Culture & Sights
The places that give Toulouse its character. Select a few and build your own day out.
Salle des Illustres — Le Capitole
Step inside the Capitole to see its richly painted civic gallery. Entry is normally free, though official ceremonies can close the rooms. Access may be restricted during civic events, so check before making a special journey.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, enter the Capitole through the doors facing the square and follow signs to the Salle des Illustres upstairs. Nearest métro: Capitole (line A). Rooms may close during civic ceremonies.
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Basilique Saint-Sernin
One of Toulouse’s great landmarks, with layers of architecture and pilgrimage history around the relics of Saint Saturnin. Take a little time around the exterior as well as inside the basilica.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, follow Rue du Taur north to Place Saint-Sernin. The basilica dominates the square; take a walk around its exterior too. Nearest métro: Jeanne d’Arc (line B) or Capitole (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Notre-Dame du Taur
A striking brick bell-wall and a church closely tied to the legend of Saint Saturnin. Recently restored and reopened, with daily afternoon access according to the city. The unusual façade is especially worth noticing as you walk along Rue du Taur.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, walk north along Rue du Taur. The striking brick bell-wall is on the street before you reach Saint-Sernin. Nearest métro: Capitole (line A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Couvent des Jacobins
The famous palm-shaped vault makes the church one of the city’s most striking interiors; the cloister is worth taking your time over. Look up at the vaulting when you enter; it is one of the building’s defining features.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, head west along Rue Gambetta, then turn towards Rue Lakanal for the Couvent des Jacobins. Look for the church entrance on Rue Lakanal. Nearest métro: Capitole (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Musée Saint-Raymond
Toulouse’s antiquities museum, particularly rewarding for Roman sculpture and the ancient history of the region. A worthwhile stop for visitors curious about Roman Toulouse and regional archaeology.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, follow Rue du Taur towards Saint-Sernin. The museum is at 1 ter Place Saint-Sernin, beside the basilica. Nearest métro: Jeanne d’Arc (B) or Capitole (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Musée des Augustins
Art and sculpture in a former Augustinian convent, with a beautiful cloister. The museum is reopening its spaces in stages, so check what is accessible. Check which galleries are open before visiting as access can change during restoration work.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, walk southeast through the old centre towards Rue de Metz. The museum is at number 21, in the former convent. Nearest métro: Esquirol (line A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Hôtel d’Assézat & Fondation Bemberg
One of Toulouse’s finest Renaissance courtyards, housing the Bemberg collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. The Renaissance courtyard deserves attention even before you explore the collection.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, head southwest through the old streets towards Place d’Assézat, near Esquirol. Enter the Renaissance courtyard from the square. Nearest métro: Esquirol (line A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne
A fascinating architectural patchwork, with dramatically different Gothic spaces joined into one very Toulouse cathedral. The contrasts between the different parts of the building are the main architectural story.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, walk southeast via Place Saint-Georges towards Place Saint-Étienne. The cathedral’s unusual façade faces the square. Nearest métro: François Verdier (line B).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Musée du Vieux-Toulouse
A small museum devoted to the old city and its everyday life, tucked into the courtyard of Hôtel Dumay. Seasonal opening hours apply. A small-scale museum that rewards an interest in the city beyond its main monuments.
Getting There
From Place du Capitole, walk south along Rue Saint-Rome, then turn into Rue du May. The museum is inside Hôtel Dumay at number 7; look for the courtyard entrance. Nearest métro: Esquirol (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation
A thoughtful museum about resistance, occupation and deportation, with collections tied to Toulouse and Haute-Garonne. Allow time to read the exhibits carefully; the subject deserves more than a hurried stop.
Getting There
This museum is south of the old centre at 52 Allée des Demoiselles. From métro Palais de Justice (line B), walk southeast towards the Busca district; allow extra time from Capitole on foot.
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Dôme de la Grave — Chapelle Saint-Joseph
The copper-domed chapel that defines the west-bank skyline is also a place you can visit, with exhibits in the restored interior. The dome is a Toulouse landmark; check current access to the chapel interior.
Getting There
Cross Pont Saint-Pierre from the city centre to the Saint-Cyprien bank. The chapel is within the Hôpital de La Grave complex; follow signs for Chapelle Saint-Joseph. Nearest métro: Saint-Cyprien République (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Galerie Le Château d’Eau
Contemporary and historic photography inside a former water tower, with a second gallery and a specialist photography library. Exhibitions change, so the current programme matters as much as the building itself.
Getting There
Cross Pont-Neuf towards Saint-Cyprien, then follow the riverfront to Place Laganne. The gallery is inside the former water tower at number 1. Nearest métro: Saint-Cyprien République (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Les Abattoirs
A former slaughterhouse turned modern-art museum and regional contemporary-art centre, with a changing programme of exhibitions. The exhibitions vary over time; check what is showing before you go.
Getting There
Cross the Garonne towards Saint-Cyprien and continue to 76 Allées Charles de Fitte. Look for the former slaughterhouse buildings. Nearest métro: Saint-Cyprien République (line A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Medical History & Dentistry at Hôtel-Dieu
Historic medical instruments and displays at the Hôtel-Dieu, including a reconstruction of an old dental surgery with objects from the Toulouse-Rangueil dental museum collection. Check visiting arrangements, as specialist collections may not keep regular museum hours.
Getting There
From the old centre, cross Pont-Neuf towards Saint-Cyprien. Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques stands by the west end of the bridge; check the museum entrance via Rue Viguerie. Nearest métro: Esquirol or Saint-Cyprien République (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Jardin Raymond VI
A peaceful green space beside Les Abattoirs, with views of the Garonne, old brickwork and a lovely riverside path. Look out for the medicinal-plant garden and enjoy a quiet pause away from the busiest streets of the centre.
Getting There
Take métro A to Saint-Cyprien République, then walk towards Les Abattoirs on Allées Charles de Fitte. The garden is immediately beside the museum.
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Japanese Garden
A little pocket of Japan in Toulouse, with a red bridge, pond, stone lanterns and carefully arranged greenery. Set inside Compans-Caffarelli park, this is a particularly photogenic stop and an easy place to slow down for a while.
Getting There
Take métro B to Compans-Caffarelli. Enter the park from Boulevard Lascrosses and follow signs to the Japanese Garden.
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Grand Rond
An elegant circular garden with broad paths, statues, a fountain and a traditional bandstand. Its footbridges connect with the nearby Jardin des Plantes and Jardin Royal, making it easy to combine several green spaces in one walk.
Getting There
Take métro B to François Verdier and walk southeast along Allées François Verdier to the circular Grand Rond gardens.
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
Pont Neuf
Despite its name, Pont Neuf is Toulouse’s oldest surviving bridge, with handsome brick arches and memorable views along the Garonne. Built over the 16th and early 17th centuries, its design helped it stand up to the river’s floods. The banks are especially atmospheric near sunset.
Getting There
Walk west from Place Esquirol towards the river, or approach from Saint-Cyprien on the opposite bank. Nearest métro: Esquirol or Saint-Cyprien République (A).
Harry’s Take
Harry’s personal recommendation will go here.
🗺️ My Trip
Your saved places appear here. A day-by-day planner comes next.
Images are provisional and their reuse rights need checking before launch. Visitor information should be checked again before travel; Harry’s personal notes will follow.