What to See & Do
Arles Overall Appeal ★★★★☆
| Name | Appeal | Type | Visit | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Amphiteater | ★★★★☆ | Roman Arena + Panorama | Self | Paid |
| 02 | Antique Theater | ★★★☆☆ | Roman Theater Ruin | Self | Paid |
| 03 | Town Center | ★★★☆☆ | Walking Around | Self | Free |
| 04 | Arles Market | ★★★☆☆ | Food Market | Self | Free |
| 05 | Arles Antique Museum | ★★★☆☆ | Museum - Roman | Self | Paid |
| 06 | LUMA Tower Museum | ★★★☆☆ | Museum - Contemporary Art | Self | Either |
| 07 | Van Gogh Footsteps | ★★☆☆☆ | Walking + Paintings | Self | Free |
| 08 | Van Gogh Arles Foundation | ★★☆☆☆ | Museum - Modern Art | Self | Paid |
| 09 | Van Gogh Space | ★★☆☆☆ | Cloister/Garden | Self | Free |
| 10 | St. Trophime Church | ★★☆☆☆ | Church | Self | Free |
| 11 | St. Trophime Cloister | ★★☆☆☆ | Cloister | Self | Paid |
| 12 | Hortus Garden | ★★☆☆☆ | Garden | Self | Free |
| 13 | Réattu Museum | ★★☆☆☆ | Museum - Fine Arts | Self | Paid |
| 14 | Arlaten Museum | ★★☆☆☆ | Museum - Ethnographic | Self | Paid |
| 15 | Alyscamps | ★☆☆☆☆ | Roman Path | Self | Paid |
| 16 | Constantin Thermae Ruins | ★☆☆☆☆ | Roman Thermae Ruin | Self | Paid |
| 17 | Notre Dame Church | ★☆☆☆☆ | Church | Self | Free |
| 18 | Viewpoint | ★☆☆☆☆ | Panorama | Self | Free |
| 19 | Jardin d'Eté Park | ★☆☆☆☆ | Park | Self | Free |
| 20 | River Banks | ★☆☆☆☆ | Walking Around | Self | Free |
| 21 | Cryptoporticus | ★☆☆☆☆ | Cryptoporticus | Self | Paid |
| 22 | Lee Ufan Museum | ★☆☆☆☆ | Museum - Contemporary Art | Self | Paid |
| 23 | Santon Provençal Museum | ★☆☆☆☆ | Museum - Figurine | Self | Paid |
| 24 | Art Galleries | ★☆☆☆☆ | Art Gallery | Self | Free |
01. Amphiteater
Appeal ★★★★☆
Type Roman Arena + Panorama
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Amphitheater in Arles is a remarkably well-preserved Roman arena that stands as a symbol of the city’s ancient heritage. It is one of the 20 largest in the Roman world.
Built in the 1st century AD, it could once hold over 20,000 spectators (12,500 today) who gathered to watch gladiatorial combat, chariot races, and other public spectacles. It continued to be used for various purposes throughout the centuries, including as a fortress in the Middle Ages.
The site also includes underground passages that once housed the gladiators, along with explanations of the organization of these Roman games.
Also, the panoramic view from the top of the arena offers a unique perspective of Arles.
The ticket also includes access to the nearby Ancient Theater (see below).
02. Antique Theater
Appeal ★★★☆☆
Type Roman Theater Ruin
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Ancient Theater of Arles is a significant Roman structure built in the 1st century BC. Once a grand venue for theatrical performances, it could seat over 12,000 spectators, hosting plays, poetry readings, and musical performances.
The ticket also includes access to the nearby Amphitheater (see above).
03. Town Center
Appeal ★★★☆☆
Type Walking Around
Visit Self
Cost Free
The Town Center of Arles is a charming area filled with narrow, winding streets that reveal the city’s blend of Roman and medieval architecture. This area serves as the heart of Arles, where visitors can experience the atmosphere of a Provencal town.
04. Arles Market
Appeal ★★★☆☆
Type Food Market
Visit Self
Cost Free
The main food market in Arles is one of the most important in the region. It takes place twice a week: on Wednesday mornings on Boulevard Emile Combe, and on Saturday mornings, when it is even larger, extending to Boulevards des Lices & Georges Clemenceau.
05. Arles Antique Museum
Appeal ★★★☆☆
Type Roman Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Arles Antique Museum houses an impressive collection of Roman artifacts, including mosaics, sculptures, everyday objects, and a big Roman barge, discovered in the Rhône River.
06. LUMA Tower Museum
Appeal ★★★☆☆
Type Contemporary Art Museum + Panorama
Visit Self
Cost Free or Paid
The LUMA Museum is a contemporary art center housed in a striking, futuristic building designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and initiated by Swiss art collector Maja Hoffmann.
Inside, the museum features rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and multimedia installations.
The summit of the 56-meter-high tower offers the highest panoramic view in the city.
Surrounding the tower, within the site, there is a park with cafés.
