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Bordeaux Culture & history

Our most recommended Bordeaux Culture & history

La Cité du Vin Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket & Wine Tasting

1. La Cité du Vin Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket & Wine Tasting

Enjoy the standing itinerary of La Cité du Vin, covering 18 exhibits on the theme of wine. Skip the line to enter, and then spend around 3 hours making your way through the exhibits with the aid of a hand-held companion, a digital guide available in 8 languages. At the end of the tour, head to the 8th floor and its belvedere, where you'll have a 360-degree, panoramic view of Bordeaux and the surrounding area. You’ll also have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine at a tasting session, choosing from a regularly renewed selection of 15 world wines. After your visit you can browse the on-site boutique, and visit the wine cellar with a vast international selection, the restaurants (with one on the 7th floor offering a panoramic view) and also the reading room.

From Bordeaux: Saint-Émilion Half-Day Trip with Wine Tasting

2. From Bordeaux: Saint-Émilion Half-Day Trip with Wine Tasting

Journey from Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion, a beautifully-preserved historical town dating back to the Middle Ages. Enjoy a half-day tour of this UNESCO-listed village, including an organic wine tasting. Take a stroll through the village's narrow streets, and explore its old market square and famous monuments. Climb to the top of the King's Tower for panoramic views of the town. Learn all about the wine-making history of this quintessential French village and its surrounding vineyards. Visit an organic winery where the winemaker shares his winery's environmental approach. Take a tour of the vineyard and beautiful cellar before sitting down for a delectable wine tasting. Return to Bordeaux at the end of the excursion.

Bordeaux: City Highlights & Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt Tour

3. Bordeaux: City Highlights & Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt Tour

Get to know Bordeaux at your own pace on this interactive scavenger hunt walking tour played on your phone. Decipher riddles, interact with the most important attractions of the city, and unlock interesting facts and legends. An ideal outdoor activity for first time visitors, couples, groups, families, and children. Can be used as a great team-building activity. After downloading the scavenger hunt tour on your mobile device, use the mobile app and integrated maps to reach 10 of Bordeaux's most important attractions on foot. At each stop, learn about the attraction and solve a location-based riddle that can only be solved if you reach the specific location. Use logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to unlock the correct code and reveal the next destination of the city sightseeing game. At each stop, learn about the attraction and solve a location-based riddle that can only be solved if you reach the specific location. Use logic, imagination, observation, and team work to unlock the correct code and reveal the next destination of the tour. As you walk through the city, enjoy the flexibility to pause your game at any time to take a break, snap photos, stop for lunch, or visit a museum. Choose to continue the tour later or save the rest for another day. Your route includes the Bordeaux Cathedra, Porte Dijeaux, Notre Dame, and the Opera National de Bordeaux. Continue on to Place des Quinconces, Place de la Bourse and Place Camille Julian. Stop at Portes Cailhau and Bourgogne, and end with a stop at the mysterious Grosse Cloche.

Bordeaux: Old Town City Exploration Game

4. Bordeaux: Old Town City Exploration Game

Solve riddles with an app on your phone to discover the top sights in Bordeaux's historic center. Visit the city's landmarks and hidden gems at any time of day and at your own pace. Navigate the city by foot on this interactive tour without the need for a map, GPS, or a guide.  This city game starts at Monument aux Girondins. It will take you between 1 to 2 hours to complete and you can also explore at your own pace: pause the game and resume anytime from the location where you paused it. You will finish at Grosse Cloche. As you solve challenges, the story unfolds and exact directions on your phone will guide you to the next location. After your booking you will receive an email with instructions on how to download and play the game on your phone. You can play on your own, in a large group or in several smaller groups that compete against each other and meet at the final stop of the game.

Bordeaux: Wine and Trade Museum Entry Ticket & Wine Tasting

5. Bordeaux: Wine and Trade Museum Entry Ticket & Wine Tasting

Pre-book your entry ticket to Bordeaux’s Wine and Trade Museum and enjoy the added perks of a presentation of the vineyard and a wine tasting of two wines paired with local snacks. Receive a paper guidebook for your self-guided exploration of the cellars. The Bordeaux Wine and Trade Museum pays tribute to the great wine merchants and the rich winemaking history of Bordeaux. Set in the building of Louis XV's royal broker, you’ll discover three centuries of the history and fame of Bordeaux’s great wines. The vaulted cellars, built around 1720, retrace the work of the coopers and the maturing of wine in barrels in the tradition of the wine merchants of the 19th century. With an included paper guide, you’ll get to go on a self-guided walk through two cellars. At the end of your visit, you can attend a presentation on the Bordeaux vineyards and learn about the notions of grape varieties, appellations d'origine contrôlée, terroir, and more. Alongside your commented wine tasting with in-house selected local wines, you can taste raisins dorés (coated raisins) and canelés de Bordeaux (small French pastry flavored with rum). Before the end of your visit, you can savor more of the wines in the wine cellar (costs not included).

