Experience the celebrated city of Arles, where Roman ruins and vibrant colors have inspired artists. Upon arrival, you will explore by foot, allowing you to immerse yourself in this energetic city of diverse architecture at the edge of Provence. Begin with a stroll to the massive Les Arènes, an ancient amphitheater able to seat 20,000. Continue to the Antique Theater, peering inside as you pass. This 1st-century wonder stood three stories tall and seated 10,000. Follow the Rue du Cloître to the Place de la République, a bustling square that once hosted the ancient Roman Circus. Here, you will see the 15th-century Church of St. Trophime, a Romanesque triumph named for a 3rd-century bishop. A walk down the Rue de la République delivers you to the Espace Van Gogh, the local hospital that treated the artist and today serves as a cultural center.
Early this morning, we sailed the short distance from Avignon to Arles. The description above is the included shore excursion Tim and I had signed up for. Unfortunately, my knee was really bothering me, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to finish a walking tour, so I sent Tim off to explore the city for both of us.
Although I really wanted to spend the morning in Arles, a city known for its Roman ruins and connection to Vincent Van Gogh, I had visited the city many years ago, so I didn’t feel too bad about missing the tour of the historic area. What I really wanted to see in Arles was LUMA Arles, a new cultural campus with a tower designed by Frank Gehry. I’m a fan of his work, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see the tower since I was so close.
After about an hour or so, my knee felt better, and I could walk without limping, so I decided to try and walk to LUMA. Google didn’t cooperate, however, and I ended up in the opposite direction at Les Arènes, the amphitheater. Deciding that visiting LUMA was not meant to be, I wandered around a bit and saw a few other Roman ruins, including the theater and the baths of Constantine. As I approached the Place du Forum, I happened to run into Tim and the walking tour.
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| Les Arènes |
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| Other Roman Ruins - The Classical Theater, Baths of Constantine, and Place du Forum |
In front of the forum was the yellow Café la Nuit, the subject of Van Gogh’s well-known Café Terrace at Night. I’m sure I would have missed it had I not decided to join the group. The café has apparently become a tourist trap, but it was fun to compare the paining to the actual building.
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| Café la Nuit and Café Terrace at Night |
On the way back to the ship, we passed a spot along the river that was the subject of another painting by Van Gogh. Starry Night over the Rhône captured the night sky above the city skyline, and our boat was docked just a short way down from this location. The city of Arles has done a nice job of placing numerous markers or easels that depict Van Gogh’s paintings in front of their subjects. What is so cool is that Tim and I saw the original painting, and I happened to photograph it, when we visited the Musée d’Orsay in Paris after our cruise.
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| The Rhône in Daylight and Starry Night over the Rhône |
Tim and I arrived back at the ship in time for lunch and our afternoon tour.
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| Viking Buri Was Waiting for Us |
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