More about: 10 Things to Do in Montpellier
The French city of Montpellier is a place with a lively atmosphere and impressive modern architecture that coexists with the important historical buildings of the old town. It also offers interesting cultural, recreational and leisure attractions for all ages.
You can take a bike ride around the city and explore it at your own pace. You can also visit the food markets to delight your taste buds with local flavours , delve into the region's wine culture at one of Montpellier's wineries, enjoy the art collections at the Fabre Museum, see wild animals at the zoo and much more.
1. Rent a bike and explore the city at your own pace
Exploring Montpellier on two wheels is a very popular and safe activity, as there are cycle paths throughout the city . During your stay, you can hire an electric bike and reach every corner of this lively city. You'll discover the most iconic destinations and enjoy a different view of the surroundings.
This is an exciting and eco-friendly activity , perfect for those who don't want to drive around the city or explore its streets on foot. You'll cycle at your own pace through the historic centre, taking in sights such as the Town Hall, the Place de la Comédie and Montpellier Cathedral. Discover the Antigone and Port-Marianne neighbourhoods, among other destinations.
It is important to note that when you rent an electric bike in Montpellier, you will receive a safety helmet and have access to a series of routes that you can download to your mobile phone. This is very convenient when starting your tour, as you won't have to worry about getting lost in the city. You will also be able to reach the places you want to visit more easily.
Useful information
- Price: from £39 per bike.
- Duration: around 8 hours. The time may vary depending on your needs.
- Advantage: you can explore the city at your own pace in a fun and eco-friendly way.
2. Explore the Castellane Market and enjoy authentic Montpellier cuisine
The Castellane Market is one of the must-see attractions during your stay in the city. In this picturesque and welcoming place, you will enjoy the flavours and aromas of authentic local cuisine. Not only will you delight your palate, but you will also get a close-up view of the daily life of the locals, feeling like one of them.
For this gastronomic tour of Montpellier, head to the Castellane Market in the heart of the city and immerse yourself in its vibrant atmosphere. You'll find stalls selling fruit, vegetables, herbs and seafood, among other things. There are also several cafés and bistros where you can try some popular dishes such as cassoulet (a bean and meat stew), squid and octopus pie, cuttlefish pasta and other delicacies from the south of France.
You can explore the Castellane Market on your own or hire a food tour. If you choose the latter, you will have an expert culinary guide who will tell you about the history of each place you visit and the dishes you taste, making the experience much more enriching.
Useful information
- Price: admission to the market is free (you pay for what you eat). If you opt for a tour, this can cost around £89 per person (including tastings and a culinary guide).
- Opening hours: open Monday to Saturday from 7:00 to 20:00. Sunday from 7:00 to 13:30.
- Advantage: whether on your own or on a tour, you will delight your palate with the flavours of the local cuisine.
3. Visit the Seaquarium in Grau-du-Roi Montpellier and marvel at its impressive marine life
The Seaquarium in Grau-du-Roi Montpellier is another attraction that you should add to your itinerary. You will be immersed in an impressive marine world with more than 300 species: sharks, sea turtles and more. You will also enjoy interactive activities that will allow you to get up close and personal with some of the ocean's inhabitants.
At the Seaquarium, you will have the opportunity to see everything from small sea creatures to ocean predators. Through the huge windows, you will see around 30 species of rays and sharks. You will see seals, sea turtles, a variety of tropical fish, dorado, moonfish, as well as trout, carp and other freshwater fish.
When you purchase tickets for the Seaquarium in Grau-du-Roi Montpellier, you can also enjoy some marine shows and interact directly with certain animals. For example, you can feed a sea lion or pet a manta ray. This is undoubtedly an experience that will allow you to create unique memories of your trip to the city, especially if you are travelling with children.
Useful information
- Price: £17 per person is the average cost to access this attraction.
- Opening hours: the Seaquarium is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Advantage: you will enter the marine world, discovering its secrets and amazing inhabitants.
4. Test your mental skills in an escape room inspired by the Saw franchise
If you're a fan of the Saw films and you're in Montpellier, then you should visit an escape room inspired by this famous horror and gore franchise. This is an adrenaline-fuelled, suspense-filled leisure activity in which you'll test your mental skills and ingenuity by solving twisted puzzles. It's an adventure not to be missed.
Booking an escape room is very popular in Montpellier. Once you are in the game room, you will experience an exciting adventure in which you will have to discover a series of hidden clues, solve mysterious riddles, put together challenging puzzles to complete the mission and escape before the clock runs out.
In this escape room in Montpellier, you'll feel like you've really entered the world of Saw. The decorations, lighting and sounds in the rooms you have to escape from recreate authentic scenes from the films, giving you a unique and intense experience.
Useful information
- Price: approximately £68 per person.
- Duration: the experience lasts approximately 1 hour.
- Advantage: you'll test your mental skills and get your adrenaline pumping while having fun with your travel group.
5. Immerse yourself in the local wine culture at a vermouth and wine cellar
This French city has many vineyards and wineries, so if you are interested in learning about the region's wine culture during your stay, you can book a guided tour of a vermouth and wine cellar in Montpellier. You'll discover the entire production process for these two drinks.
Through this experience, you'll explore a picturesque vineyard with different grape varieties and see how they are transformed into delicious classic French drinks: vermouth and wine. Accompanied by a master winemaker, you'll learn about the history of each of the vintages stored in the barrels.
