Three days is the ideal length for a first visit to Toulouse. It lets you cover the old town without rushing, spend a day on the aerospace story that sets the city apart and still take a day trip into the Occitan countryside. The plan below follows that rhythm, with swaps for bad weather and for different interests.
Day one: the old town and the river
Start at the Place du Capitole, arriving early to see the facade in morning light, and step into the courtyard or the Salle des Illustres if they are open. Walk north along rue du Taur to the Basilica of Saint-Sernin and spend an hour inside the church and, if you like, the crypt. Continue to the Jacobins convent for the palm-tree vault and the cloister. Lunch is at a bistro in the Carmes or around the Victor Hugo market, where the restaurants upstairs serve market produce. In the afternoon, visit the Musée des Augustins or the Fondation Bemberg, then walk down to the Garonne for the Pont Neuf and the quays. Dinner is a cassoulet in a traditional restaurant.
Day two: aerospace
Toulouse built Concorde and assembles Airbus jets, and a day devoted to flight is the best way to understand the modern city. Start with an Airbus factory tour if you have booked one, as departures are fixed and you need photo identification. Afterwards, head to Aeroscopia in Blagnac, next to the factory, to walk through a Concorde and see the Super Guppy. In the afternoon, visit the Cité de l'Espace for the Ariane 5 replica, the planetarium and hands-on exhibits. If you have children, the Halle de la Machine at Montaudran is a playful alternative, with a walking Minotaur and a giant spider on an old airfield where Saint-Exupéry once flew. End the day with a drink on the Garonne.
Day three: a day trip
The choice is between Carcassonne and Albi. For Carcassonne, take the train from Matabiau, which takes roughly an hour, walk to the Cité, visit the Château Comtal and the ramparts, and enjoy a cassoulet for lunch before returning in the late afternoon. For Albi, take the train or a day tour to see the Sainte-Cécile cathedral and the Toulouse-Lautrec museum, and add Cordes-sur-Ciel if you have a tour or a car. If you prefer wine, a day tour that includes Gaillac pairs the sights with a tasting. Both options give a sense of the Cathar country, the brick and stone architecture and the quiet landscape of the southwest.
If it rains
Swap the outdoor sights for museums: the Augustins, the Bemberg and the Cité de l'Espace are all good in wet weather, and Aeroscopia is largely indoors. A food tour or the Victor Hugo market is a pleasant rainy-day activity, and a cooking class or a wine tasting can fill an afternoon. Save the Garonne quays and the Canal du Midi for a clearer day.
If you love food
Add a market tasting tour on day one or a food and history walking tour. Eat the local dishes: cassoulet, duck confit, Toulouse sausage and the sweet violet specialities. Sample the wines of Gaillac and Fronton in a wine bar, and buy pink garlic, cheese and charcuterie at the market for a picnic by the canal.
If you love history
Allocate more time to Saint-Sernin, the Jacobins and the Musée des Augustins, and consider the Musée Saint-Raymond, the museum of antiquities beside the basilica. A guided walking tour explains the pastel merchants, the capitouls and the Cathar story, and a day trip to Carcassonne and its castle takes the theme further.
If you are travelling with children
Day two is the winner, with the Cité de l'Espace and the Halle de la Machine, and a bike ride along the canal is a good alternative to a museum. Ice cream near the Garonne and a stop in the Jardin des Plantes keep the pace gentle. Choose the Carcassonne day trip for the towers and ramparts, which children love.
Evenings
After dinner, stroll back to the Place du Capitole to see the facade lit up, or catch an opera, concert or rugby match if the calendar allows. The terraces of the Place Saint-Georges, the quays and the lanes around Saint-Pierre are lively places for a drink. In summer, the Garonne's banks fill with people at sunset, and outdoor events are common.
