Best 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 historic buildings of the old town. It is also home to 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. Visit the food markets to delight your palate with local flavors, 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.

Exploring Montpellier on two wheels is a very popular and safe activity, as you will find bike paths throughout the city . During your stay you can rent an electric bike and reach every corner of this lively city. You will discover the most emblematic destinations and contemplate a different panoramic view of the surroundings.

This is an exciting and ecological activity , perfect for those who do not want to drive around the city or explore its streets on foot. You will pedal at your own pace through the historic center, contemplating places such as the City Hall, the Place de la Comedie, the Cathedral of Montpellier. Discover the Antigone district and the Port-Marianne district, among other destinations.

It is important to know that when you rent an electric bike in Montpellier you will receive a safety helmet and you will have access to a series of downloadable routes on your cell phone. This is quite convenient at the time of starting the tour, since you will not have the fear of getting lost in the city. In addition, you will find it easier to reach the places of your interest.

Useful information

• Price: from 39€ per bike.
• Duration: about 8 hours. Time may vary according to your needs.
• Advantage: you will be able to tour the city at your own pace in a fun and ecological way.

The Castellane Market is one of the obligatory stops during your stay in the city. In this picturesque and cozy place you will enjoy the flavors and aromas of the authentic local gastronomy. Not only will you delight your palate, but you will also see the daily life of the locals up close, feeling like one of them.

For this gastronomic tour of Montpellier, you must go to the Castellane Market in the heart of the city and immerse yourself in its vibrant atmosphere. You will find stalls with fruits, vegetables, herbs, seafood, among others. Also, several cafes and bistros, where you will have the opportunity to taste some popular dishes such as cassoulet (a stew of beans and meat), squid and octopus pie, cuttlefish pasta, among other delicacies from the south of France.

This type of tour of the Castellane Market can be done on your own or then hire a gastronomic tour. In the latter case, you will have a culinary expert guide, who will be in charge of telling you the history of each place visited and the dishes tasted, making the experience much more enriching.

Useful information

• Price: entrance to the market is free (you pay what you eat). If you opt for a tour, it can cost around 89€ per person (includes tastings and culinary guide).
• Hours: open Monday to Saturday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Sunday from 7:00 am to 1:30 pm.
• Advantage: either on your own or through a tour, you will delight your palate with the flavors of the local cuisine.

The Seaquarium in Grau-du-Roi Montpellier is another must-see attraction on 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 meet everything from small sea creatures to ocean predators. Through the huge windows, you will see about 30 species of rays and sharks. You will see seals, sea turtles, a variety of tropical fish, sea bream, moonfish, as well as trout, carp, and other freshwater fish.

When you purchase tickets to the Seaquarium in Grau-du-Roi Montpellier, you will also be able to enjoy some marine shows and interact directly with certain animals. For example, feed a sea lion or pet a stingray. Without a doubt, this is an experience that will allow you to create unique memories of your trip to the city, especially if you are traveling with children.

Useful information

• Price: 17€ per person is the average cost to access this attraction.
• Hours: The Seaquarium is open daily from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.
• Advantage: you will enter the marine world, discovering its secrets and amazing inhabitants.

If you are a fan of the Saw movies and you find yourself in Montpellier, then you must visit an escape room inspired by this famous horror and gore franchise. This is a leisure activity full of adrenaline and suspense in which you will test your mental ability and ingenuity, solving twisted puzzles. So it's an adventure you can't miss.

Booking an escape room is very popular in Montpellier. Once you are in the game room, you will live 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, thus, escape before the clock reaches zero.

In this escape room in Montpellier you will have the feeling that you have really entered the Saw universe. The decorations, lighting and sounds of the rooms where you will have to escape recreate authentic scenes from the movies, giving you a unique and intense experience.

Useful information

• Price: approximately 68€ per person.
• Duration: the experience lasts approximately 1 hour.
• Advantage: you will test your mental skills and raise your adrenaline while having a fun time with your travel group.

This French city has many expanses of vineyards and wineries, so if you're interested in learning about the region's wine culture during your stay, you can connect with a guided tour of a Montpellier vermouth and wine cellar. You will discover the entire production process of these two beverages.

Through this experience, you will explore a picturesque vineyard with several varieties of grapes and see how they are transformed into the delicious French classic beverages: vermouth and wine. Also, in the company of a cellar master, you will learn about the history of each of the vintages preserved in the barrels.

