Montpellier is one of those cities that one must visit at least once. Considered to be one of the 50 essential visits in the world, the architectural mix of its medieval neighbourhood, or the futuristic Odysseum neighbourhood, make it the perfect place for a getaway. Moreover, it is less than 3 hours from Barcelona with Renfe. Hop on our AVE (high-speed) France trains, AVE (high-speed) International travelling between Spain and France, and enjoy a comfortable, fast and sustainable trip. Let's go by train!
To discover the most beautiful cities, you need to get lost in them, since any corner can be simply wonderful. Without a doubt, Montpellier is one of these cities. Put on comfortable shoes, grab a bottle of water and enjoy the corners of the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon.
Place de la Comédie is the epicentre of the city. Popularly called the "egg" square for its ovoid shape, you will find Ópera Comédie, which dates back to the eighteenth century, as well as many terraces in which you can enjoy a nice glass of the region's wines.
The square is located at "Ecusson”, the city's medieval neighbourhood. It is a pleasure to walk through its labyrinthine alleys, packed with original shops and an almost endless number restaurants, as well as to discover places such as the Saint-Roch well, hidden at the bottom of the Erbé store, on rue de la Loge, or the Mikvé, one of the oldest in Europe, which was used for Jewish ritual baths. Make sure you do not miss the courtyards of the more than 70 palaces in the city centre.
Moreover, you cannot miss the splendid Saint-Pierre Cathedral, built in the fourteenth century, the largest church in the whole region, with its unusual portico paying tribute to the Virgin and the beautiful and gigantic organ made of gold leaf.
If we go start to walk around the city a little more, you will reach Peyrou square, with its impressive Arc de Triomphe and the faculty of medicine, the oldest in the world, dating back to the twelfth century, and in which famous characters such as Nostradamus studied. You must also visit Fabre Museum, considered to be one of the most beautiful Museums of Fine Arts in Europe, where you can enjoy the work of Fabre, Courbet, Monet, Manet, Bazille or Renoir, among others.
Saint-Pierre Cathedral
If you are one of those who like to explore the city on foot, we recommend you walk towards Lez river to admire the districts of de Antigone, designed by Ricardo Bofill and the Odysseum, with buildings designed by architects such as Christian de Portzamparc, Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid, Richard Meier, all of whom are Pritzker award recipients.
Port Marianne district is perfect to have a “brunch á la Montpellier” on a Sunday.
Finally, the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) is one of the symbols of the new Montpellier. An avant-garde building designed by Jean Nouvel and François Fontès on the banks of the river.
When you discover a city like Montpellier, you want time to pass slowly, to make the most out of every second, but you need something fast, comfortable and sustainable to get there, like Renfe's Alta Velocidad (high-speed) International trains. Discover our AVE (high-speed) France trains, AVE (high-speed) International travelling between Spain and France, which will take you there in no time, with no traffic jams and with no issues regarding luggage.
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