On weekends in Provence or during your holidays in the Gard or the family heart of the Camargue, you want to visit Arles in 1 day. For this day, you would like to discover all the must-see tourist sites of Arles by taking a nice little walking tour.
So, I offer you a first itinerary which is done on foot and which allows you to visit the most beautiful places in the city of Arles in 1 day and a second itinerary to discover Arles by following in the footsteps of Van Gogh.
For these two itineraries to visit the city of Arles, you will find Google Maps below that you can follow in pedestrian GPS mode!
Why visit Arles?
Being part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, its geographical location is ideal as a base for tourists who want visit Provence, the Luberon or the Camargue. Indeed, Arles is located on the banks of the Rhône, between the beautiful Camargue and the Provençal Alpilles.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Arles benefits from a historical richness (Celts, Greeks and Romans succeeded one another leaving some ruins and beautiful architectural remains) and a cultural richness thanks to the artists painters who have highlighted it (Gauguin, Picasso and of course Van Gogh).
Program and itinerary to visit Arles in one day
Visiting Arles is very easy to do on foot in 1 day or ½ day. Indeed, Arles is a very small city whose sites of tourist interest are located in its historic heart and can therefore be discovered simply by strolling on foot.
This is why I offer you below the itinerary which allows you to visit Arles in 1 day:
- In the morning, follow my walking tour of the must-see attractions in Arles (see on Google maps below):
- Arles market
- Saint-Trophime Cathedral and Cloister
- The ancient theater of Arles
- Roman amphitheater
- The cryptoporticus of the Forum
- The Vincent Van Gogh Foundation
- The Baths of Constantine
- The Réattu museum
- In the afternoon, follow my circuit in the footsteps of Van Gogh ((see on Google maps below)
- the Place du Forum in Le café le soir,
- the Trinquetaille Bridge in The staircase of the Trinquetaille Bridge,
- rue Mireille in The old mill,
- the garden on Boulevard des Lices in The public garden,
- the Quai du Rhône in the evening in The Starry Night,
- Place Lamartine in The Yellow House (the house is no longer visible there).
Walking tour to visit Arles
Here is the tourist circuit which is done on foot in one morning to visit the emblematic and unmissable sites of Arles:
Arles tour itinerary in the footsteps of Van Gogh
Here is the tourist circuit which is done on foot in one afternoon to visit the sites marked by the presence of Van Gogh:
Visit them to do during your day in Arles
If you come by car, the most practical thing will be to park at the Parking du Center which is located very close to the Arles market.
Arles market
If you come to visit Arles on a Saturday, you will have the chance to take a walk to the market. It is early in the morning that I advise you to visit this pretty market which is not only one of the most beautiful markets in Provence, but also one of the largest.
With more than 400 fairgrounds, multicolored stalls full of good smells await you: fruits, vegetables, cheeses, flowers, honey, olive oil, charcuterie including Arles sausage but also all regional products and artisanal.
To start my tourist tour, head for the tourist office (9 Boulevard des Lices), then turn right on rue Jean Jaures and continue on Place de la République.
Thus, in a few minutes, you arrive at the Cloître Saint Trophime.
Saint-Trophime Cathedral and Cloister
A fine example of Romanesque and Provençal architecture, this site from 12rd century includes a church (called cathedral) and a cloister (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
You will be able to admire in particular the beautiful portal which traces the Last Judgment or the work of the sculptures adorning the pillars of the Cloister. FYI, Saint-Trophime was the patron saint of the city of Arles.
Ancient Theater of Arles
The ancient theater is located between the amphitheater and the summer garden. Like its neighbor the amphitheater, this Roman site of the 1er century BC is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Amphitheater of Arles
The Amphitheater is undoubtedly the monument of the city of Arles the most visited by tourists from all over the world. True emblem of the city that is also called the Arles Arena, the Amphitheater is an imposing Roman building which had been built to accommodate on these steps up to 21 spectators who gathered there in particular for gladiatorial fights.
Today, the site has become a real “plaza de toros” where enthusiasts of bullfighting and traditional Camargue shows meet (Easter Fair, Guardians’ Festival, Arles Festivals).
Cryptoporticus of the Forum
In the series of Roman remains to visit in Arles, my circuit takes you to the cryptoporticos. It is a set of galleries which were located below the Forum (the main square in Roman times). With its pillars and vaults, the cryptoporticos form the base of the forum and were intended to stabilize the entire site.
250 meters from the Cryptoportics, you will arrive at the Van Gogh Foundation which no longer has anything to do with the Romans.
Van Gogh space
It was in Arles that Van Gogh painted his finest masterpieces in just 15 months (from February 1888 to May 1889). In 1888, he was treated at the Hôtel Dieu when he cut his ear. It is therefore within the walls of the former Hôtel Dieu that this Van Gogh Space is located.
The Vincent van Gogh Foundation was created in 2014 to pay tribute to all of this artist's work and to the influences he may have had. The museum also brings together works by artists close to or having been influenced by Van Gogh.
Baths of Constantine
200 meters after the museum, you will arrive at the thermal baths of Constantine which dates from the 4rd century AD are very well preserved.
Réattu Museum
Right next to the thermal baths, is the Museum of Fine Arts of the city of Arles. Installed in the former Grand Priory of the Order of Malta along the Rhône, this museum bears the name of an Arles painter: Jacques Réattu.
Of course, you can admire the painter's personal collection but also sketches and drawings by Pablo Picasso and contemporary photographic works by various artists.
Visit Arles following in the footsteps of Van Gogh
The city of Arles is closely linked to the painter Vincent Van Gogh even though he only lived there for 15 months. Attracted by the landscapes and the beautiful light of the south of France, Van Gogh never stopped painting, drawing and writing in Arles. There he produced 200 paintings, a hundred drawings and watercolors and wrote more than 200 letters.
The city of Arles has marked out a route entitled “in the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh” which I in turn suggest you follow to the 4 corners of the city.
Indeed, there are specific places which correspond exactly to the places painted by Van Gogh during his stay in the Arles region with in particular:
In town, all the places where the painter has set up his easel are indicated by panels which reproduce each of the paintings.
For more details and photos, here is on the official website of the Tourist Office the Van Gogh Circuit. You can download the mobile application with the detailed itinerary of the circuit.
Admire, for example, from the banks of the Rhône how Van Gogh perceived “The Starry Night”:
Which hotel to choose for a weekend in Arles?
If like me, you are looking for an ideal location to visit, go to a restaurant, go out in the evening without taking the car, then the Maison Volver hotel may perhaps appeal to you.
Indeed, it is 300 m from the amphitheater with public parking nearby. In addition, it has a terrace, a shared lounge and a restaurant.
To stay surrounded by nature, in a 35 hectare park with 2 superb swimming pools, I recommend the Residence Odalys Le Village Camargue Les Gardians. You will stay in a cottage with all the comfort and services of a holiday village.
And now why not visit the magnificent city of Avignon or the beautiful Aix en Provence or continue with a 3-day circuit in the Camargue ?