Place du Capitole
The Place du Capitole (External link) is the beating heart of Toulouse**. Located in this immense square is a magnificent building, remarkable for its façade with eight pink marble columns which houses the town hall and the opera house. Pop in and oggle at the Salle des Illustres with its spectacular 19th century paintings on the ceiling and walls, as well as the magnificent historical rooms** of painters Jean-Paul Laurens, Henri Martin and Paul Gervais.
Cité de l'Espace
Channel your inner spaceman and try your hand, or rather your feet, at moon walking in a moon gravity simulator at this fascinating Space City adventure park (External link) which spans an incredible 5 hectares. Gaze at the stars, climb a full size rocket and much more in Europe’s premier astronomy and space science culture centre.
See the sites
In the city take a tour (External link) to discover 2000 years of history. Go by Segway, petit train, tram, open top mini bus, on foot, by bike or metro and discover the iconic monuments and beautiful coloured buildings that give the city its name “la ville rose”. There are numerous fabulous sites such as the ancient Jacobins Convent (External link) , the beautiful Saint-Sernin Basilica (External link) which has been lavishly renovated revealing the full glory of its medieval frescoes and murals, plus the Hôtel d’Assézat (External link) a magnificent 17th century town house which houses the Fondation Bemberg a private museum of paintings and objets d’art.
Though known as the pink city, Toulouse offers many colours and it’s the perfect starting point for a cycling tour along the banks of the blue water of the city’s river and canal. Bikes and tandems can be rented at La Maison du vélo (External link) , located on the banks of the Canal du Midi.
Don’t miss the sunset behind the iconic building of Toulouse, the “Dome de La Grave” and the famous Saint-Pierre Bridge.
Pick up a “Tourism Pass (External link) ” at the tourist office to use public transport and get entry to a whopping 55 attractions.
Around and about in Haute-Garonne
Don’t miss a visit to 2000 year old Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (External link) officially one of the most beautiful villages in France. In the summer the town hosts the fabulous Festival du Comminges, an event that’s dedicated to sacred music and chamber music, held in prestigious historical monuments.
Toulouse is the gateway to the Occitanie region and a perfect departure point for exploring its exceptional sites.