Hi Guys…

Hope you’re all doing well and enjoying the latter days of winter (well at least
I am)! So today we’ll be visiting a lovely city in South Western France and the wine capital of
the world. Guess where? Bordeaux! Yes, you got that right!
So, you want to travel somewhere in France but don’t want the hustle and bustle of Paris
and especially if you’re a lover of wine, this amazing and breath-taking city which produces a
wide range of wines from the rich reds of the Medoc and the crispy whites of the Côtes de
Bourg is the place for you. To top it off, the weather is pretty fair all year round with
almost little to no snow which makes it easy to visit at any time of the year. No wonder this
city was adjudged ‘European Best Destination’ 2015 and the Number 1 best city to visit in
2017 by the Lonely Planet.

GETTING TO BORDEAUX

Budget airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet etc all fly to Bordeaux depending on your country
of Departure for as low as €10 one way while bus companies such as Eurolines and Flixbus,
you can get to Bordeaux for as little as €20 one way. Cool right? Absolutely! The trick is of
course to track flights and buses to ensure that you unlock the best deals available.

ACCOMMODATION IN BORDEAUX

Just like other major touristic cities, tourists are well thought of in Bordeaux and plenty
room is made to host them. From Airbnb to hostels to budget hotels, there is something for
everyone with prices ranging from 20-40€ per night.

TRANSPORTATION

In Bordeaux, be prepared to be transported by some of Europe’s and France’s nicest electric
trams and buses as well as boats that transport you across the Garonne river and give you an
amazing view while at it. There are no trains or subways however. Yeah, talk about calm and
bougie.?

For a one-way trip, you can buy a ticket for €1.70 or get a ticket for 10 trips at a discounted
rate of €13.20.
For all inclusive tourist passes, you can get either a 24h city pass for €29, 48 hours for €39 and 72 hours for €46.

WHERE TO EAT

The good thing about Bordeaux is that there is plenty to eat as there is to drink! The city is
littered with restaurants that provide an array of buffet at very reasonable prices aside the
usual McDonalds and KFC. If you want a taste of mouth watering good French cuisine, you will be spoilt for choice!

One restaurant you can definitely give a try to is Bistro Regent which
offers Steak, Grilled Duck, Saumon, Tartar and all you can eat fries in a menu for about
€12.90. Another option will be to visit Place de Victoire which has a number of bars and
restaurants to choose from.

Place de Victoire

WHAT TO DO IN BORDEAUX

Now as the wine capital of the world, be prepared to either go wine tasting at the City of
wine (Cité du Vin), or on a boat cruise which will also give you a tour of the city while sipping
on some of the world’s best wines. At the cité du vin, you’ll be wowed by the lovely
architecture and the many amazing activities to be done inside. Be careful
not to get carried away and lose track of time however ?. In there, you’ll get to know the history of wine making and lots more. The virtual reality in there is so amazing you would not want to leave i bet you.

Cité de Vin

Now, if you choose to get a daily city pass, the amazing thing is that it comes with a tour of
the city of wine before noon,(an extra €5 for entry after noon), a guided visit of the
Bordeaux UNESCO Heritage (reservation at the Tourist office), a panoramic tour of the city,
access to more than 20 museums and monuments and you also get the Bordeaux Assistant Application which will be your personal assistant during your stay. In addition to these are also lots of discounts, now tell me this isn’t a steal…

Wine Tasting!

After an amazing visit La Cité du Vin, you can then tour the city and catch a glimpse of one of the largest city squares in Europe with very picturesque monuments and fountains and see lovely places like Place des Quinconces, Water Mirror etc

Did you know that Bordeaux’s city center has the famous and longest pedestrian street in Europe? Well now you do! Known as ‘Rue St Catherine’, this walk way spans 1.2km long and runs through the historic part of the city. This is the main commercial area of the city and you can treat yourself to some shopping or just take a seat in one of the many bars and restaurants around to enjoy the scenery.

City Tour

If you’re looking to explore more, you can get on the train or bus from the train station to the famous Archachon Bay or Dune du Pilat (the tallest sand dune in Europe) to soak in the sun, sand and cool breeze from the beaches.

In June, there is the famous Wine Festival which brings both French and foreign lovers of wine as well as admirers together for a memorable 4 days of wine tasting, walking tours, presentations, dance lessons, sailing competitions among other interesting activities. With €21, you can get a tasting pass which comes with a custom-made glass which becomes your souvenir after the event. It is definitely an event not to be missed!

Wine Festival

Suffice it to say guys that, Bordeaux has so much to offer that one short visit will definitely not be enough. So add this very beautiful city to your holiday destination list and don’t forget to share your pictures with us

Written by: Yvette SIMONS