The Romans in Provence

Fly London to Marseille or make your own arrangements to join the tour at the hotel. Travel to Nimes, where we check-in to our hotel, our base for the tour, and relax in time for welcome drinks and an introductory talk before dinner. (D).

We spend the full day exploring the city, including the amphitheatre, the Tour Magne (or the Great Tower), and the Porte d'Auguste, a remnant of the Augustan fortifications which demonstrated the power of the colony of Nimes over the Volcae. We will visit the Temple of Diana and the Maison Carrée; the latter one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the world, offering a window into the regime introduced by the Emperor Augustus. (B, D).

The archaeological district of Vaison La Romaine, known as Puymin, boasts a theatre, shops, the Nymphea (a fountain and pools), the so-called "Sanctuaire à Portiques", an area containing the “House with the wreathed Apollo” and the Roman Bridge over the river Ouvèze, built in the 1st Century AD. (B, D).

In Arles we wander the labyrinthine corridors and passageways of the Amphitheatre and stand on the tiers and imagine the gladiatorial combat. We also visit the theatre, the Baths of Constantine, the only remaining part of the imperial Palace, and the superb archaeological museum at the edge of the town. (B, D).

We spend the day at the archaeological site of Ambrussum, to appreciate how native Gauls adopted Roman culture. We explore the Pont Ambroix, a 1st Century BC Roman bridge, the on-site museum and the ongoing archaeological excavations. Thence to the charming medieval town of Aigues-Mortes where we find lunch and time to explore, perhaps walking its perfectly preserved and imposing walls and towers to gain magnificent views of the town and the strange red salt lagoons. (B, D).

We explore the magnificent aqueduct known as the Pont du Gard, built in the 1st Century AD to carry water to the Roman colony of Nimes. Thence to Orange with its Triumphal Arch, built during the reign of emperor Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) to honour the veterans of the Gallic Wars; the Museum of Art and History housed within a 17th Century mansion; and the Théâtre Antique d'Orange, one of the finest remnants of the Roman Empire. Dinner is not included this evening and you are free to find your own restaurant. There is also the option to dine with your tour manager and historian at your own expense. (B).

We begin the day at wonderful Glanum where we find Les Antiques, a mausoleum and arch of the 1st Century BC. We stroll through the well-preserved streets and houses which demonstrate the processes by which the local Gauls acquired Roman culture. Thence to nearby Saint-Remy for a lunch break and to explore the Hôtel de Sade Museum, a Renaissance mansion housing the fascinating finds from Glanum. (B, D).

Travel to Marseille airport where the tour ends unless you are returning with us to London. (B).