Roman Arles
Arles is in southern Provence near the Camargue region. In Roman times it was a major trading city.
Arles was founded by the Greeks, and later taken first by the celts and then later by the Romans. In Roman times it was the second most important city in the region, after neighbour Marseille. It then gained pole position after Marseille backed Pompey during a war with Julius Caesar - Caesar, backed by Arles, was victorious.
Arelate, as it was then known, became a very important Roman centre and trading region, reaching its heyday in the 4th and 5th centuries.
The main Roman monuments in Arles are the Roman amphitheatre, the theatre, the necropolis and the Thermae of Constantine.
The arena, the best preserved of all the monuments, is central in the town, and is still used for various grand spectacles. Constantines thermal baths were part of his grand palace (no longer in existence), then head to the Place du Forum - 2,000 years later and still the lively heart of the city.
There is less to see, although also worth visiting, at the theatre and at the Roman burial ground, Alyscamps.
The archealogical museum of Arles also holds some fine remnants and very interesting artefacts, and a visit is recommended.
The Roman remains at Arles are now listed as a France world heritage site by UNESCO.
See also main page for Arles
Visit Roman Arles (Provence, Bouches-du-Rhone) travel, gites and hotels
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The Roman Arles hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Roman Arles is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Provence gites for Arles holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Provence Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: VisitSee Visit Roman Arles for places to visit near Roman Arles including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Roman Arles in our Provence forum Airports near Roman ArlesAvignon airport at 39 km Marseille airport at 70 km Montpellier airport at 74 km Nimes airport at 25 km Roman Arles property for saleSee Provence property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Roman Arles
- Listed UNESCO World Heritage Site
Places to visit near Roman Arles, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Roman Arles.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
1 km: Arles (Provencal town) 19 km: Baux-de-Provence (Most beautiful village) 14 km: Beaucaire (Town of art and history) 30 km: Camargue (Natural Park) 10 km: Fontvieille (Small Provence town) 25 km: Nimes airport (airport) 33 km: Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Camargue town) 25 km: Saint-Remy-de-Provence (Village and Glanum) 14 km: Tarascon (Town and castle)
See also Roman Arles (version Francais)
