Book a Flight to Toulouse from €82

Capitole: The emblematic 12th century building in the city’s central square is the pride of Toulouse. Today it houses the city hall and the Théâtre du Capitole, one of the top opera houses in France. Check out the Salle des Illustres, the epitome of French luxury and finesse.
Address: Place du Capitole. 

Canal du Midi: Also known as the “Canal of the two seas”, the historic Canal du Midi links Toulouse to the Mediterranean. This marvel of engineering was constructed in the 17th century, giving an immediate boost to the economy of southwest France, as it opened a waterway to the sea. No longer in commercial use, the canal has been classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open for romantic pleasure cruises, passing within reach of picturesque medieval villages and vineyards overlooking the water. 
Information: the ship departs from the Quai de la Daurade in Toulouse. 

Basilica of St. Sernin: The largest example of Mediterranean Romanesque architecture in France, the sheer size of this immense church never fails to astonish.
Address: Place St-Sernin.

La Cité de l’Espace: Until you can travel to the moon or Mars, a trip to the Space City Adventure Park will have to do. Visit this adventure park in Toulouse, the heart of France’s aerospace industry, and wander around the Mir Space Station without a spacesuit, and check out the life-size replica of the Ariane 5 rocket. Watch astral tours at the two excellent planetariums and buy some miniature spaceships as souvenirs on your way out.
Address: Avenue Jean Gonord-B.P.25855, 0033 5 67222324, www.cite-espace.com 

Les Abattoirs Museum: One of the top contemporary art museums in France, this museum has a “bloody” past, as it used to be the city’s slaughterhouse. Today, it houses more than 2,000 works of art, painting, sculpture and multimedia, with Pablo Picasso’s gigantic curtain La dépouille du Minotaure en costume d'Arlequin as the museum’s centrepiece.
Address: 76 Allées Charles de Fitte, 0033 5 612485800, www.lesabattoirs.org/

Château d’Eau: A formidable 19th century structure that dominates the western end of the Pont Neuf. A water tower, as its French name indicates, which today hosts photography exhibitions in its impressive rooms, with works by prominent artists from around the world. 
Address: 1 Place Laganne, 0033 5 61770940, www.galeriechateaudeau.org/

Toulouse-Lautrec Museum: Take the train from the railway station at Place Stalingrad to Albi, birthplace of the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec. A scenic hour and a half journey through the French countryside will find you at the museum dedicated to the artist whose feathery brushstrokes immortalised the Moulin Rouge’s Can-Can dancers. The museum boasts more than 1000 of the artist’s works, the largest collection of his works in the world. Wander around picture-perfect Albi and admire the historical Saint Salvi district and the immense, fortress-like Sainte-Cécile Cathedral with its gorgeous stained glass windows.
Address: Palais de la Berbie, Place Sainte-Cécile, Albi, 0033 3 63494870,  www.museetoulouselautrec.net
 
Carcassonne: A daytrip to nearby Carcassonne (90 km from Toulouse) is a must. One of the most atmospheric and best preserved medieval towns in the world, like a flashback to the Middle Ages.

Prowl around Toulouse’s old town to find small shopping gems in hip boutiques and concept stores. Window shop on the streets around Place St-Georges – the rue du Taur, rue de la Pomme and the rue d’Alsace-Lorraine – at upscale shops carrying the latest fashions, straight from Parisian catwalks. 

Don’t miss the unique atmosphere of the city’s outdoor bazaars: every Wednesday in the Place du Capitole and on weekends at Place St-Sernin. Hunt for well-preserved antiques and collector’s editions of old books, while savouring a croissant and sipping hot café au lait like a true Frenchman.

Look for Le Petit Prince items, for the endearing children’s hero has close ties to Toulouse, since “Little Prince” author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was based here while working as a postal pilot between Toulouse and Dakar.

Toulouse is France’s second largest university town with at least 110,000 students and a history dating back to 1229. The significance of this huge student population is that in Toulouse you can eat well without paying a fortune and in venues with real attitude in flavour and décor. And thanks to the top quality primary ingredients, straight from Languedoc’s vineyards, farms and vegetable gardens, the local cuisine is a delightful gastronomic experience. 

Taste wines from local vineyards at shops in Victor Hugo Square. Sample the foie gras, a delicacy made from goose liver, and the famous cassoulet, a dish of beans and various kinds of meat, and finish your meal with some Armagnac. Alternatively, book a table at one of the old cellars which have been converted into atmospheric restaurants and try the duck, cooked in various imaginative ways. Nibble local cheeses in a candlelit attic bistro, to the strains of jazz music. Too romantic for you? After midnight the mood changes, tables are pushed to the side and Edith Piaf gives way to the rhythmic beat of dance music.

The city with roots in the Middle Ages and a vision for space travel, manages to strike a harmonious balance between the traditional and the avant-garde, and past and future trends find outlets in a variety of events all year round.

• Toulouse Violet Festival: every February the Place du Capitole is painted violet and drips with bouquets of the flower that has always been one of the main pillars of Toulouse’s economy. To honour the celebrated flower, the city has organised this winter festival with scented happenings.
• Spring in September. The name of this event is misleading since it is usually held in the summer, so it is best to check the precise dates at www.printempsdeseptembre.com. In any case, it is the most important arts festival held in Toulouse and an ideal opportunity to tour the city from exhibition to exhibition (sculpture, painting, photography, and more), since for the duration of the festival the city is transformed into an endless, outdoor museum. 
• Christmas Market. Starting at the end of November and lasting throughout December, the Place du Capitole becomes a fairy-tale Christmas setting. Log cabins ablaze with strings of Christmas lights, handmade toys, mulled wine and an ice rink. Only Santa and his elves are missing… Or will he be there too?

Getting to and from the airport in Toulouse

Aegean Airlines operates through Blagnac Airport, a modern facility located 10 km west of the city, with shops and restaurants for every taste, banks and foreign exchange counters, a post office, a business centre, and free Wi-Fi in all arrival and departure areas.

The airport is approximately 20 minutes away from downtown Toulouse by airport shuttle bus. City bus lines 25, 30, 66, 88 also depart from the airport and will take you to various parts of the city, or, if you prefer, you can always take a taxi.