France
Bordeaux has a centre of 18th-century stone facades along the Garonne, with the Place de la Bourse and its Miroir d'eau on the waterfront. The cathedral and its separate bell tower, the Saint-Michel spire and the Capucins market sit further inland. The Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières are in the north of the city, away from the old centre.
Data checked on November 3, 2026
Each plan is built from the stop base, with visit time, the walk between stops and a lunch break. Open one and set your pace and arrival day.
4 stops, about 25 min of walking in total.
8 stops, about 54 min of walking in total.
13 stops, about 1 h 15 of walking in total.
May, June and September are the best months, with afternoon highs of about 22 to 25 degrees and 8 to 10 rain days a month. The Miroir d'eau and the Saint-Michel spire also run from April to October. July and August are the warmest, with highs near 27 degrees, and November to January bring the most rain, with 12 to 13 rain days a month.
Climate averages: Météo-France.
8 to 18 °C · about 11 rainy days a month
Highs rise from about 15 degrees in March to 22 in May, with 10 to 11 rain days a month. The Miroir d'eau and the spire start running in April.
What to wear: Bring layers and a light waterproof.
16 to 27 °C · about 7 rainy days a month
Highs are 25 to 28 degrees from June to August and nights stay around 15 to 16 degrees, with 7 to 8 rain days a month. The Miroir d'eau runs from 10:00 to 22:00.
What to wear: Wear light clothes, a hat and comfortable shoes, and carry water.
10 to 19 °C · about 11 rainy days a month
September is still warm at about 24 degrees, October drops to about 20 and November to 14, while rain days rise from 9 to 13 a month.
What to wear: Bring a jacket and something waterproof from October.
4 to 11 °C · about 12 rainy days a month
Highs are 10 to 12 degrees and lows about 4 degrees, with 10 to 13 rain days a month. The Miroir d'eau is shut down and the days are short.
What to wear: Wear a warm coat and waterproof shoes.
Winter brings 12 or 13 rain days a month. The Cité du Vin, the Musée d'Aquitaine, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Musée national des Douanes, the Bassins des Lumières, the Capucins hall and the cathedral are all indoors, so a wet day is easy to fill. Keep the quays, the Place de la Bourse and the Jardin Public for a dry spell.
Stops under a roof
Summer afternoons reach 27 or 28 degrees in July and August. The Miroir d'eau is open until 22:00 outside winter and people use it to cool off, and the Jardin Public has an arboretum and a misting fountain. Plan the spire climb and the quays for the cooler hours of the day.
Better outdoors
Per person, without the hotel. Tickets are the prices of the stops in each plan, read on the official sites. Food and transport come from the city figures.
| Plan | Tickets | Transport | Food | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €23 | · | €40 to €60 | €63 to €83 |
| 2 days | €43 | · | €79 to €120 | €122 to €163 |
| 3 days | €64 | · | €119 to €180 | €183 to €244 |
Stops with a ticket whose price we could not confirm are left out of the sum.
Small pastries with a caramelised crust and a soft centre, the best-known sweet of Bordeaux. Bakeries and cafés sell them.
The wine the region is known for. A wine bar is the easy way to try a few by the glass.
Oysters from the coast near Bordeaux, usually eaten with a glass of dry white wine.
Rib steak cooked with a red wine and shallot sauce, a classic of the city's restaurants.
A sweet white wine from the Bordeaux region, served with dessert or foie gras.
Almond biscuits from the wine town of Saint-Émilion, sold in Bordeaux bakeries and shops.
From April to October the pool runs until 22:00, which makes it a place to be at the end of the day.
A wine town east of Bordeaux, with cellar visits and tastings. Several day trips leave from the city.
A day trip to the coast, often combined with an oyster tasting.
A river cruise, seeing the quays from the water.
On Sundays from 7:00 to 14:00 a market sets up along the Quai des Chartrons.
The airport is Bordeaux-Mérignac and the main railway station is Bordeaux Saint-Jean. Before you travel, check the operators' websites for tram, bus and train options to the centre.
Most of the stops are in the old centre and close to one another, so you can cover them on foot. The Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières are in the north of the city, away from the others, so group them in one trip. Check the TBM site for tickets and day passes.
Every stop has its own page with opening days, ticket price, how to get there and where it fits in the itineraries.
Place de la Bourse and the quays
The 18th-century square on the Garonne quays, with the Miroir d'eau, a shallow reflecting pool, in front of it. It is the postcard view of Bordeaux.
Bacalan and the north quays
A museum about wine and the world's wine cultures. The standard ticket covers the permanent exhibition and the Belvédère at the top of the building.
Cathedral and museums
The cathedral of Bordeaux, with the Pey-Berland Tower, a separate bell tower that visitors can climb, standing beside it.
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces
The opera house of Bordeaux on Place de la Comédie, designed by Victor Louis and opened in 1780. Its facade has twelve Corinthian columns.
Book aheadSaint-Michel and Capucins
The 114-metre bell tower beside the Basilica of Saint-Michel, with 230 steps up to a view over the city and the river.
Place de la Bourse and the quays
A medieval city gate built between 1493 and 1496, 35 metres high, with exhibitions inside and a climb to the top.
Cathedral and museums
The history museum of Bordeaux and Aquitaine, with a permanent exhibition that runs from prehistory to the early 21st century.
Bacalan and the north quays
A digital art centre in the former submarine base at the Bassins à flot, where immersive shows are staged.
Saint-Michel and Capucins
The food market of the south of the centre, on Place des Capucins, in a covered hall with an open-air market outside.
Place de la Bourse and the quays
The riverside walk along the Garonne, between the Pont de Pierre and the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, with gardens on the left bank.
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces
A 12-hectare square on the site of an old fortress, with the Monument aux Girondins and its two fountains.
Cathedral and museums
The city's fine arts museum, in two wings on Cours d'Albret, with temporary exhibitions in the Galerie on Place du Colonel Raynal.
Place de la Bourse and the quays
The national customs museum, in the Hôtel des Fermes on Place de la Bourse.
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces
A 10.8-hectare garden in the city centre, with a lake, an arboretum, a puppet theatre and a natural history museum.
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces
A pedestrian shopping street about 1,200 metres long, running from Place de la Comédie to Place de la Victoire.
Wi-Fi in hotels, cafés and airports is shared with other guests. A VPN encrypts the connection between your phone or laptop and the VPN's server, which helps when you check email or your bank on the road.
See NordVPNOne day covers the Place de la Bourse, the Grand-Théâtre, the cathedral and one museum or tower if you start in the morning, because the cathedral and the markets keep morning hours or a midday break. A second day lets you add the Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières in the north, plus the Capucins market and the Saint-Michel spire.
Most stops sell tickets on the day, and the Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières also sell them online. Visits inside the Grand-Théâtre are guided and are booked through the tourist office.
The old centre is, and most stops lie close together. The Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières are in the north, so you need public transport or a longer walk along the quays.
May, June and September bring afternoon highs of about 22 to 25 degrees and 8 to 10 rain days a month, and the Miroir d'eau runs from April to October. Winter has highs of 10 to 12 degrees and 12 to 13 rain days a month from November to January.