Visiting the Provencal town of Arles in winter

🌿Departing from a sun-drenched southern French coastal town, a three-hour train ride brought me to the Provencal town of Arles. I had planned to use this as a base for three days to explore the surrounding areas, but ended up spending all three days in the town without going anywhere else. 🏛️Arles is famous for its streetscapes depicted in Van Gogh’s paintings. The artist lived here for a year, and many of the buildings featured in his works still retain their appearance from more than a century ago. Checking off Van Gogh’s painting scenes is a goal for many travelers visiting here. Another line of exploration is to uncover the ancient Roman ruins from two thousand years ago. The town sided with Caesar in his struggle against Pompey, while neighboring Marseille rooted for Pompey. 🎨After the power struggle, the well-betted Arles began to prosper. Roman legions were stationed here, and the amphitheater, theater, and baths – the trio of Roman entertainment – were established in Arles, with the ruins still standing today. 🚆The most prominent is the amphitheater, which stands out with a scale disproportionate to the surrounding modern streets and buildings. The information board says it is the 20th largest Roman amphitheater. Ranking 20th is still noteworthy because it’s within the Roman Empire. When traveling around the Mediterranean, it’s hard not to become a “Roman enthusiast,” as the most prominent and towering structures often come from this civilization of over two thousand years ago. 🌞Another interesting aspect here is the ubiquitous modern art, from avant-garde art posters stuck on 18th-century street buildings to modern art exhibitions in the Van Gogh art gallery (with only one original Van Gogh painting), to the uniquely shaped Luma art center on the edge of town. The harmonious coexistence of ancient Roman, 18th/19th-century streets, and contemporary art is quite beautiful. #Arles #Provence #SouthernFranceVacation