You'll be impressed by elegant 18th-century architecture in Vieux Bordeaux (Old Bordeaux) and along the River Garonne. Enjoy regional cooking and fine Bordeaux wines in dozens of traditional restaurants. Buy stylish fashions in the Grands Hommes' "golden triangle" of streets beside the Grand Thtre, which stages ballet and opera. There's livelier nightlife to be found upstream in the trendy Bassin Flots docks.
Background
You'll quickly sense the vivacious but cultured quality of Bordeaux, a thriving university town straddling the River Garonne and capital of a prestigious wine region. In its historic centre, Old Bordeaux, you'll find handsome 18th-century avenues, luxury boutiques and gastronomic restaurants. Enjoy stylish shopping opportunities along the central street, pedestrianised Rue St Catherine. The magnificent sweep of Bordeaux's neo-classical riverside architecture is one reason why UNESCO classified Bordeaux as a world heritage site in 2007.
First-time visit
Window-shop for luxury fashions and ponder gourmet menus in the Golden Triangle, the most elegant streets and avenues in 18th-century Old Bordeaux. Visit the Grand Thtre and attractive squares like place du Parlement, before standing on the elaborate 19th-century Pont de Pierre bridge for the best view of Bordeaux's majestic riverside facades. You'll have fun exploring the waterfront place de la Bourse and the former wine merchants district, the Chartrons. You can even take a trip out of town to charming, prestigious wine villages like St Emilion.
Return visit
Admire the elaborate facades and balconies of the Chartrons area, and visit its Contemporary Arts Museum (the CAPC), a leading collection of late-20th-century art. In the Pey-Berland neighbourhood near the cathedral, devote a couple of hours to the Fine Arts Museum (Muse des Beaux Arts) for an overview of five centuries of European art. If you've already seen St Emilion, head out of town to taste rich red wines in the Mdoc, north of Bordeaux or the dry whites of Graves to the south.
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