Classic old town Arles from Romans to Vincent Van Gogh - half day private tour

Tour summary - classic old town Arles

See the iconic sights of Arles - this picturesque town steeped in history dating back to a Greek settlement. Arles one of the most important cities of the Roman colony founded by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Classical town with preserved ruins - the Amphithéâtre d'Arènes, Cloisters of Saint-Trophime, the Roman Theatre and Thermes de Constantin & Musée Réattu. Arles has a pleasant Provençal ambience, leafy public squares and slow-paced lifestyle.

Highlights

Wander & discover the old town of Arles Visit the Théâtre antique d’Arles coupled with a guided visit of Amphithéâtre d’Arènes. Enjoy the elegant surroundings of the towns numerous squares, historic buildings and architecture of Arles. Visit the terraces and cafe that inspired Van Gogh. Experience the bustling vibe & follow the Van Gogh trail to see the scenes of some of his paintings.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Theatre Antique, South East corner of town next to Arena, 13200, Arles France

The Roman Theatre of Arles, declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, preceded its famous neighbour the amphitheatre by a century, and is less well preserved. Constructed at the end of the 1st century BC, it dates from the first phase of urbanisation of the Roman colony founded by Caesar in 46 BC. It was built on the L'Hauture hill and was part of the Roman grid system, on the decumanus (East-West road). Fortified in the Middle Ages and lost to encroaching construction work; its material was often reused for neighbouring buildings. Even the original function of the monument is unknown.

This function was rediscovered in the late 17th century and its origin was confirmed over the following centuries thanks to a number of archaeological finds excavated from the ground, including the famous 'Venus of Arles'. It was not until the 19th century that the site was completely cleared.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Amphitheatre (les Arenes), Rond-Point des Arenes Arènes d Arles, 13200, Arles France

The amphitheatre is the most important monument of the former Roman colony that we should admire, some two thousand years after its construction. Its architecture is entirely designed in relation to its vocation of place to great shows, hosting a large audience. In their initial rise, the bleachers could receive approximately 21 000 viewers, streams were cleverly organized by a network of doors, galleries and stairs, on several floors.Become at the beginning of the middle ages a city close and fortified, the building was cleared only in XIX century. He himself then for part, its original function, including bullfighting, which earned him his current common appellation of "arenas".It is today the monument of the most visited city, bringing the image of Arles in the world.With a major axis of 136 meters in length and a minor axis of 107 meters, the amphitheatre of Arles is slightly larger than that of Nîmes and the 20th ranked among those of the Roman world. It has a shape of an ellipse. The façade includes two levels of sixty semicircular arches, separated by the abutments, massive rectangular section. A wider opening points out the ends of the two axes of the monument. The main entrance was not North as today, but the West where we can see the remains of a staircase overlooking the city.The cavea, space reserved for spectators, included 34 stands, divided into four series: the maeniana, where viewers were divided according to their social status. It is estimated the initial capacity of the monument to some 21, 000 people.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: St-Trophime Cloister (Cloitre St-Trophime), Off place de la Republique, 13200, Arles France

Dating from the 12th century this exceptional cloister sits adjacent to the church.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Eglise St-Trophime, Place de la Republique, 13200, Arles France

Built between the 12th and 15th century, this exceptional former cathedral displays some of the best examples of Romanesque sculpture.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Thermes de Constantin, Rue du Grand Prieuré, 13200 Arles, France

Characteristic expression of Roman civilisation, the Roman baths date back to the early Roman Empire.

Duration: 15 minutes

Pass By: Musee Reattu, 10 rue du grand Prieure, 13200, Arles France

REATTU MUSEUM, on the bank of the Rhone in the Ancien Grand Prieuré de l’Ordre de Malte, exhibits work from the 17th - 19th centuries, drawings and paintings by Picasso and contemporary artists. At the end of the tour, we will give you a ticket that will allow you entry into the Museum after our tour ends.

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.