Arles sits on the banks of the Rhône river in Provence and is steeped in history dating back to the Roman times. The two-tiered Roman amphitheatre of Arles is the showpiece and is still used today when a 20,000 strong crowd watches bull fights. Arles' other claim to fame is that it was the place that inspired Vincent van Gogh to paint 300 paintings in just 15 months - from the Arlesians and orchards to the landscapes and bars.

The town and surrounding countryside is simply stunning and it's easy to spend a day just wandering through the narrow streets and squares such as Place du Forum and Plaza de la Republique, soaking up the architectural masterpieces over a anise-flavoured pastis. The ruins of the Roman theatre are a popular tourist hang-out and are still used to screen movies such as Ben Hur, Quo Vadis and Gladiator during the summer Roman festival.

Arles is the perfect place to discover and explore Provencal cuisine which is characterised by garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce and above all, aromatic herbs.

And then there are the local wines where around 80% of the local production is red wine. There are dozens of vineyards in the area such as Grand Mas de Lansac and Château Romanin where you can go wine tasting - a very popular day out.

Arles sits on the edge of the Camargue and enjoys a Mediterranean climate with over 180 days of sunshine a year. During the warm summer months, temperatures can reach into the mid 30s whereas during winter, it can drop below freezing with snow frequently seen on the distant mountain peaks of the Monts de Vaucluse.

Things to see & do in and around Arles

Arles and the surrounding area is full of interesting villages, historic cities and countryside to explore.