Book a Flight to Bordeaux from €168

Place de la Bourse: a busy hub and a landmark of the city, the stunning Place de la Bourse boasts the impressive baroque buildings of the old Customs House and the Stock Exchange, dedicated to Louis XV, closely linked in the past with the port's intense economic activity. It's a must-see at night, when the façades of the buildings on the vast square are magically illuminated and reflected on the largest water mirror in the world, created by a famous architect specialising in fountains.

Saint-André Cathedral: climb to the top of the bell tower of the Gothic cathedral, dating back to 1046, and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the whole city. Address: Place Pey Berland

Saint Michel: this 13th-century cathedral in the heart of the namesake medieval district is simply mesmerising! Its 114m-tall pointed bell tower scrapes the sky and dominates the skyline of Bordeaux. Address: Place Meynard

Place des Quinconces: another square worth a stop on any walk in the city, not only because it is the largest in France but because you will have the opportunity to be photographed in front of the tall column with the statue of Liberty on its top. It is a memorial to the Girondists, fighters who were persecuted during the Reign of Terror after the French Revolution. On the two ends of the square, the statues of the philosopher Montaigne and Enlightenment intellectual Montesquieu remind the visitor of the contribution of Bordeaux in the spiritual uplift of Europe.

Grand Théâtre: book tickets for a play at the glamorous theatre of Bordeaux, dating from the 18th century. One of the most emblematic buildings of the city, it stands out thanks to its large peristyle, reminiscent of an ancient temple. Its interior, with its luxurious foyers and wide staircases, is impressive. Address: Place de la Comédie, 0033 5 56008595, www.opera-bordeaux.com/

Museum of Fine Arts: its excellent collection, which spans from the 15th to the 20th century, includes masterpieces by Titian, Veronese, Rubens, Renoir, Rodin, and a Delacroix painting of exceptional interest for Greek visitors. It is the oil painting “Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi”, known from History textbooks. Address: 20 Cours d'Albret, 0033 5 56102056, www.musba-bordeaux.fr/

Capc Museum of Contemporary Art: the old warehouses of the port, once full of sugar, cocoa and vanilla, brought by ships to Bordeaux from the exotic French colonies, nowadays host Kounellis, Warhol and other creations in atmospheric spaces. Address: 7, rue Ferrère, 0033 5 560081 50, www.capc-bordeaux.fr/

Wine-tasting routes: even if are not a wine lover, you will soon become one, wandering in one of the most important wine destinations on the planet. “A day without wine is a day without sun”, you will often hear the locals say. You are in the heart of the huge 113,000 ha vineyard of Bordeaux, which produces 800 million bottles a year of fine red, white and rosé wine, the designation of origin Clairet and Crémant de Bordeaux. It is said that the secret of their excellent taste lies in the rich limestone subsoil of Aquitaine. Carve your own incensing path getting information from the city's Tourism Office (12, Cours du XXX Juillet, tel. 0033 5 56006624, fr.bordeaux-tourisme.com/), that organises walks in the vineyards by carriage, guided tours to the castles of the Médoc region, visits to cellars and excellent wine tastings. You can also contact one of the dedicated agents to be found in the city that organise wine walks in the countryside of Bordeaux and excursions in wonderful medieval villages, surrounded by seas of vineyards, such as the fairytale Saint Emilion. A unique experience to visit Bordeaux in the time of harvest, when the branches are bent by the weight of the grapes and the wine producers are preparing feverishly for the nouveau of the new crop.

Pass the Arch of Aquitaine and you arrive to the pedestrian rue Sainte Catherine, which boasts that it is the longest shopping street in Europe, with three kilometres of non-stop shop windows. The crowd here is reminiscent of a protest, only instead of signs, they are holding bags with French and international brands. Come treasures hunting on Saturday's antique bazaar in the square Saint-Michel, near the old banana ripening warehouse and you will find ancient maps, engravings, porcelain dinnerware, while drinking tea with fresh mint. You can of course buy all wine paraphernalia, from bottles in a special travel package and original souvenirs on the wine tradition of the region to deep red Bordeaux flavoured chocolate.

Stroll around St. Pierre neighbourhood, the medieval heart of Bordeaux. Small churches, squares and cobbled streets, full of cafeterias, bars and brasseries with live music and outdoor tables that give a youthful character to the old quarter. As Bordeaux has a lively university community, student hangouts strongly colour the nightlife of the city, especially in the lively square Gambetta. Tuned to the times of crisis, the chefs of Bordeaux not only continue to maintain the high standard of the local French cuisine but create a new culinary trend for travellers-big eaters who do not want to spend a small fortune for one gourmet dish. Go for bistro gastronomy, or bistronomy: refined specialities such as fricassee or wine sauce lamb, vegetable tart, steak tartare, dishes cooked with carefully selected ingredients and served without too many embellishments. In the taverns on the shore of Garonne taste oysters and other seafood accompanied by the appropriate glass of wine. For dessert, look in bakeries and patisseries in the city for cannelé, the trademark dessert of Bordeaux, crisp and golden outside, with a velvety butter heart inside, it melts in the mouth and has a sweet aroma of rum and vanilla.

The creation breeze blowing in town always fills the calendar with interesting activities, events, exhibitions. But all events are led by the two liquid protagonists that have boosted Bordeaux: the river and the wine.

• Wine Festival: A real blockbuster event organised every other year in June in honour of the city's red gold. Bordeaux lives in drunkenness during the four-day festival as wine-tourists from around the world swarm to follow the two kilometre long wine road, from the river to the heart of the city where infinite happenings come to life day and night on this wine Woodstock: vertical testing of rare labels, wine tasting courses, outdoor concerts, giant oak casks. Pack your suitcases already for the Fête du vin on 23-26 June 2016.
• River Festival: A fiesta in honour of the ... Garonne organised in May and every other year of the Wine Festival. The residents of Bordeaux express gratitude to the river that for centuries, is a driving force of the local economy thanks to shipping and trade. They organise a wild party on the shores and in the water with regattas, ballad serenades, concerts and fireworks.

Transport from the airport

Aegean Airlines lands in Mérignac airport, 12 km west of Bordeaux. The airport has many restaurants, cafeterias, shops for last minute shopping, banks, car rental agencies and free Wi-Fi in flight departure zones. The fastest and cheapest way to come from the airport is by bus, the Navette Shuttle, that terminated at Jean Saint train station in Bordeaux. You can also take bus and tram line 1. Taxis are very helpful and their prices are reasonable.