La Place de la Comédie

Take a walk on the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle one day when the weather is nice (it is most of the time). It's lined with trees, benches, a couple of outdoor restaurants, and often the tents of a market selling clothing and food and is a lovely place to spend the afternoon. Keep to the well-lit part at night unless you wish to buy drugs or be mugged or both (this has improved since a new police station was opened close by). The police station is next to the tourist information building.

The largest private mansion in the old town, owned by successive treasurers of the stock exchange, it has a grand courtyard, staircase, and garden.

A tower that was built as an observatory on top of the ramparts of Montpellier, it's an interesting building and contains some good restaurants.

Ecusson is the old town of Montpellier. Its streets twist and turn under stone arches and are named after the old businesses that resided there. The old businesses have long been replaced by modern ones but the old town has maintained its historic feel. It's easily accessible from Place de la Comédie by walking up Rue de la Loge, although Rue de la Loge is wide and very modernised and you should head off the main roads to get into the small windy streets. Place St Roch is a particularly nice area that is worth heading towards.

An art museum established in 1825. It underwent a €61.2-million renovation which was completed in 2007.

A deconsecrated church that has been converted to a contemporary art gallery. The church is in the old quarter of Saint-Anne, with narrow streets typical of the medieval era.