Arles walking tours: the express walk with a local, or a private guide for two hours
What a walk is for
You do not need a guide to visit the Arènes d’Arles. A ticket from the desk under the arches gets you in, the panels are decent and there is a free web audio guide. What a guide gives you is the town: why the cloister of Saint-Trophime looks the way it does, which café on place du Forum is the one Van Gogh painted, where the two hundred houses stood inside the arena before they were cleared between 1826 and 1830, and where to eat. Both walks below cover that ground and both look at the amphitheatre from outside. Do the monument yourself, before or after; the ticket page explains the passes.
The express walk with a local
The listing says one to two hours; plan for one and be pleased if it runs on. It meets at 37 boulevard Émile Combes, the street where the Wednesday market sets up, a two-minute walk from the arena. The route runs from the amphitheatre to Saint-Trophime, then to the stairway of the Trinquetaille bridge for the view over the Rhône, and finishes in the Roquette, where I live. Along the way the host adapts to your pace and, if it is raining, to the weather. It ends with recommendations: Silvia from Germany came away with cafés, restaurants and shops, Gabriele got two hours and “stories from the past” from Emmanuelle, Tamara from Australia had it tailored to what she asked for. Rated 4.7 from 18 reviews; guide 4.9, value 4.4. Private or small group of up to eight, English or French, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Not for anyone with a mobility impairment; the route includes stairs at the bridge. The full write-up is on the express walk review.
The private guide for two hours
A licensed guide, your own party, two hours. It starts at 9 boulevard des Lices by the tourist office and ends near the Mémorial Charles de Gaulle. Between the two you see the amphitheatre from outside, the Théâtre antique, place de la République with the fourth-century obelisk and the portal of Saint-Trophime, and you walk past the Hôtel-Dieu, the hospital courtyard Van Gogh painted that is now the Espace Van Gogh. The itinerary bends to what you want: Annick from France got three and a half hours out of a knowledgeable guide, Noël was given “historical details inaccessible to ordinary tourists”, Ramon had it “explained with kindness by Isabel”. Available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, which is the widest choice of any tour here. Not for under-10s, and the listing also says not for people over 70 or 75; non-folding and electric wheelchairs are not allowed. Cancel up to 24 hours before.
Now the candid part. The overall rating is 4.3 from 22 reviews, and the split behind it matters: the guide sub-score is 5.0, the value sub-score 3.8. Nobody complains about the guide. What people mind is that a private tour is booked for the whole party, so a couple pays for a guide who could be walking six. For four or more that arithmetic turns in your favour and this becomes the better walk. For two people who speak English or French, the express walk covers similar streets with a host who lives here, and the difference in what you get is smaller than the difference in what you book. Details on the private tour review.
Side by side
| Express walk | Private guide | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 60 minutes, sometimes up to 2 h | 2 hours |
| Meets | 37 boulevard Émile Combes | 9 boulevard des Lices |
| Ends | The Roquette quarter | Near the Mémorial Charles de Gaulle |
| Group | Private or shared, up to 8 | Your party only |
| Languages | English, French | English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Route | Arena, Saint-Trophime, Trinquetaille stairway, Roquette | Arena, Théâtre antique, place de la République, Espace Van Gogh |
| Inside any monument | No | No |
| Rating | 4.7 · 18 reviews | 4.3 · 22 reviews |
| Best for | Two adults with an hour | Four or more, or a third language |
Which to book
Passing through Arles with an hour, two adults, English or French: the express walk. A family or a party of four or more, or a language other than those two: the private guide. Either way, buy the amphitheatre ticket separately and go in on your own; the how long to visit page tells you what an hour inside actually covers. If you are staying in Aix, Marseille or Avignon and want the guide plus the villages, the day tours are the other option.
Book the express walk for late afternoon and use the recommendations for dinner the same night. The walk ends in the Roquette, and the restaurants there are the ones I use.
Sixty minutes with a local
Meets two minutes from the arena, covers Saint-Trophime, the bridge stairway and the Roquette, and ends with where to eat. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The two walks
Quick & localArles: Express Walk with a Local
PrivateArles: Private Guide Tour – Explore History & Culture
Frequently asked questions
Does either walking tour go inside the amphitheatre?
No. Both look at it from outside and spend their time on the town. Buy a monument ticket at the door before or after; the ticket page explains the combined ticket with the theatre, which is the one I would take.
Where does the express walk start?
At 37 boulevard Émile Combes, two minutes on foot from the arena and about ten from the station via rue Voltaire. The how to get there page covers trains and parking.
Is the private tour worth it for two people?
The guide is excellent, with a 5.0 sub-score, but the tour is booked for the whole party, which is why the value sub-score is 3.8. For a couple who speak English or French the express walk gives most of the same streets; for four or more, or for German, Italian or Spanish, book the private guide. The private tour review goes through the reviews.
Do the walks run on feria days?
They can, and a feria is a good time to have a local with you, but the amphitheatre is closed to visitors on those days and the streets are full. The dates are on the feria page; the corrida and course camarguaise page explains what is happening inside.