Showing posts with label Viking River Cruise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viking River Cruise. Show all posts
There are travel moments when history doesn’t feel like “long ago”—it feels present. On our Viking Rhone River Cruise excursion into Old Town Arles (click HERE to read) we stepped through sunlit arches and into the living story of the Arles Amphitheatre, a monument that has held the city’s heartbeat since 90 AD. Built as a testament to Roman engineering, it still crowns the center of Arles with quiet grandeur and enduring strength.
Walking up as we approached it was an absolutely beautiful setting!
Raised during the height of Roman influence in Gaul, the amphitheatre was designed for movement and spectacle: two tiers of arcades, 120 arches, horizontal passageways and staircases that guided the crowds with impressive efficiency.
Measuring approximately 136 m by 109 m, it seated about 21,000 spectators for chariot races, gladiatorial combats, and public celebrations—the social theater of an ancient world that loved order, drama, and the shared ritual of gathering.
As the Roman Empire receded in the 5th century, the amphitheatre’s purpose changed with the times. The people of Arles transformed it into a refuge and a fortress, adding four towers and building a small town within the arena itself—more than 200 houses and two chapels. For centuries, life unfolded inside these stones: homes clustered in the oval, a public square at the center, and chapels anchoring prayer to place. It is impossible to stand in the galleries and not feel both eras speaking at once.
In the late 1700s, a new chapter began. An expropriation process started in 1826 and was completed by 1830, clearing the houses from the arena and returning the monument to public life. That same year, the first modern event was held here—a bull race—signaling the return of the amphitheatre’s role as a place for the city to gather. In 1981, it was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage ensemble, “Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments,” honoring its significance and preservation.
What I love most is that the amphitheatre remains vibrant—not a relic behind glass, but a venue that still hosts performances, concerts, and bull games across the seasons. Even when we were there for a tour- you could see students on a field trip learning about the History. You can feel the continuity: stone built for crowds still welcoming them, an ancient oval still holding light and story. We climbed, paused, and looked out over the city’s rooftops—thankful for places that gently stitch past and present together.
I definitely recommend a trip to the Arles Ampitheater- it is an amazing piece of History to see! If you want to go here are a few facts to help you before you go:
Location: 1 Rond-point des Arènes, 13200 Arles, France (city center)
UNESCO: Listed since 1981 as part of “Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments.”
Today: The monument hosts cultural events (including bullfights, performances, and seasonal reenactments). Hours vary seasonally—check the official listing before your visit.
Disability Friendly?: Yes - there were opportunities for those in wheel chairs to be able to get into the Ampitheater and also be able to see inside. There were other places- for climbing stairs that are not possible to access.
Thank you for stopping by and reading today! I hope that you enjoyed this brief overview of our walking tour and my time in historic Arles! I can't wait to share more about our adventures on this cruise! If you are interested in reading more about our Rhone River Cruise with Viking, you can click on the links below:
Viking River Cruise (2025):
Arles: // The Arles Ampitheater (Les Arenes D' Arles) //A Day in Arles France //
Viking Cruise Specific Posts: // Embarkation Day on the Viking Delling //
// Viking Rhone River Cruise: Answers to Your Most FAQ's // 9 Must Have Experiences on the Viking Delling //
Viking Rhone River Specific IG Reels: // The Incredible Crew of the Viking Delling (IG Reel) //
Historical details and visitor information adapted from Arles-Guide.
a day in arles france / viking rhone river cruise / my viking story / arles, france
November 3, 2025
There are certain places where you feel as though you’ve stepped into a storybook — cobbled lanes, sun-warmed stone, whispering history — and Arles is one of them. Nestled along the southern curve of the Rhone River, this Provençal gem invites you into its embrace: ancient and alive, gentle and grand, quiet and full of texture. I will tell y'all right now that I have about a thousand pictures from Arles alone, but don't worry- I am not going to share all of them! Haha! On a serious note though- Arles was one of my favorite places we spent time in on this cruise (and yes, you will hear me say that often over these posts because I fell in love with these charming cities along this route).
Arles was our first full day (we embarked in Avignon (read a post HERE or watch an IG reel HERE) and then traveled to Arles) - and it was a highlight of the trip. Our tour lasted for approximately 3 hours and it was a lovely morning exploring and learning more about this charming French city. This was truly an amazing way to start off our excursions on our River Cruise… I was so enamored with this beautiful place that I went back in the afternoon to explore more. It is hard to pick a favorite place on this trip, but this was the absolute perfect way to start our tours! Arles to me was a place where you wanted to linger in corners that felt part museum, part film-set, part Beauty and the Beast dream.
After breakfast aboard the ship, we disembarked and walked into Old Town Arles. If you have been on other Viking trips- this was a bit different because typically you get onto a tour bus, but for Arles and many of the stops along the Rhone river you walked right into the town from the ship.
The air held that golden Provençal light; the stones beneath our feet seemed to hum with stories.
Our Viking guide led us through the Roman Theatre, the city walls, and the remnants of Roman Gaul’s urban might and artistry. Arles had been a hub — commerce, culture, empire — and you sense those layers everywhere, beneath shutters and behind arches.
We did spend a brief amount of time at The Arles Amphitheatre (Les Arènes d’Arles).
Built in 90 AD, it once held more than 20,000 spectators, alive with the thunder of chariot wheels and the roar of the crowd. Walking into its heart, I felt the weight and wonder of centuries.
The arena still hosts concerts and the distinctive Camargue bull games; the past is not locked away but still breathing. I have an entire post about this place coming, so for now I just am sharing a few brief pictures.