In addition, on this guided tour of a vermouth and wine cellar, you will be able to taste some of the drinks and enjoy their aromas and flavors. 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 downtown Montpellier.

Useful information about wine tours in Montpellier

• Price: 18€ per person is the average cost of this guided tour.
• Duration: the tour usually lasts about one (1) hour.
• Advantage: you will learn the history and secrets of two important French beverages such as vermouth and wine.

The Fabre Museum is another of the great tourist attractions of the city and, undoubtedly, a must for lovers of European art. In its rooms you will enjoy a rich collection of works of the twentieth century. In addition, the building has an imposing scenery in which stands an impressive glass ceiling. Both worthy of contemplation.

In the rooms you will have the opportunity to observe masterpieces of 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, the French painter, engraver and sculptor, Pierre Soulages, among others.

There are more than 800 works of art that you will see. All of them distributed throughout a space of about 9,200 square meters. In addition, the collections of the Fabre Museum incorporate approximately 900 engravings and around 3,500 designs, reflecting its rich artistic diversity. In addition to the permanent collections, the rooms feature a number of temporary exhibitions that vary throughout the year.

Useful information

• Admission: the price starts at about 19€ per person.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Mondays.
• Advantage: you will contemplate a large collection of European art works of the twentieth century.

Montrepiller has a beautiful botanical garden, which is worth a visit during your stay in the city. This is the Jardin des Plantes, an important green lung established since 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 leisurely stroll, discovering incredible and well-kept natural spaces as you go. For example:

• The lotus pond, which depending on the season of the year is populated by frogs.
• The garden of meaning, 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 centennial hackberry tree and other woody species. In addition, in the Jardin des Plantes you will see the broad-leaved laburnum, a tree with imposing foliage known locally for granting wishes - don't leave without hanging your request on its branches!

Useful information

• Price: free of charge.
• Hours: from June to September from 12:00 to 20:00, and from October to May from 11:00 to 18:00. Closed every Monday of the year.
• Advantage: you will enjoy a series of incredible natural spaces in one of the most important green lungs of the city.

In the center of Montpellier you will find an important religious monument: St. Peter's Cathedral. Come to this monumental and ancient building from the 14th century and be amazed by its peculiar architecture that resembles a medieval fortress.

Contemplate the works of art and decorations inside. You will find large stone arches and vaulted ceilings. Your gaze will be lost in the colorful stained glass windows that show some biblical representations, as well as in the sculptures and frescoes of its 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 ancient organ dating from 1776. This remarkable instrument is known for its sound quality and is a central element in liturgical celebrations. In fact, if your visit to Montpellier coincides with any Saturday from June to September, you will have the chance to enjoy a free concert with national musicians.

Useful information about Montpellier

• Admission: free of charge.
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:30 am to 11:45 am and from 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm, and Saturday from 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Advantage: you will know one of the architectural jewels of the city and the sacred art that is housed inside.

If you like the animal world, then the Montpellier Zoo is another place not to be missed in the city. You will see roaming freely a number of wild animals: lions, rhinoceroses, leopards, bears, etc. You will feel like you are in a safari park.

When you arrive at the zoo you will receive a map with the route you should follow to explore the place on your own. Throughout the park you will find some 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 rhinoceroses, Iberian wolves, reticulated giraffes, among many others.

In addition, in this zoo you will find an area of approximately 2,600 square meters, which recreates the climatic conditions of the Amazon, known as the Amazonian 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.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Advantage: you will observe amazing wild animals and exuberant tropical plants.

If you have a day to spare in your itinerary, you can take an excursion to the small medieval village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. In this French commune located about 40 minutes from Mantpellier, you will find an idyllic natural scene, as well as some buildings and sites of great historical importance. You'll feel like you've traveled back in time.

For this experience, the ideal way is to book an excursion to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert from Montpellier. You will travel to the village accompanied by a guide and you will visit impressive destinations such as the Abbey of Gellone, a Benedictine monastery whose history dates back to 804; 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 areas. 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 Salagou, which stretches for about 7 kilometers and will dazzle you with the fascinating contrast in its blue waters, red mountains and surrounding green forests.

Useful information

• Price: this type of excursion has an approximate cost of 72€ per person.
• Duration: 8 hours is the average time for this excursion.
• Advantage: you will discover interesting medieval monuments and idyllic natural spaces.