Things to do in Toulouse

The places Toulouse locals actually go: restaurants, bars, walks and nights out, tried and recommended by the people who live here.

  • 977recommended places
  • 268locals recommending

Toulouse is the Pink City: brick façades that shift colour with the light, the Garonne running through the centre, and the Canal du Midi heading off towards the Mediterranean. It is also the European capital of aeronautics, and a student city where life moves outdoors at the first warm days, onto the squares and along the quays.

No sponsored rankings on this page: every place is recommended by Spoooters, locals who genuinely go there. The more a place is recommended, the higher it climbs.

Where to eat in Toulouse

Food halls, rooftops, ramen bars, Vietnamese canteens and terraces on the squares — the tables locals recommend most. 728 recommended places in Toulouse

MIAM

in Toulouse

50 addresses

qui régalent les Toulousains

Marchés vivants, tables généreuses et pépites sucrées.

The locals' albumMIAM in ToulouseMarchés vivants, tables généreuses et pépites sucrées.50 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

Where to go for a walk in Toulouse

The Japanese garden, the Pech-David hill, the Garonne quays and the Canal du Midi, picked by the people who know them by heart. 55 recommended places in Toulouse

QUAIS

in Toulouse

50 addresses

pour voir Toulouse au fil de l'eau

Berges, guinguettes et balades entre Garonne et canal.

The locals' albumQUAIS in ToulouseBerges, guinguettes et balades entre Garonne et canal.50 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

What to see in Toulouse

Giant machines, a Romanesque basilica, the Capitole, museums and the Cité de l’Espace: the city’s culture as its residents see it. 56 recommended places in Toulouse

CULTE

in Toulouse

50 addresses

qui font la légende de Toulouse

Du Capitole aux quais de la Daurade, la Ville rose à partager.

The locals' albumCULTE in ToulouseDu Capitole aux quais de la Daurade, la Ville rose à partager.50 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

Where to go shopping in Toulouse

Concept stores, independent designers, vintage shops and bookshops spotted by locals. 68 recommended places in Toulouse

LOCAL

in Toulouse

50 addresses

que les Toulousains se refilent

Des Carmes aux Minimes, le charme des petites habitudes.

The locals' albumLOCAL in ToulouseDes Carmes aux Minimes, le charme des petites habitudes.50 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

Where to go out and hear music in Toulouse

Rooftops, music bars and clubs for a night out in Toulouse. 49 recommended places in Toulouse

FIESTA

in Toulouse

46 addresses

pour faire la fête dans la Ville rose

Salsa, bars animés, pintxos et soirées qui donnent le sourire.

The locals' albumFIESTA in ToulouseSalsa, bars animés, pintxos et soirées qui donnent le sourire.46 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

Things to do in Toulouse

Arthouse cinemas, pottery cafés, comedy clubs and escape games: ideas for filling a day or an evening differently, tried by people who live here. 38 recommended places in Toulouse

ARTY

in Toulouse

50 addresses

qui font vibrer Toulouse

Cinémas, jazz et scènes où la Ville rose ne dort pas.

The locals' albumARTY in ToulouseCinémas, jazz et scènes où la Ville rose ne dort pas.50 spots · €2.99
See the album
See all the spots in Toulouse

Local tips

  1. 01

    Sunset on the Garonne

    When evening comes, locals settle on the steps of the quai de la Daurade or on the grass of the Prairie des Filtres, just opposite. Bring something to nibble and watch the brick turn pink.

  2. 02

    Ride the Téléo

    The urban cable car links Paul-Sabatier university to the Oncopole by way of Rangueil hospital, over 3 kilometres. It takes the same ticket as the metro and tram, and the view over the city and the Garonne is worth the trip.

    Source: Wikipedia — Téléo
  3. 03

    The Japanese garden for a breather

    The walk most recommended by Spoooters hides in the Compans-Caffarelli district. Modelled on the gardens of Kyoto, with its red bridge and tea pavilion, it was conceived as a place for meditation.

