Toulouse in 2 Days: Markets, Brick Streets and the Garonne

Start with breakfast or a morning snack at the covered market, then walk north towards Saint-Sernin. The food stalls open Tuesday to Sunday and close in the early afternoon. The restaurants upstairs are another option for lunch before the later part of the walk.

From the market, walk to the great Romanesque basilica, a landmark on the pilgrimage route to Santiago. The church and square fit the morning walk; the archaeological museum next door is a separate optional visit.

Choose the museum beside Saint-Sernin for Roman sculpture and the archaeology of Toulouse. It is the first day’s optional longer indoor visit. Skip it if you prefer more time at the market and Jacobins later.

Follow Rue du Taur back towards the Capitole, pausing at the church’s narrow brick frontage. This is a brief stop on the walking route, with cafés along the street if you need a break.

The main square is a good lunch stop after the northern part of the old-town walk. See the long town-hall façade and arcades before heading west to the Jacobins; the surrounding lanes are worth a slow wander.

Finish the historic-centre route at the brick-built convent, with the church’s palm-like vault and a separate cloister visit. It gives the afternoon one substantial stop without another journey across the city.

Begin the second morning at the cathedral, then explore the small streets and squares around Saint-Étienne. Look inside to see the different building styles before walking west through the old centre towards the art collection.

The collection includes paintings, decorative objects and a notable group of works by Bonnard. Choose this or Les Abattoirs as today’s main art visit. The foundation normally closes on Monday from August to April.

Walk to Toulouse’s oldest surviving bridge for views along the Garonne. Stay on the east bank first for the Daurade stop, then cross towards Saint-Cyprien for the afternoon.

The riverside quay is a natural lunch or sitting break between the old centre and Saint-Cyprien. Look across to the opposite bank and bridge, then continue past the nearby basilica before crossing the river.

Pause at the basilica beside the quay before returning to Pont Neuf. It is a short architectural stop on this route; keep the longer indoor visit for your chosen art museum.

Modern and contemporary art fills the former slaughterhouse buildings in Saint-Cyprien. Choose this instead of Fondation Bemberg if newer art interests you more, then use the nearby river paths for the final part of the afternoon.

Finish beside the Garonne in the riverside park, south of Pont Neuf. It is a relaxed end to the weekend after the museums and brick streets, with the old centre across the water and dinner options back in Saint-Cyprien.

The garden south of Saint-Étienne offers a relaxed alternative morning with lawns, paths and neighbouring gardens. It fits before the Day 2 river walk if you prefer time outdoors to the Bemberg collection.

Make the space-themed park a separate full-day outing if rockets, spacecraft and astronomy are the main attraction for you. It is outside the walking centre and needs public transport or a taxi; replace a core day rather than treating it as a nearby extra.