Entry to the site is free, with only the exhibition rooms requiring a fee.
07. Van Gogh Footsteps
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Walking + Paintings
Visit Self
Cost Free
Walking in the footsteps of Van Gogh in Arles consists of 9 marked spots around the town where Van Gogh set up his easel. These spots are indicated by plaques featuring the paintings created there during his stay from 1888 to 1889.
The spots are free, except for the Alyscamps site.
In parentheses, the number corresponds to the site on this page.
- The Yellow House
- Starry Night over the Rhône
- Trinquetaille Bridge Staircase
- Van Gogh Space (09)
- Café Terrace, Place du Forum
- Amphiteater (to the right of the entrance) (01)
- Entrance to the Public Park (19)
- Alyscamps (15)
- Langlois Bridge (2,5km – 1.5mi from town center)
08. Van Gogh Arles Foundation
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Modern Art Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Van Gogh Arles Foundation hosts annual temporary exhibitions of modern or contemporary art, featuring at least one Van Gogh painting, and often several, depending on the agreement with the Van Gogh Foundation in Amsterdam.
The building’s rooftop terrace offers a panoramic view of the town’s rooftops.
09. Van Gogh Space
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Cloister/Garden + Exhibitions
Visit Self
Cost Free
The Van Gogh Space, also called Jardin de la Maison de Santé, is located in the former hospital, now restored, where Van Gogh stayed after cutting off his ear.
The cloister is landscaped as it was in his time and also includes exhibition rooms.
10. St. Trophime Church
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Church
Visit Self
Cost Free
Formerly a cathedral, St. Trophime Church is a Romanesque and Gothic-style church from the 12th century, known for its stunning portal and detailed carvings.
11. St. Trophime Cloister
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Cloister
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The St. Trophime Cloister is a serene and beautifully preserved Romanesque and Gothic cloister from the 12th century.
The arcades that surround the courtyard are supported by elegant columns, each with unique carvings that depict various Biblical stories.
The site also occasionally hosts temporary exhibitions.
Entry is through the building to the right of St. Trophime Church.
12. Hortus Garden
Appeal ★★☆☆☆
Type Garden
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Hortus Garden, located next to the Arles Antique Museum, is uniquely designed as a reconstruction of a Roman hippodrome.
13. Réattu Museum
Appeal ★★☆☆☆☆
Type Fine Arts Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Réattu Museum is a fine arts museum housed in a former Gothic-style priory that became, in the 19th century, the home and studio of Jacques Réattu, a painter from Arles whose works form the core of the collection.
The museum also features works by other artists, including a collection of Picasso pieces and photographs.
14. Arlaten Museum
Appeal ★★☆☆☆☆
Type Ethnographic Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Arlaten Museum is an ethnographic museum that explores the cultural history of Provence from the 18th century to the present day, focusing on the traditions, costumes, and daily life of the region’s inhabitants through a collection of artworks and ethnographic objects.
The building itself is a historic 15th-century mansion, adding to the museum’s charm.
15. Alyscamps
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Roman Path
Visit Self
Cost Paid
Alyscamps is a historical necropolis that was once a major Roman burial ground. The site is lined with sarcophagi.
The avenue leads to the 12th-century Romanesque Church of Saint-Honorat.
16. Constantin Thermae Ruins
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Roman Thermae Ruin
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Constantin Thermae Ruins are the remains of a once-grand Roman bath complex in Arles, dating back to the 4th century AD.
17. Notre Dame Church
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Church
Visit Self
Cost Free
Notre-Dame-la-Major Church is located next to the Arles Amphitheater. Dating back to the 12th century, it primarily features Romanesque architecture with some Gothic elements.
18. Viewpoint
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Church
Visit Self
Cost Free
To the left of the Notre-Dame-la-Major Church, there is an orientation table that describes the panoramic view.
19. Jardin d'Eté Park
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Park
Visit Self
Cost Free
Jardin d’Été is a public park located behind the Arles Amphitheater.
20. River Banks
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Walking Around
Visit Self
Cost Free
The town of Arles is crossed by the Rhône River. The banks on both sides are landscaped for pedestrians.
21. Cryptoporticus
Appeal ★★★★★☆☆☆☆
Type Cryptoporticus
Visit Self
Cost Free
The Cryptoporticus of Arles is an underground Roman structure from the 1st century BC that once supported a public forum.
22. Lee Ufan Museum
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Contemporary Art Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
The Lee Ufan Museum is dedicated to the works of the Korean artist Lee Ufan, known for his minimalist contemporary art.
The museum is located in an historic mansion built between the 16th and 18th centuries.
23. Santon Provençal Museum
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Figurine Museum
Visit Self
Cost Paid
This small museum showcases the traditional Santons of Provence, handcrafted figurines depicting nativity scenes and local life.
24. Art Galleries
Appeal ★☆☆☆☆
Type Art Gallery
Visit Self
Cost Free
Globally renowned as an art town, Arles is also home to several dozen small art galleries scattered throughout the town, showcasing a variety of works.
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