The trip to Bordeaux was as unplanned as they come; I had a few days off in the summer and needed to get away from London. As always, France was at the top of the list of destinations. Paris was out of the question as I already had a trip booked for later in the year. I considered heading back to the south of France but the tickets and accommodation were out of my budget. Enter Bordeaux, not sure why I searched for it; but I did and the fares were as friendly as they get traveling across Europe in summer. I am glad my travel plan worked out that way.

I think of Bordeaux as the capital of the to french wine country - this city in the South western part of the Country gives you access to some incredible wine chateaus in Saint Emilion; Bages and Pomerol. In addition for being the access to the wine country, Bordeaux has an incredible scene of food; cultural and activity to you entertained during your time in the city.

By sheer coincidence, I planned the trip for the same weekend as the wine festival which happens the third weekend of June every year with wine makers from across France and Europe making appearance. The festival was a very unique part of my visit and very happy I got to experience it. If you are considering a trip to France / Bordeaux in the summer, you should look into getting tickets to this event.

I booked a half day trip to explore a winery in Pessac - that was one of my favorite parts of the trips. I also made a stop in Saint Emillion a lovely town just half hour outside Bordeaux. If I had more time on the trip, I considered spending a couple of days in Saint Emillion.

VISA REQUIREMENT. France is a Schengen member Country which means you can gain with a valid Schengen visa. Pro tip - when applying for Schengen visa, make sure to request multiple entry - not two entries. Certain Schengen countries have the option for “two entries” on the application so make sure you select “multiple entry” on your application.

GETTING THERE. Flight time from London to Bordeaux is under two hours (about an hour forty-five minutes) direct flight from London either via British Airways or a low budget airline like Easy Jet and Ryan Air. If you are visiting Paris, a flight to Bordeaux is about an hour ; fifteen minutes.

GETTING AROUND. The city has a great transport system, you can take the bus to city center with just one change and once you are in the city center; the trams are a great way to get around. You can use one ticket for up to two hours. If you are planning to visit a wine chateau, consider booking a tour. It is much easier than trying to navigate on your own. Check with your chateau of choice as well - I am told some of them offer a free shuttle.

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED. If you are thinking of touring neighboring wine chateau, then I recommend a long weekend (3 nights minimum). I arrived in Bordeaux just after noon on Sunday and left at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, so I had about two and half days in the city. In hindsight, I should have taken an evening flight on Wednesday or spend an extra night in the city to allow me visit a few spots that were highly recommended by locales.

WHERE TO STAY. I stayed in a apartment hotel right in the center of the city just off Rue Sainte Catherine - the main street in the city center. The property - Studios in historic center was the perfect home in Bordeaux.

WHERE TO EAT. Like most French cities, Bordeaux has an amazing food scene; I received more restaurant recommendation than the days I was in the city. For coffee and a dessert (also great spots for light breakfast), you should check out Plume which also has great healthy options; Tata yoyo serves a delicious cup of hot chocolate and a great dessert selection to go with that cup of chocolate. Contrast cafe has a great brunch menu (and the food is pretty too - if you like that sort of thing). Cafe des arts on Rue Sainte Catherine is a great spot for the coffee and a great backdrop if you want the iconic drinking coffee outside a french cafe picture.

For lunch and dinner, my options were endless, I dined at a couple of real winners - My last day in Bordeaux, I was lucky to get a lunch spot at Le Bouchon Bordelais which continually ranks as a top ten restaurant in Bordeaux and yes it is worth the hype. I still occasionally dream of the gazpacho which was heavenly. If you are looking to get a table here - I recommend making reservation. Actually, for any highly ranked restaurant in Bordeaux, it is best to make a reservation. I stumbled on Le Bistrot one evening by coincidence and it was the best seafood pasta , ever ! By far the best seafood I had was at Le Petite Commerce, again make sure to make reservations or plan for an early dinner. Le Noailles is a Bordeaux establishment and has been serving dishes since 1932. I debated putting this one on the list, while the meal was good; the price and service could be improved. I had better meals in Bordeaux for cheaper and wish the service was better. A few other spots that I looked into but could not go due to not making reservation / not having enough time in the city - La Tupina; Restaurant Influences ; Restaurant Lou Lou and La Brasserie Bordelais.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO. If I had a bit more time in the city, I would have loved a beach day to visit one of the many beaches in the area. This site has a list of all the best ones in and around Bordeaux. The sand dunes at Archachon bay was another sight I missed out on - the sand dune is said to be the highest in Europe. If you have more time in Bordeaux than I did - you should consider adding these to your itinerary.