Bordeaux to Dordogne: Castles & Villages Private Tour

6. Bordeaux to Dordogne: Castles & Villages Private Tour

Enjoy a private full-day tour of Dordogne and discover the history of the King’s Musketeers, learn about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and visit prehistoric cave paintings. After the pick-up from your hotel in Bordeaux, Sarlat, Limoges, Toulouse, Agen Bergerac, or elsewhere nearby, you will head off on an exciting day filled with history, magnificent panoramic vistas, the finest gastronomy, and wine tasting. Whatever you desire can be incorporated into this private tailor-made tour. One of the places you can visit on this tour is Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, a lovely town which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site partly because of its proximity to the famous Lascaux Caverns and partly because of the newer site of Grottes de Cougnac. Here you can visit the caves and see the original art. Les Eyzies is also home to the National Prehistoric Museum. You also have the option of visiting Sarlat-la-Canéda, one of the most attractive and alluring medieval towns in south-western France. The town was developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. Its town center of impeccably restored stone buildings – now a pedestrian zone – is perhaps the most representative of 14th century France. Discover another UNESCO World Heritage Site – Château de Rocamadour – perched up high on the side of a gorge of one of the Dordogne River’s tributaries, famous for its sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You can also explore the Château de Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, with magnificent views over the landscape. Among other castles you can visit is the Château de Beynac, one of the best preserved and best known castles in the Dordogne region. Its austere appearance perched on top of a limestone cliff, dominating the town on the north bank of the Dordogne River over the sheer cliff face. It boasts double crenelated walls, double barbican, and double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine. Another castle to visit is the Château des Milandes, once the home of the Josephine Baker, an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. Josephine Baker and her husband renovated this beautiful castle, installing central heating, electricity, and running water. They lived here with 12 adopted children from 9 different nationalities to create what they tenderly call the “World Village”. You can also explore Domme, another typically charming Bastide village built on the cliffs overhanging the Dordogne River. It was here that many of the Kinghts Templar were imprisoned and you can still see some of their graffiti on the tower gates. Another option on this tour is to visit the Jardins de Marqueyssac, an amazing garden filled with topiary creation and a picturesque promenade with panoramic views over the Dordogne River. Visit the Eyrignac gardens, the French garden inspired by the 18th century Italian design. They were entirely modified into an English romantic garden in the 19th century. On this private tour you also have the possibility of visiting Chateau de Commarque, Chateau de Jumilhac, Monpazier, Puymartin, Eyrignac, Monbazillac, La Roque Gageac, Montfort, and Salignac.

Bordeaux: Historic Center Walking Tour and Candy Tastings

7. Bordeaux: Historic Center Walking Tour and Candy Tastings

See all that historic Bordeaux has to offer as you stroll through its streets and take in the striking architecture. Join an insightful walking trip through the city center and taste some delicious traditional sweets while exploring the main local landmarks. Explore the historic districts of the city, along with its monuments and squares. Allow yourself to be guided through the areas of Saint Paul and Saint Pierre, the imposing 18th-century Grosse Cloche, the Saint André Cathedral, and the ornate Monument to the Girondins. Stop at four independent food shops as you walk and taste some typical sweet delicacies. Each one of these places will offer you the opportunity to try one of the region's specialties and learn about Bordeaux's unique traditional desserts.

