France
3 days in Bordeaux
A 3-day route through Bordeaux built from the stop base: 13 stops, timed with the walk between them. Change the pace or your arrival day and the plan is rebuilt.
- 13 stops
- 21 h 30 of visits
- 1 h 15 on foot
- tickets from €64
Data checked on November 3, 2026
No arrival day set. Times below work on any day each stop is open. Watch the “closed” tags, or pick your arrival day above.
Day 1
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces · Cathedral and museums
4 stops · 6 h 45 of visits · 27 min on foot
Open this day's route in Google Maps-
9:30 am11:00 am
Rue Sainte-Catherine
A pedestrian shopping street about 1,200 metres long, running from Place de la Comédie to Place de la Victoire.
Walk it from the Grand-Théâtre end towards Place de la Victoire: the north part has the big chains and the south part is popular with students.
Source: Bordeaux Tourisme (Office de Tourisme de Bordeaux Métropole), checked November 3, 2026
- 7 min walk
-
11:07 am1:37 pm
Musée d'Aquitaine
The history museum of Bordeaux and Aquitaine, with a permanent exhibition that runs from prehistory to the early 21st century.
The first Sunday of the month is free except in July and August, so expect more people then.
Open every day from 11:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays and on public holidays. It is open on 14 July and 15 August even if they fall on a Monday or a holiday.
Source: Musée d'Aquitaine (Ville de Bordeaux), checked November 3, 2026
- 5 min walk
- Lunch break
-
2:42 pm4:42 pm
Saint-André Cathedral and Pey-Berland Tower
The cathedral of Bordeaux, with the Pey-Berland Tower, a separate bell tower that visitors can climb, standing beside it.
Plan the cathedral around the midday break, since it closes from 12:00 to 14:00 Tuesday to Saturday. The tower keeps its own hours.
The cathedral is open Monday 14:00 to 19:00, Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 19:00, and Sunday 9:30 to 12:15 and 14:00 to 18:00. The hours can change with events. The tower is open every day from October to May 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:30, and from June to September 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
Source: Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
- 15 min walk
-
4:57 pm5:42 pm
Place des Quinconces
A 12-hectare square on the site of an old fortress, with the Monument aux Girondins and its two fountains.
Stand by the fountains and look at the bronze horses, which face two different ways.
Source: Bordeaux Tourisme (Office de Tourisme de Bordeaux Métropole), checked November 3, 2026
- Running late? Drop Place des Quinconces first. Nothing is booked there.
- If it rains, swap Rue Sainte-Catherine for Musée des Beaux-Arts, which is indoors and close by.
Day 2
Grand-Théâtre and Quinconces · Bacalan and the north quays
3 stops · 6 h 15 of visits · 18 min on foot
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10:00 am11:15 am
Grand Théâtre
The opera house of Bordeaux on Place de la Comédie, designed by Victor Louis and opened in 1780. Its facade has twelve Corinthian columns.
The facade and the columns can be seen from the square at any time, so you can see the building without a ticket.
Visits inside are guided. They are booked through the tourist office website or by phone.
Source: Opéra National de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
- Too far to walk in comfort (about 54 min on foot). Take public transport.
-
11:37 am1:07 pm
Bassins des Lumières
A digital art centre in the former submarine base at the Bassins à flot, where immersive shows are staged.
It is indoors, so it suits a rainy day. Check which shows are running before you buy.
Hours change with the programme. In the week of 2 to 8 November 2026 it was open every day from 10:00 to 18:00, and until 20:00 on Saturday. Check the weekly hours on the official site.
Source: Bassins des Lumières, checked November 3, 2026
- 18 min walk
- Lunch break
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2:25 pm5:55 pm
La Cité du Vin
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.
Allow two to three hours, as the museum itself advises, and check the late January closure if you travel in winter.
From 1 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 it opens 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and Sundays, and 10:00 to 19:00 on Saturdays. It closes at 16:00 on 24 December and is closed on 25 December. From 3 April it opens every day from 10:00 to 19:00, and it closes for a week in late January.
Source: La Cité du Vin, checked November 3, 2026
- Running late? Drop Bassins des Lumières first. Nothing is booked there.
Day 3
Saint-Michel and Capucins · Place de la Bourse and the quays
6 stops · 8 h 30 of visits · 30 min on foot
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9:30 am11:00 am
Marché des Capucins
The food market of the south of the centre, on Place des Capucins, in a covered hall with an open-air market outside.
Come in the morning: the hours listed end at 13:00 on weekdays and 14:00 at weekends.
The hall is open Tuesday to Friday 6:00 to 13:00 and Saturday and Sunday 6:00 to 14:00. No Monday hours are listed. The city's markets close on 1 January and 25 December.
Source: Ville de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
- 8 min walk
-
11:08 am12:23 pm
Saint-Michel Spire
The 114-metre bell tower beside the Basilica of Saint-Michel, with 230 steps up to a view over the city and the river.
Pick a clear day, since the view is the point of the climb.
The spire is open every day from April to October, 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, with the last climb 30 minutes before closing. The city page lists no hours for November to March, so check it before you go.
Source: Ville de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
- 13 min walk
- Lunch break
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1:36 pm2:51 pm
Musée national des Douanes
The national customs museum, in the Hôtel des Fermes on Place de la Bourse.
It is on the square itself, so it is an easy indoor stop between a walk by the Miroir d'eau and the quays.
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays. It is also closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Source: Musée national des douanes, checked November 3, 2026
- 4 min walk
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2:55 pm3:55 pm
Porte Cailhau
A medieval city gate built between 1493 and 1496, 35 metres high, with exhibitions inside and a climb to the top.
In winter, go on a Saturday or Sunday if you want a morning visit, since weekdays open only in the afternoon.
From November to March it opens Wednesday to Friday 14:00 to 18:00, and on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 11:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00. Monday and Tuesday are not listed as opening days in that period. From April to October it opens every day 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Source: Porte Cailhau, checked November 3, 2026
- 3 min walk
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3:58 pm5:58 pm
Garonne quays and Promenade Corajoud
The riverside walk along the Garonne, between the Pont de Pierre and the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, with gardens on the left bank.
Walk the left bank from the Quinconces to the Miroir d'eau and the Jardin des lumières, then cross the Pont de Pierre for the view back at the city.
Open every day, 24 hours a day.
Source: Ville de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
- 2 min walk
-
6:00 pm7:30 pm
Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'eau
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.
Come between April and October if you want to see the pool running, and keep a few minutes for the fog it produces.
The square is open at any time. The Miroir d'eau runs every day from 10:00 to 22:00 outside winter, and is shut down for maintenance from November to April.
Source: Bordeaux Tourisme (Office de Tourisme de Bordeaux Métropole), checked November 3, 2026
- Running late? Drop Musée national des Douanes first. Nothing is booked there.
- If it rains, swap Garonne quays and Promenade Corajoud for Musée des Beaux-Arts, which is indoors and close by.