How to Spend 24 Hours in Toulouse
When travelling, it already feels hard enough to see every place without a lot of time to fit sightseeing, food tasting, and new experiences into; only having 24 hours to fit in days or weeks worth of activities can feel almost impossible. No worries, here is the ideal itinerary for a day in “La Ville Rose”.
Morning
Take the items needed for the day and leave the rest at the airport. The company Nannybag offers concierge services at a very affordable rate and will keep big suitcases safe for the day. Make sure to take the “Navette Centre Ville”, the free airport shuttle for rides to the central points and the most historical parts of the city.
Get off near the Place du Capitole and pause for a moment to admire this architectural masterpiece. Continue by foot up to the Quai de la Daurade and enjoy a walk alongside the Garonne River. Don’t forget to pass by the unmissable Hôpital de la Grave, a focal point of Toulouse’s touristic life, that will most likely be present in 90 percent of the pictures taken throughout the day.
Afternoon
Next, go to the Musée des Augustins, the fine arts museum, and get lost in this impressive building that also hosts the Couvent des Jacobins (the Augustinian convent). The museum’s extensive collection with over 4,000 artworks features paintings and sculptures from the 12th to 18th century. Definitively worth a visit.
For an afternoon snack, pause at Perlette Tea Salon and be blown away by the mouthwatering cakes. It’s impossible to choose from all the delicious pastries, but try the “Thé Bonne Humeur” (good mood tea in English) and stay hydrated and energized.
Musée des Augustins, 21 Rue de Metz, Toulouse, France, +33 05 61 22 21 82
Perlette, 2 Place de la Bourse, Toulouse, France, +33 05 61 22 67 60
Evening
After a very productive day, relax at the Place Saint Pierre, a very vibrant area that seems to be the perfect spot to spend the evening. Or go to Le Wine Bar, a cozy and exceptional wine bar in Rue de la Bourse recently coined as “Best wine bar in the world”.
After walking all day and taking a minute to rest, spend the night at l’Ours Blanc Hotel, a comfy hotel right in the city center with very affordable prices.
Le Wine Bar, 5 Rue de la bourse, Toulouse, France, +33 05 61 38 44 51
L’Ours Blanc Hotel, 25 Place Victor Hugo, Toulouse, France, +33 05 61 23 14 55
Next morning
It’s already time to leave Toulouse and hopefully, the time spent here will make a return trip necessary. Before going back to the airport, stop at a bakery and ask for a chocolatine (a chocolate croissant). Make sure to use the word chocolatine (don’t say “pain au chocolat”) as people in the South West region are very peculiar about this (that applies to Bordeaux too, by the way).
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