Best things to do in Bordeaux, including free and rainy-day options

Bordeaux rewards two days, not one. Day one is the city on foot: the crescent of 18th-century stone along the Garonne, the water mirror at Place de la Bourse, the old streets of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Michel. Day two is wine — either the Cité du Vin museum on the riverbank or a half-day out to Saint-Émilion or the Médoc.

If you have only one day, stay in the city and skip the vineyards; a rushed château visit costs you most of the day in transit. If you have three days, add a second wine day and one coastal or riverside escape.

Prices are 2026 estimates in euros; check current rates before booking.

Start at Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'Eau, the shallow granite pool that reflects the facade and puffs mist on a cycle. It is the single best free thing in the city and takes ten minutes. From there the quays run both ways: north to the Chartrons district of wine merchants and antique shops, south to the Pont de Pierre and the stone gate of Porte Cailhau.

The old town is compact. Rue Sainte-Catherine is the long shopping spine; the Saint-Pierre quarter behind it has the squares and cafés; Saint-Michel has the spire and the Sunday market. Walk the whole centre in about 40 minutes without stopping.

For wine, the Cité du Vin is a museum rather than a cellar: interactive exhibits, a tasting included in the ticket, and a rooftop view over the river. It suits anyone who wants context before drinking. A Saint-Émilion half-day suits anyone who wants the village and the vineyards themselves — the train from Bordeaux Saint-Jean takes about 40 minutes, and the village is a short walk uphill from the station.

The Bassins des Lumières occupies a former submarine base and projects art across vast concrete chambers. It is the strongest rainy-day option in the city and takes about an hour. Book online in summer.

Bordeaux can be done cheaply. The free list — water mirror, quays, Jardin Public, markets, churches — fills a full day. Paid attractions cluster around €15–25 each, so two of them plus transport is a realistic daily budget of about €40–60 per person excluding food and wine.

Wine days are the expensive part. A guided Médoc or Saint-Émilion tour with tastings typically runs €60–90; doing it yourself by train is cheaper but you will walk more and taste less. Tasting fees at individual châteaux vary widely and often need booking.