Two days through the streets and corners of the pink city
DAY 1
10:00 a.m. The best place to start your visit to Toulouse is the Capitol Square where some of the most representative buildings of the old Midi Pyrénées region are located. The building of Capitol , headquarters of City hall and of National theater , has elegant spaces such as the Henri IV courtyard and exuberant ones, such as Sala de los Ilustres, inspired by the Farnese Gallery in Rome.
Do not be in a hurry to leave this square because it has a lot of substance. Under its arcades there are paintings that narrate the episodes of the history of the city and in which the portraits of some of his favorite sons appear as Carlos Gardel, who is said to have been born in Toulouse (although other theories suggest that the king of tango hails from Uruguay). Finally, in one of the corners of the square is the hotel The Grand Balcony , where the pilots of the Aéropostale company stayed, the best known being the writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , author of The Little Prince.
Get Inspired by the Capitol Building
12:00 p.m. Time to eat! You already know that in France they sit down at the table earlier than us, so get ready for the manduca, not without having an aperitif first. Enter the mythical Au Père Louis, an authentic Toulouse institution where the quina is typical , a very popular alcoholic drink that not so long ago was given to children without appetite (those who are over 40 may remember the iconic Kinito) . When it's time to sit down at the table, you can make a reservation at Bibent , a 19th-century establishment converted a few years ago into a posh brasserie , or at the Restaurant Emile , its exquisite foie ravioli stuffed with mushroom cream they will bring tears to your eyes.
Bibent: a posh brasserie
2:30 p.m. As a good cultural traveler, lose yourself in one of the most important museums in Toulouse: Les Abattoirs , a modern and contemporary art center that hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions, artistic experimentation activities and support for creation. His most important work is The dispossession of the Minotaur in a Harlequin costume by Picasso, a spectacular painting in an increasingly interesting venue.
4:00 p.m. Aeronautics is one of the economic pillars of this city (Not in vain in Blagnac, a few kilometers from Toulouse, there is an important Airbus factory). Such is the importance of this industry, that it was inaugurated in this town at the beginning of 2015 Aeroscopy Museum that, with an area of 7,000 square meters , shelters legendary aircraft such as the Concorde, the Airbus A 300B or the mythical Super Guppy, a cargo ship predecessor of the curious Beluga.
Crazy about airplanes, sit back and ENJOY
19.00 After a shower at the hotel (the revamped Au Père Leon is highly recommended) it's a good time for dinner. A different proposal is Nº5 Wine Bar , in which you can serve yourself ( be careful because there are wines that exceed 20 euros a glass ) while you taste delicatessen tapas and its exquisite selection of cheeses. The prestigious publication Wine Spectator has chosen it as one of the 12 best wine bars in France.
Blessed pop wine tourism
9:30 p.m. Before the night confuses you, take a night walk around the city since, thanks to the Light Plan, many of its main monuments such as the Pont Neuf , the Jacobin Convent or the tower Basilica of Saint Sernin they are illuminated. Some of the busiest places to have a drink are rue des Filatiers and Places des Carmes and Places de la Trinité. toast Le Pivolo , in place Victor Hugo, and ask for Xavier and let yourself be advised …
Pont Neuf, is the oldest bridge in Toulouse
DAY 2
10:00 a.m. Another must-see in Toulouse is the City of Space, dedicated to exploring the universe. Bring out your scientific side and train like an astronaut or admire space treasures like a moonstone . Take a break in his restaurant and look for the Mir station training prototype or the replica of the Soyuz ship.
Have you always dreamed of being an astronaut?
3:00 p.m. You walk along the Garonne river , whose banks are filled with tourists and locals, especially with the arrival of good weather. Nearby is the basilica of **Our Lady of La Dorada (Daurade)**, which can claim to be the best dressed lady in Toulouse as couturiers like Yves Saint-Laurent have designed her mantles. Cross the Old Bridge over the river and visit the Saint Cyprien neighborhood where the Assézat Palace stands out, a 16th-century mansion built to Pierre d'Assézat who got rich off the cake, a plant that dyes fabrics blue and is very popular in the Midi Pyrénées . Another option is to enjoy the incredible views of the Garonne from the gardens of Raymond VI , considered the green lung of the pink city.
The "Prairie des Filtres" stretches along the Garonne
18.30 Hunger? Say goodbye to Toulouse from the Saint Cyprien neighborhood with a table Atelier 65 and enjoy the specialties of the southwest of France. They have menus with reasonable prices and a gastronomic proposal worthy of the most gourmet traveler. Bon Appetit!
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Warning: the pink city is addictive