I happened to visit the same weekend as the wine festival which was amazing to experience. This also happened to be the 20th anniversary of the festival so it was extra special. If you are thinking of visiting Bordeaux in 2020, you can find all the information on the festival here.

On my first full day in the city, I booked a half day wine chateau tour to Pessac which included wine tasting; tour of chateau and a visit to Sainte Emillion. That tour was about six hours of the day and very worth it. I booked my tour with Ophorus excursions and our tour guide was excellent. The tourism office can also help with wine tour options if in doubt. The office is located just off the main square. The main square - Place de la Comedie is a must see. Here you will find the grand theatre and its impressive columns; Sanna of Bordeaux aka “giant head” sculpture; grand hotel Bordeaux; restaurants and cafes. There is also a tram and bus stop in the Square. The main streets of Bordeaux converge here including Rue Sainte Catherine which is the main shopping street which lined with shops; boutiques; hotel; restaurants; cafes and grocery shops. Not too far from the square you will find the girondins monument - an impressive work of art - part sculpture; part fountain. There is a park nearby where you will find locals picnicking and a ferris wheel for some great views.

Place de la Bourse is a gathering point for locales and tourist. While it is impressive to see at anytime, you should not miss seeing this at night. I recommend seeing the building up close to appreciate the intricate design; however, the beauty of this structure is captured from across the street at the “water mirror” - a large pool with occasional mist and thin film of water which is a favorite of locales and tourist especially in the summer months. The water mirror feature is best at either sunrise or sunset with the exterior lights of place de la Bourse on.

A few other spots not to miss out on - the Notre-Dame Bordeaux; Bordeaux cathedral and the neighboring Tour pey Berland bell-tower. The bell tower entrance is on the side of the cathedral and the trek up its 282 steps rewards you with an excellent view of the city. On the other side of the cathedral is the iconic Hotel de ville - once a palace, it now serves as the Bordeaux city hall. Visit Port Cailhau and Grosse Cloche. Port Cailhau is the city’s gate built in the 15th century; you can pay to climb to the top of the tower - I did not make the trek so I cannot vouch for the views. Gross Cloche is on the other side of Old town from Port Cailhau and it is considered one of the last few remaining medieval monuments in the city. It has got two towers and the big bell which used to be very symbolic of the city I am told. If you visit Tata Yoyo for a meal, you will be within a very short walk from Gross Cloche.

If you take no other recommendation from this list, please make sure you take these two as they were two of my favorite parts of my time in Bordeaux. The first is La cite du vin (aka Museum of wine); you can take a tram from the main square to get here - it will take about 20 minutes. La cite du vin is excellent for many reasons including the architecture of the building; the detailed and entertaining way wine history and process is presented. I don’t want to ruin it for you just know thatIf you are a lover of wine and how it is made, you will not be disappointed. Your entry ticket also earns you a free glass of wine in the wine bar at the top of the building. Finally there is Darwin (Darwin Ecosysteme); there is a skatepark on site, organic grocery store; restaurant; wellness center and free expression canvas for graffiti artist. The graffiti art here are some of the best I have ever seen and it was the main reason I visited. I loved every moment of it. It is a bit further out from the center of the city. I recommend taking the bus to get here. I did a trek from the main square and could barely move the next day.