If you’re here for more than a day, consider buying the Passe Tourisme giving free entry to major museums, access to an English-language walking tour (summer only) and discounts on shopping and entertainment. The cost is 20€ for 3 days; 30€ with 10 metro plasses. It is available from the tourist office or online at www.toulouse-tourisme.com/pass-tourisme. Before purchasing, make sure all of the town's top sites are open (some were undergoing renovations as we went to press). The tourist site also has a well-curated audio walking tour 6€ of Toulouse's top monuments that can be downloaded onto any smartphone. 

Start at the impressive place du Capitole, the heart of the old town. Cafes on the west side offer great views over the square that fills with market stalls daily. Le Capitole, pl. du Capitole (tel. 05-61-22-34-12), is an outstanding achievement of civic architecture with its columns of pink marble and brickwork. Built in baroque style in 1753, it houses the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), as well as the Théâtre National du Capitole (tel. 05-61-63-13-13), which presents operas and ballets. Admission is free; group tours allow access to the theater. It is open Monday through Saturday 8:30am to 7pm, and from 10am to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays. 

The gothic brick Couvent des Jacobins, parvis des Jacobins (www.jacobins.toulouse.fr; tel. 05-61-22-23-82), west of the place du Capitole in the narrow streets of the old town, dominates its surroundings. Founded in 1230 by the Dominicans to fight the Cathar heresy, the convent and church formed the center of a powerful monastery complex that includes a peaceful cloister, sacristy, chapter house, and refectory. Inside the 13th century church, look up at its “palm tree” ceiling of delicate fan vaults supported by seven huge columns. The chapelle de la Vierge contains richly embroidered ceremonial robes. The old refectory now houses temporary exhibitions. The complex is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm, admission to the church and chapelle is free; the rest costs 5€ from June to September, 4€ the rest of the year and free on first Sunday of the month and for those 17 years and under.

Small and dating mostly from the 18th century, Notre-Dame de la Daurade, 1 pl. de la Daurade (tel. 05-61-21-38-32), sits to the west of the place du Capitole beside a riverside park from where you can take a boat cruise. Built on the site of a pagan temple, it was once covered in gilding. Its main possession is a statue of the Black Virgin, about 1m (3.25 ft.) tall, believed to cure ailments. The present Vierge noire, made in 1807, is a replica of the original destroyed during the French Revolution. Admission is free, and it is openndaily 9am to 6pm. 

After sightseeing, head for place Wilson, a showcase 19th-century square (actually an oval) lined with fashionable cafes.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.