bordeaux lonely planet

Leading travel guide Lonely Planet has revealed the very
best cities that travellers need to head to next year, with France’s very own
Bordeaux topping the list.

On its climb to the top, Bordeaux beat off stiff competition
from the likes of Cape Town, Moscow and Los Angeles to become Lonely Planet’s
best choice for a city getaway. Below are the top ten cities in full:

1. Bordeaux, France
2. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Los Angeles, USA
4. Merida, Mexico
5. Ohrid, Macedonia
6. Pistoia, Italy
7. Seoul, South Korea
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. Moscow, Russia
10. Portland, USA

In its opening description of the city, Lonely
Planet states that there are many different reasons to visit Bordeaux:
“walks along the winding Garonne river, superbly grand architecture and a decadent
gourmet scene where freshly shucked oysters and succulent steaks take centre
stage.” However, Bordeaux was ultimately highlighted for its contribution to
global wine culture, with a visit to the city marked as the ultimate
“wine-lover’s holiday”.

In particular, Bordeaux was heralded for its vine-covered
landscapes, majestic chateaux, unpretentious local cuisine and its newest big
attraction, La Cité du Vin, a museum dedicated entirely to wine. Put simply,
holidays in Bordeaux are perfect for those who want to delve head-first into
the world of French wine, embracing all aspects from the production to the
tasting.

Image: Fred Bigio, available under Creative Commons