Let me invite you to take a walk around the amazing Bordeaux: the ancient city, the center of New Aquitaine.
We will meet at the Place de la Comédie (Comedy Square), admire the colonnade of the Grand Theater topped by sculptures of muses and goddesses, and then head towards the river.
We will walk a little along the Garonne promenade and on the right we will see the city's landmark depicted on thousands of magnets and postcards - Stock Exchange Square (Place de la Bourse). We will admire the fountains, and after the water jets subside we will take photographs where the buildings that surround the square will be reflected in the smooth surface of the “Water Mirror”.
Our path will continue along the river to the Cailhau Gate (Porte Cailhau) - the former main entrance to the city. Once their merlons and spires used to scare off enemies, and armed soldiers were hiding behind the arrow slits.
Today we will freely pass through the gate to get to the Palace Square. Now it is surrounded by residential buildings, but once there was the castle of the Dukes of Aquitaine, where the renowned Eleanor of Aquitaine (Aliénor d'Aquitaine), the queen consort of France and England, mother of Richard I the Lionheart lived. She was one of the most interesting personalities in French history, and more than that!
Then we will take a walk along one of the narrow cobblestone streets towards St. Peter's Square (Place Saint-Pierre), where the bulk of the eponymous Gothic church of the 19th century stretches to the sky.
One more narrow, ancient street filled with café tables - and we will find ourselves standing on Parliament Square (Place du Parlement). Here, a fountain with nymphs babbles in the daytime, and guests sitting on the terraces are entertained by live music in the evenings.
Camille Jullian Square is located a couple of blocks away. The ancient columns standing on a pedestal as a reminder for posterity speak of the fact that life was in full swing here not only in the Middle Ages but in the Roman era as well.
Best places to visit in Bordeaux
And it's time for us to go to the Bordeaux Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux): the high spires of his bell towers are visible from several blocks away if one walks down the Loup Street. Grandiose from inside and outside, it seems to take us back to the times when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII, and Louis XIII married Anne of Austria. The first sanctuary on this spot existed back in the 3rd century, and the construction of a large cathedral began in the 11th century.
Are you tired of sightseeing? So it's time to take a seat in one of the cozy terraces, order a cup of fragrant coffee and taste the local sweets. I recommend choosing canelé, a signature dessert of Aquitaine, soft and tender inside, with caramel crust on the outside and flavored with rum and vanilla. Another delicacy that you shouldn't leave Bordeaux without tasting is Dunes Blanches (ball-shaped puff pastry with cream inside and white powdered sugar outside).
Take a tour of Bordeaux: I will be happy to experience memorable tastes, views, and aromas of this city together with you!
