Toulouse, La Ville Rose, a land of poets and troubadours, is a charming and historic destination in southern France. If you’re into History, unique architecture, and discovering hidden gems, this is the guide for you!

Toulouse, França

Carcassonne, França

Albi, França

A weekend in Toulouse, France 

A little warning about viewpoints: I’ve seen some people planning to visit the Galeries Lafayette to see the city from the department store’s terrace. Many people found that information online (me included). It indeed works (very well!) for the Galleries Lafayette in Paris, but in Toulouse, the terrace is not free to visit. It’s part of a restaurant, and only customers have access to it.

Getting to the city center & moving around

Single tickets are valid for one hour after purchase, even if you change to a different tram, bus, or metro line. That’s something you can have in mind when deciding which pass you want to buy. Depending on where you’re staying and the places you’ll visit, you may need just one or two single tickets every day and decide that the pass is not worth it. Public transportation in Toulouse is excellent, but the city center, including the main sites and access to the Matabiau Gare, is also very walkable. So it depends on what works best for you.

A 1-day pass costs 6,60€. Single tickets cost 1,80€ (2,00€ if purchased directly on a bus). All can be purchased on the machines right next to the tram stop.

Toulouse's metro system has only two lines, so it's very easy to navigate.

There's no shortage of fascinating architecture and historical buildings to admire all over the historic center. Many of these are churches, cathedrals, and basilicas. Each one of them has unique architecture and history. 

Most of Toulouse’s historical buildings are made of bricks, hence why it’s called “La Ville Rose” ("The Pink City").

This doesn’t make the city’s façades look simpler or uninteresting in any way. Quite the opposite: There’s beautiful architecture all around to behold. Toulouse is particularly gorgeous in the sun when the golden rays hit the red brick buildings!According to my experience, all of these activities fit perfectly on two full days, even during Winter with less hours of daylight. 

Walking by the Garonne river allows you to see Toulouse from another perspective, including having some of its most iconic views from these bridges. In a relatively short space, you’ll walk on the steps of kings and artists, see old structures that survived a devastating flood, and look at beautiful historical facades. 

These are essential stops, but as you make your way to different spots on your itinerary, I recommend taking different routes whenever possible and exploring as much as you can. Toulouse is very walkable and you never know what hidden treasures you may come across!

Toulouse is well connected to other interesting destination, these are two of my favorites! They’re easily reachable by train within an hour or less:

The tram line T2 goes directly from the airport to the center, but it’s currently under manteinance until 2025 at least. The closest (working) tram stop to the airport is now T1, a 25-minute walk away. This means that now the easiest way to reach the city center is taking the Tisséo Airport Shuttles. It costs 9€ one way. It’s a 7,20€ difference from taking the tram but it’s much faster (the bus takes about 25 minutes to the city center) and saves you the hassle of dragging your luggage around in search of the nearest tram stop. 

Carcassonne's allure is undeniable. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the best-preserved fortified cities in Europe, the imposing sight of the towers as soon as you approach is enough to make your mind wander far away, either to the distant past or to a fairytale of your choice.

At the very least, such feelings are understandable. The medieval streets of Carcassonne have even been the setting for many movies, ever since 1908. The most famous example is probably the 1991 movie “Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves”, with Kevin Costner and Alan Rickman.

This walled city has a lot to offer. Its History can be more interesting than any movie. This guide includes all the practical tips you need for visiting the citadel, considerations about the best time of the year to visit, and lots of historical facts!  

A day in Carcassonne

Albi is known as "La Rouge" ("The Red One") because of its beautiful brick buildings, most notably the outstanding Cathédrale de Sainte-Cécile. Its ancient History, beautiful sights, and easy access to explore combine to make Albi a wonderful place to visit. 

In this guide, I share more about the history of this town and the main sights to visit. But please don’t limit your time in the city to these stops: I suggest getting lost and discovering all the charming streets filled with old buildings, independent stores, and cafés in this lovely town.

A weekend in Toulouse, France

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