in Bordeaux full guide.
Musée d’Aquitaine
Bordeaux’s history museum traces the region from prehistory through the Roman period (Burdigala was a major Roman city), the Aquitaine duchy, the Atlantic slave trade (which brought enormous wealth to Bordeaux in the 18th century), and the modern era.
The 18th-century Montaigne cenotaph and the Roman-era statues are highlights. 20 Cours Pasteur. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Closed Mondays. Adult tickets: €6 (permanent collection), €8 including temporary exhibitions. Free on the first Sunday of each month. Budget 90 minutes to 2 hours. Tram B to Musée d’Aquitaine.
Darwin Ecosystem
A former military barracks on the right bank of the Garonne turned into an alternative community space with street art, a skate park, organic restaurants, co-working spaces, and a weekend farmers’ market. The Graffiti Wall along the riverbank is a constantly changing gallery of large-scale street art.
Free to explore. The Magasin Général restaurant serves organic, locally sourced food (lunch €15-20). 87 Quai des Queyries. Open daily; restaurants and shops have individual hours. Tram A to Jardin Botanique, then cross the Pont de Pierre. A 20-minute walk from the city center. Budget 1-2 hours. Best on a sunny day when the outdoor spaces are active.
Jardin Public (Public Garden)
Bordeaux’s central park covers 10 hectares in the Chartrons neighborhood, designed in 1746 in the English landscape style. The park includes a small lake, a botanical garden, a children’s playground, and a guingette (open-air cafe) that operates in summer.
The Natural History Museum (Muséum de Bordeaux) sits at the park entrance: €7 adult, open Tuesday-Sunday 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Free entry to the park. Open daily 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM (summer until 9:00 PM). Tram C to Jardin Public. A popular spot for picnics.
Rue Sainte-Catherine and the Golden Triangle
Rue Sainte-Catherine is Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street at 1.2 km, connecting Place de la Victoire to Place de la Comédie (home of the Grand Théâtre). The “Golden Triangle” (Triangle d’Or) is the luxury shopping district bounded by Cours de l’Intendance, Cours Georges Clemenceau, and Allées de Tourny. Rue Sainte-Catherine has 250+ shops, ranging from Zara and FNAC to local boutiques. The street gets very crowded from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, especially Saturdays. Most shops close Sundays.
Porte Cailhau and the Grosse Cloche
Two of Bordeaux’s surviving medieval gates. Porte Cailhau (built 1495) on the riverfront was the city’s main gate and a triumphal arch for King Charles VIII. You can climb to the top for river views: €5, open daily 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM (summer only; closed in winter).
The Grosse Cloche (Big Bell, built 15th century) on Rue Saint-James has a 7,800 kg bell that was rung for royal events and to warn of fires. View from the street only; the interior is not open to the public. Both are free to view from the outside. Porte Cailhau is a 5-minute walk from Place de la Bourse.
For seasonal events, see our Bordeaux events and festivals calendar. Our Bordeaux neighborhoods guide maps the city’s districts.
