Bordeaux, Vineyards and Châteaux

Day 1 – London – Bordeaux
Begin with Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® to London Heathrow or Gatwick for your scheduled British Airways or another leading airline flight to Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport. Meet your Uniworld representative and transfer to the port to embark the River Royale.

Day 2 – Garone River and Gironde Estuary Pauillac
Included Excursion: Médoc panoramic tour and wine tasting
Set sail on the Garonne river for the pretty town of Pauillac, gateway to the Médoc wine route. Not far out of Bordeaux, the Garonne merges with the Dordogne river, forming the Gironde Estuary and when you arrive in Pauillac you will join a tour of the Médoc. Travelling through the Médoc wine route one after the other, beautiful châteaux rise up from the verdant hillsides, creating one of the most scenic vineyards landscapes in the world, including such world-renowned wineries as Margaux, Lafi te Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, and Cos d’Estournel. A highlight of the tour will be visiting a château, where you’ll meet the winemaker and enjoy vineyard and cellar tours, as well as a tasting. Welcome Gala Dinner this evening.

Day 3 – Gironde Estuary Blaye, Libourne
Included Excursion: Scenic drive along the Route de la Corniche fleurie
Today you’ll depart Pauillac and sail across the estuary to Blaye. The scenic journey offers a unique look at the delta and its vineyard-covered hillsides, high limestone cliffs and grassy marshlands. Running along the cliffs of the Gironde, between the towns of Blaye and Bourg, is a little road known as the Route de la Corniche fleurie. The road winds through tiny, picturesque hamlets, where you’ll find charming stone houses built by 19th-century ship captains and you will see a variety of tropical and Mediterranean plants. Later we arrive in the English bastide town of Libourne.

Day 4 – Libourne (Bergerac and Périgord)
Included Excursion: Bergerac and the Périgord
What better way to spend a day in this part of Aquitaine than by taking full advantage of what it knows best: how to eat. Sample your way through an open-air farmers’ market in Bergerac before visiting Périgord, a magical area that melds medieval architecture, sunflower fields and dense oak forests. Tonight you are invited to an epicurean dinner.

Day 5 – Libourne (Saint-Émilion), Dordogne River, Bordeaux
Included Excursion: Saint-Émilion walking tour with wine tasting and exclusive night-time tour of Bordeaux
Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers an exceptional landscape of historic architecture and even more historic vineyards. The town, built atop the limestone hills, is particularly special for its history surrounding an 8th century monk named Émilion. Upon his death in 767 the area became known as Saint-Émilion and in the 12th century, near the site of Émilion’s cave, work began on a subterranean cathedral carved into the limestone, creating a massive monolithic church with three naves, a high altar, and catacombs. After our visit it is time to taste this region’s world-class wines. Later you will return to Bordeaux, where you can take an evening tour through the heart of this city which, after Paris, has more protected buildings than any other French city.

Day 6 – Bordeaux, Cadillac
Included Excursion: Cadillac, chateaux and the vineyards of Sauternes with exclusive artisanal lunch and wine tasting
Today join a tour to the nearby town of Cadillac to indulge in an exploration of Sauternes, the sweet wine which is named for the region. Sauternes, made from grapes that have been affected by Botrytis, or noble rot, is a concentrated and distinctly fl avoured wine. You’ll travel to one of Cadillac’s finest estates to meet the winemaker and share a country lunch paired with Sauternes, before travelling to Château d’Yquem for a chance to view the beautiful grounds.

Day 7 – Bordeaux
Included Excursion: Exclusive “See Bordeaux as the Bordelais Do” walking tour
Though Aquitaine is profoundly French, its history and spirit owe a great deal to the Romans, and a period of tremendous British influence. The city has long been known as La Belle Au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty) and, over the last decade, her charming boulevards have been made pedestrian zones and her exquisite neoclassical architecture has been restored. On this fascinating walking tour, you will see the sights of Bordeaux like the Grand Théâtre, a 15th century bell tower, and Bordeaux Cathedral. This afternoon, you’ll have free time to enjoy the city on your own.

Day 8 – Bordeaux – London
Disembark the ship and transfer to Bordeaux– Mérignac International Airport for your British Airways or another leading airline flight home. Arrive at London Heathrow or Gatwick where our staff will meet you and our transport will transfer you to your own front door.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary. Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water levels or other uncontrollable factors. Information is subject to change.
Please note for 2014
All Uniworld cruises will be all inclusive from 2014, which means they will now include unlimited beverages onboard (except top premium wines and spirits), all onboard and shore excursion gratuities and complimentary internet/wi-fi access.

Titan Travel have a reputation for innovative and enthralling escorted holiday itineraries, and through the guidance of their founding principles, “quality, service and value” which have remained unchanged since the 1970′s, their expertise and experience are second to none.

Titan Travel strive to ensure that aspect of their holidays whispers quality, before you fly, you get to appreciate a comfortable, chauffeur-driven transfer from your front door to the airport with our peerless VIP Home Departure Service, check-in assistance and complimentary porterage. All international flights are with world-renowned scheduled airlines and cruises with acclaimed operators. Touring holidays are expertly designed by the product team to present a comprehensive, imaginative introduction to the destination of choice yet still offer plenty of time for relaxation. The services of a tour manager or cruise manager are included throughout. When you return to the UK, you are met in the arrivals hall of the airport and shown to your VIP Home Departure Service vehicle, waiting to return you to your front door.

Our Opinion
“Titan Travel’s guiding principles of customer service, quality of product and value for money are undoubtedly a contributing factor to them being voted, on many occasions, the UK’s best tour operator.”