Classic Bordeaux Adventure
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port
Bordeaux, France
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activityLevel
Strenuous Activity
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excursionType
Information Not Currently Available
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wheelchairAccessible
No
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startingAtPrice
$89
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minimumAge
Information Not Currently Available
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duration
Approximately 2½ Hours
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mealsIncluded
Meals included
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon
The Port of the Moon, port city of Bordeaux in south-west France, is inscribed as an inhabited historic city, an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the age of the Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Lands. Urban plans and architectural ensembles of the early 18th century onwards place the city as an outstanding example of innovative classical and neoclassical trends and give it an exceptional urban and architectural unity and coherence. Its urban form represents the success of philosophers who wanted to make towns into melting pots of humanism, universality and culture.
Bordeaux has a wealth of 18th-century architecture, as well as a rich past starting in the Gallo-Roman period.
Leave the ship for a panoramic drive through Bordeaux, hub of the Aquitaine region. Along the way you will see the Chartrons district -- once the cradle of the wine trade. See a World War II German submarine base and the 18th-century riverfront precinct. The Esplanade des Quinconces is one of Europe's largest squares, with a column commemorating French Revolution.
You will leave the coach at the Palais Rohan, now Bordeaux's City Hall. Walk to the 16th-century Cathedral of St Andrew. This is where Eleanor d'Aquitaine married Louis VII.
As you stroll through the Old Town, watch for the Grand Theatre -- Bordeaux's opera house built in 1773. You will also discover La Place du Parlement -- the former Royal marketplace boasting harmonious decides and a charming fountain -- and La Place de la Bourse. The latter is a former Royal Square dedicated to Louis XV.
End your tour with a taste of local cannelé cake -- indisputably part of local culinary heritage and perhaps your new favorite as well. The cake is crispy on the outside, while the inside is baked to a dense custard consistency. Consider this melt-in-the-mouth sensation a Notes: important component of your research into Aquitaine tradition.
Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes. Use of an audio headset (included) will enhance your tour experience. Tour does not operate on Sundays and Mondays.