Things to do in Bordeaux

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Bordeaux is a city in the west of France, the capital of Aquitaine,"Port of the Moon", as the French call it, and also one of the most romantic cities in Europe. It produces elite brands of wines"Cabernet" and"Merlot", the French come here for their honeymoon, a variety of cultural events and excursions are held here. To find out why Bordeaux was nicknamed"Little Paris", you need to familiarize yourself with its amazing leisure and educational opportunities.

Bordeaux

Listen to sacred music at Saint-Andre Cathedral

Regular organ and choral concerts music in St. Andrew's Cathedral attracts tens of thousands of tourists and hundreds of thousands of Catholic pilgrims from all over Europe. The cathedral itself was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998, along with other attractions in the historic quarters of Bordeaux. Now the concerts that are held here have slightly moved away from the strict Catholic regulations - in addition to traditional chorales and fugues, you can hear works of contemporary composers here.

Saint-Andre Cathedral

Take a photo against the background of eshop

Famous on all of France eshops Bordeaux is a special type of mansions of the local aristocracy, which were built throughout the 19th century. They are located in the historical part of the city near a number of memorable places. What distinguishes eshops from ordinary houses is that they are mostly one-story, but with a hidden basement and a cozy patio. Some of these mansions have now been converted into shops and restaurants, and some remain in private property and are used as intended.

Enter the antique amphitheater

Five minutes walk from the cathedral Saint-Andre is another landmark of Bordeaux - the ruins of the Gallien amphitheater, or as it is commonly called here - Palace of Gallienus. The exact date of construction cannot be called until now, it is only known that the full-fledged amphitheater was destroyed in the era of the Jacobins, who ordered to dismantle a reminder of the past for construction needs. Now from the once majestic building, there are several arched spans and part of the spectator stands. The amphitheater is also included in the UNESCO list.

Palais Gallienus

See gargoyles in the Museum of Aquitaine

There are several dozen institutions with museum status in Bordeaux. Some may be interested in the cutting-edge Museum of Contemporary Art, some will go to the Museum of Natural History, but getting to know Bordeaux for the first time is best at the Museum of Aquitaine. The famous gargoyles are in the hall dedicated to Gothic sculpture. Some of the mythical creatures are so terrifying that they can be seen on Halloween postcards. Postcards, by the way, are sold here, in the souvenir shop.

Aquitaine Museum

Buy Verbena Lollipops

Bordeaux keeps up with the rest of France, and has its own business cards, as in the guise and in cooking. The famous verbena cushions are a local dessert that is rightfully considered one of the symbols of the region. The medicinal herb, which is added to sweets, has been used since ancient times by healers to prepare tonic drinks, now it is one of the main ingredients in a number of local dishes.

Avoid the vineyards

Vineyards around Bordeaux are in great demand among large tourist groups, which is on hand local travel agencies. Today, tourists are offered more than 15 routes, covering the most famous land in the region. Depending on the chosen tour, guests can be shown all the stages of making the legendary merlot or cabernet, as well as demonstrate the conditions for growing technical grapes. Of course, no excursion is complete without tastings.

Find the longest bridge in France

Pont de Aquitaine, although it was not built before anyone else in France, but now it claims to be the longest bridge in the country. Here it is usually called Peter's Bridge. It was created by the personal order of Napoleon Bonaparte, and until the 1960s it was the only bridge that connected the left and right banks of the Garonne. Now there is a carriageway with tram lines and pedestrian shoulders. The pillars of the bridge are decorated with sculptures and decorative lanterns.

Aquitaine Bridge

Taste local specialties

The gastronomic preferences of the French, strange for a Russian person, are very clearly reflected in the culinary traditions of Bordeaux. One of the most delicious dishes here is the pigeon stew with a unique set of spices. Another class of delicacies relates to seafood - they like to serve oysters cooked in a variety of ways. By the way, don't forget about the dress code of expensive restaurants.

Take a photo of the Exchange Square at night

Mirrored marble Place de Exchange is one of the most beautiful places in Bordeaux. There are especially many tourists here at night, when the Town Hall and Palace Rattan illuminated by thousands of illuminated bulbs. The architectural ensemble creates the same Port of the Moon, which was the first to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an example of the classical architecture of the 18th century.

Birji Square

Go to one of the festivals

Not a single month in Bordeaux is complete without festivals, many travel agencies in the city even specialize in organizing trips to festivals. The European Short Film Festival is held in Bordeaux in April and the Women's Film Festival in October. In addition, several wine festivals, book fairs and open exhibitions of art objects are held in Bordeaux throughout the year.

Buy gifts at the Christmas market

A traditional European Christmas market in Bordeaux starts in the second half of October. Several city squares are being converted into open-air shopping areas selling all kinds of gifts, souvenirs and party decorations. The number of people on the streets until Christmas Eve increases several times. By the way, you need to shop here intelligently, but quickly - everything is sold out literally before our eyes.

Visit the oldest temple of Aquitaine

Basilica Saint-Serain Bordeaux is considered one of the oldest temples in the region. The walls, which can be seen from the central entrance, were erected in the 19th century, but the history of the temple began five centuries earlier. In the XIII century, a small church was created, from which the South Portal now remains, abutting an old cemetery. The church is also interesting for its crypt - there are early Christian sarcophagi of the Merovingian era.

Basilica Saint-Serain

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Topic: Things to do in Bordeaux.

Author: Kelly Costine

Things to do in Bordeaux (Topic)