A visitors guide to Bordeaux, France – Part 1

Bordeaux is world renowned for its red wine and delicious regional cuisine; however, this French city offers much more than just wine, it also provides excellent nightlife, wonderful museums, and loads of history. In Bordeaux, visitors from all backgrounds and walks of life are sure to find something to eat, see, or do that suits them.

Get lost among the winding and narrow roads that comprise the cities different quartiers. These small neighborhoods usually maintain mom and pop restaurants, small churches, and fascinating architecture. If you are a history buff, you’ll definitely want to stop by the Musee d’Aquitaine, a cultural arts museum which houses many historical artifacts from the region, including prehistoric figurines.

Just north of central Bordeaux, you can take a relaxing lunch break at the Jardin Botanique, a masterfully landscaped botanical garden.

If you are considering taking a trip to Bordeaux, France, definitely keep the following suggestions in mind. When you are looking for a place to stay, remember that Bordeaux, like many other tourist-driven cities in France, will have a wide range of hotels that vary greatly in quality. Reasonably priced and modest rooms can often be found in the center of the town, but you can definitely find some lesser known bed and breakfasts and small family-run hotels on the outskirts of the town center.

If you love fashion, the Bordeaux’s Place de Grands-Hommes is for you. Jam packed with high-end boutiques and luxurious designer fashion shops, it’s easy to see why travelers run rampant among the plaza.

If you’ve decided on Bordeaux for its cuisine, then you’ll definitely want to be sure you schedule the mandatory tours of Bordeaux’s most popular wine chateaux. Bordeaux three regions, Gironde, Perigord, and Landes often produce some of the finest French cuisine imaginable. Give your taste buds a treat with the various delicious restaurants that line the street.

After dinner, it’s not just back to the hotel room for most Bordelaises. These people love to drink and have fun with friends and family. Visitors will find a plethora of English-style transplant pubs and chic techno nightclubs.

Although France is most enjoyable, weather-wise, in the spring, autumn is a good alternative season for visitors to flock to Bordeaux, which means tourists groups are rampant, so beware and book early if you plan on attempting to combat the masses during your stay. Wine loving travelers, however, should also keep in mind that most of the wine chateaux are closed for the harvest season, in October.

In addition, travelers should also keep in mind that Bordeaux is a popular local retreat, so many of France’s denizens will often flock to the small town to escape the larger city hustle and bustle of the tourist season which extends from after the winter holidays throughout the summer, peaking in August.

Destinations: A visitors guide to Madrid, Spain

This is a Spanish travel destination second only to Barcelona. When you get there it is easy to understand its popularity. This should certainly be one of your top travel destinations if traveling in the region.

The first thing you should do is just take a walk around and soak it all up. this is one of the best places for atmosphere and quality scenery in all of Spain. There are many museums and churches worth visiting, but what will strike you most is simply how clean and well maintained the city is, as well as how the urban cityscape does not infringe on the natural beauty. It is one of the few cities where this combination seems seamless.

As far as getting something to eat there are a few options. You should definitely try out Tapas, which is one of the best restaurants in all of Spain. The staff is very friendly and the price, while a little high, are nothing unreasonable. For something more unique, try Botin. The menu will be weird at first but the food is great once you try it. Also has some of the best prices of any restaurant in the whole city.

As far as partying is concerned, you came to the right place. The Plaza Dos de Mayo is great for young people looking to dance their hearts out. the many bars int he Chicote district are great for drinking and taking in the scenery. This was the home of many famous drinkers like Hemingway and Ava Gardner. Great for a taste of history… in all senses of the word.

Madrid is certainly a hot spot. This place is warm and sensual. The people will make you fall in love with them. This should certainly be one of your top destinations in Spain. Some even say it is better than Barcelona….