In addition, on this guided tour of a vermouth and wine cellar, you will be able to taste some drinks and enjoy their aromas and flavours. If, after this experience, you wish to continue exploring the wine culture and your itinerary allows it, consider booking a wine tour to Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup from the centre of Montpellier.
Useful information
- Price: £18 per person is the average cost of this guided tour.
- Duration: the tour usually lasts around one (1) hour.
- Advantage: you will learn about the history and secrets of two important French drinks, vermouth and wine.
6. Take a look at the art collections at the Fabre Museum
The Fabre Museum is another of the city's major tourist attractions and is undoubtedly a must for lovers of European art. In its rooms you can enjoy a rich collection of 20th-century works. In addition, the building has an impressive setting with a stunning glass ceiling. Both are well worth seeing.
In the rooms, you will have the opportunity to see masterpieces by great artists such as the French painter and lithographer Eugène Delacroix; one of the pioneers of Romantic painting, Théodore Géricault; the Italian Paolo Véronèse, representative of Venetian Mannerism; and the French painter, engraver and sculptor Pierre Soulages, among others.
There are more than 800 works of art to see. All of them are distributed throughout a space of approximately 9,200 square metres. In addition, the Fabre Museum's collections include approximately 900 engravings and around 3,500 designs, reflecting its rich artistic diversity. Apart from the permanent collections, the rooms feature a number of temporary exhibitions that usually vary throughout the year.
Useful information
- Admission: prices start at around £19 per person.
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Mondays.
- Advantage: you will see a wide collection of 20th-century European artworks.
7. Take a stroll through the Jardin des Plantes
Montrepiller has a beautiful botanical garden that is well worth a visit during your stay in the city. This is the Jardin des Plantes, an important green space established in 1593, where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the natural freshness provided by its arboretum and more than 2,500 species of plants.
In the garden, you can take a peaceful stroll, discovering incredible and well-maintained natural spaces as you walk. For example:
- The lotus pond, which is populated by frogs depending on the season.
- The garden of the senses, which brings together a large number of aromatic plants.
- The greenhouse, with several species of cactus.
You will also find a fascinating bamboo forest, an arboretum with orange trees, a hundred-year-old hackberry tree and other woody species. In addition, in the Jardin des Plantes you will see the broad-leaved spindle tree, a tree with impressive foliage known locally for granting wishes. Don't leave without hanging your wish on its branches!
Useful information
- Price: free.
- Opening hours: June to September from 12 noon to 8 pm, and October to May from 11 am to 6 pm. Closed every Monday throughout the year.
- Advantage: you will enjoy a series of incredible natural spaces in one of the city's most important green lungs.
8. Be amazed by the monumental Cathedral of San Pedro
In the centre of Montpellier you will find an important religious monument: Saint-Pierre Cathedral. Come and see this monumental, ancient 14th-century building and be amazed by its unusual architecture, which resembles a medieval fortress.
Admire the works of art and decorations inside. You will find large stone arches and vaulted ceilings. Your gaze will be lost in the colourful stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes, as well as in the sculptures and frescoes in the chapels. For example, you will see a work by the French painter Sébastien Bourdon entitled The Fall of Simon Magus.
You can also take a look at an old organ dating from 1776. This remarkable instrument is known for its sound quality and is a central feature of liturgical celebrations. In fact, if your visit to Montpellier coincides with any Saturday from June to September, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a free concert with national musicians.
Useful information
- Admission: free.
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
- Advantage: you will discover one of the city's architectural gems and the sacred art it houses inside.
9. Don't miss the Montpellier Zoo
If you love animals, then Montpellier Zoo is another place you can't miss in the city. You'll see a range of wild animals roaming freely : lions, rhinos, leopards, bears, etc. You'll feel like you're in a safari park.
When you arrive at the zoo, you'll be given a map with the route to follow to explore the place on your own. Throughout the park, you will find around 1,104 animals belonging to at least 120 different species of arthropods, amphibians, snakes, birds, mammals, etc. You will be able to see Buffon's macaws, Grévy's zebras, southern white rhinos, Iberian wolves, reticulated giraffes, among many others.
In addition, this zoo has an area of approximately 2,600 square metres that recreates the climatic conditions of the Amazon, known as the Amazon Greenhouse. There, you will discover hundreds of tropical plants and ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals such as tarantulas, piranhas, anacondas, caimans, etc.
Useful information
- Admission: free.
- Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
- Advantage: you will see amazing wild animals and lush tropical plants.
10. Take a trip to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and discover this important medieval village
If you have a day to spare on your itinerary, take advantage of it to take a trip to the small medieval village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. In this French commune located about 40 minutes from Montpellier, you will find an idyllic natural setting, as well as some buildings and sites of great historical importance. You'll feel like you've travelled back in time.
To make the most of this experience, it's best to book an excursion to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert from Montpellier. You will travel to the village in the company of a guide and discover impressive destinations such as the Abbey of Gellone, a Benedictine monastery whose history dates back to 804, and the Devil's Bridge over the Hérault River, an iconic construction representative of Romanesque art.
On this excursion to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert from Montpellier, you will also discover unique natural spaces. Such is the case of the Cirque de Mourèze, an impressive formation of limestone rocks sculpted by erosion over the years. Likewise, the artificial lake of Salagou, which stretches for about 7 kilometres, will dazzle you with the fascinating contrast of its blue waters, red mountains and surrounding green forests.
Useful information
- Price: this type of excursion costs approximately £62 per person.
- Duration: 8 hours is the average time for this excursion.
- Advantage: you will discover interesting medieval monuments and idyllic natural spaces.