Bordeaux: Private Walking Tour

8. Bordeaux: Private Walking Tour

Explore the heart of Old Bordeaux on a private guided walking tour. Pass by popular attractions like the Bordeaux Cathedral, Pey Berland Tower, and more while learning about the history, culture, and lifestyle in a fun and entertaining way. Meet your guide in what is considered the city's main square, Place Pey-Berland. Jump right in as you marvel at the two imposing structures that flank this square, the Hôtel de Ville and the Cathédrale Saint-André, often simply referred to as Bordeaux Cathedral. Admire the intricate details of the cathedral's gothic structure and see the Tour Pey-Berland, a 15th-century bell tower that was built to provide the cathedral with a large bell without threatening the original building. Follow your guide as you walk through the cobbled streets of Bordeaux's historic center, stopping off at Place Saint-Projet to discover the history of the square and the famous Rue Sainte-Catherine. Your tour continues to the intriguing Place Camille Jullian, where you'll learn of a hidden secret that lies here. Next, it's on to the must-see Porte Cailhau, a structure that once served as the main gate to the city and boasts a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. Continue towards Place de la Bourse, passing through the famous Saint-Pierre district where the city’s first port once was. Learn about Bordeaux's secret slave trade and take a picture at the world's largest reflecting pool, the Miroir D’Eau. Finally, admire the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux before completing your tour with a visit to the Monuments aux Girondins.

Bordeaux: Private Guided Walking Tour & Cite du Vin

9. Bordeaux: Private Guided Walking Tour & Cite du Vin

Join me as we venture together inside the amazing history of Bordeaux: a City that I love so much! Let us discover why it was called the sleeping beauty and share stories of how beautiful Life is in this city! and of course, we end the tour with a visit to Cité du Vin: Bordeaux's universal wine museusm, where I will explain the amazing history of this building and the idea behind the project. We will also check the wonderful Wine Cellar and the boutique! we will tour the gardens of the Cité du Vin and see how it fits well with its neighborhood. Please note that this tour does not include tickets to visit the permanent exhibition of the Cite du Vin. If you would like to visit the exhibition, you will have to purchase the tickets there. I promise you will have a great time during my tour! Looking forward to seeing you!

Bordeaux: City Introduction in-App Guide & Audio

10. Bordeaux: City Introduction in-App Guide & Audio

Walk through a beautiful route of the city, discover hidden gems and visit 10+ of the most important attractions and spots. Learn some introductory information about each place and interesting stories about the city in general. Download the ‘World City Trail ‘app from the store and login. Read the instructions and head to the starting location. Unlock photos of the exterior and the interior of the location. Listen or read some information regarding the attraction and continue walking to the next checkpoint. Note what you liked and did not like and create your bucket list for the next days! Start your walk any time, without a schedule. Pause it for lunch, have a drink, visit an attraction of your choice, and continue later or even another day. With the maps feature, you will never get lost. Start your tour at Bordeaux Cathedral, the largest church in Bordeaux! Visit the Porte Dijeaux, a gate that has stood there for centuries. Photograph the Presbytère de l'église Notre-Dame while learning about its history and admire the Opéra National de Bordeaux with its excellent acoustics. Afterwards, Pl. des Quinconces which is one of the largest city squares in Europe awaits you, don't forget to take pictures. The Place de la Bourse will leave you speechless with its beauty. Admire the little Pl. Camille Julian! Porte Cailhau is worth your time and phone memory space is the monumental gate built in 1495 with a castle-like exterior that was once the main gate of the city, while the Porte de Bourgogne reminds you where the gate used to be for entering Bordeaux from Paris. The icing on the cake of this unique tour will be the Grosse Cloche(where the tour ends) with its heavy history...

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Frequently asked questions about Bordeaux

What are the best day trips and excursions from Bordeaux?

The best day trips and excursions from Bordeaux are:

Saint-Émilion

Other Sightseeing Options in Bordeaux

Want to discover all there is to do in Bordeaux? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Bordeaux

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 905 reviews

This museum was recommended to me by several people, and I entirely agree that it's worth the time and money - all the better if you stroll down the river from downtown Bordeaux to get there. It's very interactive and tech-heavy in accessing the various exhibits, so if that's not for you, be warned. (This was the only negative review I heard from anyone who's been.) But if you're ready to use the provided virtual tour aspects and headset, there's a ton to take in and learn from.

Christian’s tour of Dordogne was wonderful. It was so special to be able to get away from the city and tour the countryside - river, valley, farmland, castles and medieval villages. Christian entertained us with many stories - historical and contemporary. He was very friendly and relaxed.

Assimilating information about wine production to international trade in old times in the most modern manner. Wine tasting on the top floor is an amazing experience from where the whole of Bordeaux may be seen.

Good driver, very friendly and polite and also informative.

Emanuel was really helpful and knowledgeable. Thanks!