    Source: Wikipedia — Jardin japonais de Toulouse
  4. 04

    Climb Pech-David

    South of the city, this hill rises about 130 metres above the Garonne. Its large park is a playground for runners and walkers, and on a clear day the Pyrenees are visible from the top.

    Source: Wikipedia — Pech-David
  5. 05

    Ride on the Minotaur’s back

    At the Halle de la Machine in Montaudran, Astérion — a 14-metre Minotaur of wood and steel built specially for Toulouse — carries visitors along the Piste des Géants.

    Source: La Halle de la Machine
  6. 06

    Have lunch at the Halles de la Cartoucherie

    It is the single most recommended address in the city among Spoooters. Plenty of counters under one roof: handy when nobody wants the same thing.

  7. 07

    Taste the local classics

    A cassoulet, of course, a Toulouse sausage, violet as a sweet or a liqueur, and a fénétra, the city’s traditional pastry.

Did you know?

Why “the Pink City”?

Toulouse owes its nickname to terracotta brick, its traditional building material. The city has another, less known: the “city of violets”, since the cultivation of the Toulouse violet took hold there in the 19th century.

Source: Wikipedia — Toulouse

The Capitole is named after the capitouls

The name comes not from the Capitol in Rome but from the capitouls, the magistrates who governed the city. It was latinised as “Capitolium” in 1522. The eight marble columns of the façade, built from 1750 to designs by Guillaume Cammas, stand for the first eight capitouls.

Source: Wikipedia — Capitole de Toulouse

A stone palm tree at the Jacobins

In the church of the Jacobins convent, 22 ribs spring from the top of a single column to form a huge stone “palm tree”, under vaults reaching 28 metres. The convent also holds the relics of Saint Thomas Aquinas, venerated here since 1369.

Source: Wikipedia — Couvent des Jacobins

The Canal du Midi, the work of a tax collector

Pierre-Paul Riquet, who designed the canal, collected the gabelle — the salt tax — and had no training as an engineer. Opened to navigation in 1681, the canal runs 241 kilometres from Toulouse to the Étang de Thau. It has been UNESCO World Heritage since 1996.

Source: Wikipedia — Canal du Midi

Neighborhoods to know

Le Capitole
The heart of the city, between the great square, the shopping streets and the Galeries Lafayette rooftop for a bit of height.
Saint-Pierre and La Daurade
The riverside quarter: place Saint-Pierre and its student bars, and the quays for sunset.
Les Carmes
Brick lanes around the market, with small restaurants, shops and some of the most recommended tables in the city.
Arnaud-Bernard and Saint-Sernin
Around the basilica, a lively working-class quarter of small tables and music bars.
La Cartoucherie
A recent district on the left bank, built around its food hall, with a climbing gym and a rooftop.

Frequently asked questions about Toulouse

Where do locals like to eat?

According to Spoooters' recommendations, Halles de la Cartoucherie, Ma Biche sur Le Toit 🦌 and FOCA FOCA come first in Toulouse.

What to do in Toulouse in a weekend

Start with the place du Capitole, the Saint-Sernin basilica and the Jacobins convent, then end the day on the quai de la Daurade at sunset. The next day, head to the Halle de la Machine, have lunch at the Halles de la Cartoucherie and wind down at the Japanese garden.

What to do in Toulouse when it rains

The Cité de l’Espace, the Muséum de Toulouse, the Jacobins convent, Les Abattoirs and the Halle de la Machine all keep you dry. For lunch, the Halles de la Cartoucherie are under cover.

Where to go out at night in Toulouse

Place Saint-Pierre for student bars by the Garonne, Ma Biche sur le Toit for a drink high above the Galeries Lafayette, and place Esquirol for a pub right in the centre.

How does Spooot pick its places?

Every place is recommended by Spoooters, locals who actually go there. Nothing is sponsored: a place climbs the ranking as more locals recommend it.

Every spot in Toulouse, in your pocket

Save your spots, build your album and discover local recommendations in the Spooot app.

App StoreGoogle Play