All our hotels in Bordeaux

Bordeaux's fortunes have always been influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The city first came to prominence as a trade centre under Roman rule 2,000 years ago – a status that it has maintained ever since, despite invasions by Vandals, Visigoths, Vikings and Normans down the centuries. Bordeaux experienced a golden age between the 12th and 15th centuries, when its merchants were granted the right to trade tax-free with England – a period when the city's already-significant wine industry flourished. Fortunes rose again in the 18th century, when exports included coffee, cocoa and cotton, and for a time it was the second-busiest port in the world. The latter half of the 19th-century saw the renaissance of Bordeaux with grandiose building projects, and it has remained an influential city ever since. With all of this history, it's no surprise that Bordeaux has earned a reputation as a living museum. Our Bordeaux travel guide includes some of the best ways to uncover the city's fascinating past.

Whether you hire a guide or join a free walking tour of Bordeaux, it's well worth starting your adventure at one of the oldest surviving monuments in the city: Bordeaux Cathedral. Known in French as the Cathédrale Saint-André, this magnificent Gothic edifice served as the wedding venue for Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Louis VII in 1137. After admiring its breathtakingly ornate façade, climb 229 steps to the top of Pey-Berland bell tower, where you'll be rewarded with panoramic views over Bordeaux and the Garonne river. Bordeaux has two spectacular plazas. Laying claim to being the largest city square in Europe, the Esplanade des Quinconces occupies an expanse of prime riverfront and is littered with statues, columns and fountains. Chief among these is a memorial to the Girondins – members of a political faction who were executed en masse during the French Revolution. The second square is the 18th-century Place de la Bourse; fringed by the classic architecture of the Hôtel des Fermes and the Palais de la Bourse, it is one of the most recognisable sights in Bordeaux. Photographers will be enthralled by the square's Water Mirror, handiwork of landscape artist Michel Corajoud and doubling as the largest reflecting pool in the world. A short stroll from the Place de la Bourse takes you to the Grand Theatre of Bordeaux, with its wedding-cake exterior defined by a neo-Classical portico of elegant columns topped with statues of Ancient Roman deities. Inside, the auditorium features the largest orchestra pit in Europe and a stage playing host to world-class opera, ballet and classical-music performances. If you prefer culture of a less musical kind, head to the Musée d'Aquitaine for an immersion into the history of Bordeaux and Aquitaine from prehistoric times to present day.

Of course, some of the best places in Bordeaux are related to its reputation as the global winemaking capital. The Bordelais mastered the art of viticulture some 2,000 years ago, when vines were first introduced to the area by the Romans. Today, statistics for the region are staggering, with 60 regional appellations and 7,000 winemakers producing around 650 million bottles annually at countless vineyards and wine estates – among these are some of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world. Taking a Bordeaux wine tour is a fantastic way to get to grips with the city's grape-based culture, whether you join a private or small-group excursion with a local expert or decide to explore independently. The Bordeaux chateaux are about more than wine tastings and vineyard tours, however. With each one different in its own special way, they also provide a unique glimpse into local history. From converted 13th-century Franciscan convents to magnificent post-Revolution country palaces, these are some of the most beautiful and memorable addresses in France. Unsurprisingly there are also a couple of specialist wine museums in Bordeaux. Musée du Vin et du Négoce explores the origins of the Bordeaux wine trade and offers tastings in the wine store and cellars of an 18th-century mansion. La Cité du Vin Bordeaux – a standout masterpiece of contemporary architecture – is devoted to wine-making traditions around the world, with themed areas and interactive exhibits. Finally, the Bordeaux Wine Festival is held every other summer and celebrates the region's winemakers and vineyards with four full days of events, tastings and festivities.