Combine ancient Rome with French culture and a psychotic Dutch artist, and you get the eccentric historical cocktail that is Arles. Every street in this town seems to end in a Roman ruin, a cafe that inspired a Van Gogh painting, or both. This historical legacy has transformed Arles into a hotspot for busloads of French tourists. If you can stand the crowds, the old city does have its classical charm, not to mention its Roman ruins; bullfights are still held in the town's ancient amphitheatre. Arles is the destination for those who want to experience a Provencal small town without actually having to stand the slower pace of neighboring areas. Local tortured artists and musicians cultivate a small but active bar and concert scene here; the hype peaks around July during the local photography festival.
Buses: La Boutique des Transports, (☎ 08 10 00 08 16; www.laboutiquedestransports.com), Leave from the train station and 24 bd. Georges Clemenceau. Consult tourist office inside the train station for ...more
The train station and bus hub are on the south bank of the Rhône, north of the vieille ville. The tourist office lies south of the old centre-ville, between the commercial center and the residential areas ...more
Arles has a few inexpensive hotels, especially in the area around place Voltaire, but for a little extra it’s worthwhile to stay in one of the incredibly charming establishments in the vieille ville ...more
Arles’s cuisine benefits from fresh seafood and hearty Camargue taureau (bull) meat. Restaurants with cuisine régionale are tucked into the narrow streets, particularly on place du Forum and around ...more
Les Arènes, (☎ 04 90 49 36 86; www.arlestourisme.com), The giant amphitheater dates back to the first century AD, and still showcases bullfights and other spectacles. The arena used to hold 20,000 spectators ...more
Wallabeer, 7 rue Molière (☎ 06 67 42 84 84), Australian bar with dancing at night and a terrace overlooking the main road that's ideal for people-watching. Fun atmosphere with surfboards and mounted ...more
The Théâtre d’Arles, bd. Georges Clemenceau, hosts drama, dance, and concerts from October to June. (☎ 04 90 52 51 51; www.theatre-arles.com/accueil. Tickets €2.40-20.) Arles isn’t a town for ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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