Mom and I had to smile at this point in our walking tour. Do you see the man above? He was singing and playing in the square and it was beautiful. It also made us smile because it reminded us of our time in Heidelberg, Germany on our Viking Rhine River Cruise- with a man singing in the square. Both were lovely experiences! You can read more about our time in Heidelberg (and our Rhine River cruise) HERE!
After our tour ended, mom and I headed back to the ship on our own and marved at our beatuiful morning as we meandered through the winding and beautiful cobblestone lanes.
After lunch, I decided to return solo to Arles. As many of you are aware mom had injured her knee severely the day before we embarked onto our cruise and we decided that it would be wise for her to rest it so that she could join in the future activities.
As the afternoon sun draped the city in amber light, Arles revealed a different side — gentler, quieter, introspective.
There was a wonder in stepping off the main path and into the side alleys, where vines climbed ancient walls and café chairs waited beneath pastel shutters.
I meandered through the Place du Forum, paused at the café that once captured the gaze of Vincent van Gogh in 1888, where he painted the light of the south and left more than 300 works behind.
In those moments I felt as if I had stepped into a Beauty & the Beast town (which I shared on Instagram- click HERE) — elegant yet wild, charming yet a bit uncanny in its preserved grandeur. The amphitheater by day, the silent courtyard by dusk — both real, both dramatic. I could almost hear the echoes of scenes past.
Travel often teaches us that the most luminous moments are the unhurried ones — when we let the place breathe us in, rather than rushing from one sight to another.
In Arles, I discovered that the old and the present don’t just coexist — they converse. Stone whispers to paint, shadows to sunlight, memory to moment.
When I returned to the ship that evening, the Rhone glinted like melted gold, and the city behind me seemed to glow with all I’d seen and felt. Arles had worked its quiet alchemy.
Thank you for stopping by and reading today! I hope that you enjoyed this brief overview of our walking tour and my time in historic Arles! I can't wait to share more about our adventures on this cruise! If you are interested in reading more about our Rhone River Cruise with Viking, you can click on the links below:
Viking River Cruise (2025):
Viking Cruise Specific Posts: // Embarkation Day on the Viking Delling //
// Viking Rhone River Cruise: Answers to Your Most FAQ's // 9 Must Have Experiences on the Viking Delling //
Viking Rhone River Specific IG Reels: // The Incredible Crew of the Viking Delling (IG Reel) //
9 must have experiences aboard the viking delling / my viking story / rhone river cruise
September 9, 2025
Happy Tuesday friends! I hope you are having a wonderful week so far! Today I wanted to share 9 Must Have Experiences aboard the Viking Delling that you have to do on your Rhône River Cruise with Viking Cruise Line! There are obviously so many more things I could add to this, but these are my top 9 recommendations!
I also created a reel about this so if you would like to see the reel simply click HERE!
Here are my top 9 recommendations:
1. Eat in the Aquavit Terrace Once.
The beauty surrounding you is incredible and it truly is a memorable experience that you don’t want to miss!
2. Attend Evening Port Talks with Nuno, the Program Director.
While you have the option to view these in your room, the experience of joining with fellow passengers and connecting more is a truly special time. Nuno did an amazing job of providing information we would need about the port we would be at the following day, helpful tips for our excursions and also gave a cultural component related to where we were at and shared an art piece each night. His engaging personality drew everyone in and I highly recommend attending these!
3. Learn about the locks.
On this cruise you will go through 13 different locks and to be honest, I didn’t know that much about them before this cruise. After learning about it I honestly have to say that I was impressed and it was fascinating to understand this part of River Cruising.
4. Get to Know Your Fellow Guests.
The people with us on our cruise were fascinating, inspiring, and so interesting!
5. Attend the Taste of Provenance Dinner.
This was a special night and truly the crew did an amazing job of putting on such a special evening dinner menu. I heard several people say they weren’t going to attend and I felt sad that they missed out on such an amazing event. Do not miss this!
Want to hear all about my food and dining review on the Delling including a special part about the Taste of Provenance Dinner? Watch this reel by clicking HERE!
6. Participate in the Evening Music/Events.
Each night there were different things happening in the lounge and each was unique. One very fun night was the Music trivia night and Nuno did a great job of getting everyone involved- and there was just a lot of laughter and opportunity to get to know other guests!
7. Get to Know the Delling Crew.
If you have been around Caravan Sonnet for the past 13 years then you are well aware that I have done multiple cruises. The Delling crew is unparalleled to anything I have seen. The leadership of Captain Francois and Hotel Manager Daniel is a combination that is unique and provides a truly exceptional experience for not only the crew but the guests. Simply put the crew is amazing and getting to know the incredible people will make your trip all that more special.
If you want to hear more about the incredible crew of the Delling and how this makes this trip so unique, watch this reel by clicking HERE!
8. Visit the Wheelhouse.
On the 5th day of the cruise Captain Francois and First Officer Francisco open up the wheelhouse for a couple of hours where guests can go and visit, ask questions, and learn more about the Delling and the Rhône River. This was truly an amazing experience and I can’t recommend this enough!
If you want to hear more about the incredible leadership on the Delling and how this makes this trip so wonderful, watch this reel by clicking HERE!
9. Visit the Sun Deck for an Evening Sunset.
This was one of my favorite things that I did…. If it wasn’t dinner time where I felt rude leaving my mom and the guests at the table I probably would have sat up there for hours. Now I am not suggesting leaving… haha well I guess I am but it is worth it friends. Trust me. You will love it.
If you want to hear see more of my love of the sunsets aboard the Delling, watch this reel by clicking HERE!
I know that with money so tight right now everyone is looking for ways to save money- especially if you want to go on a trip like this. Here are two reels with a little description below that I created that share lots of money saving tips:
All the money saving tips for taking a priceless Rhône River Cruise on the Viking Delling
This reel answered a lot of questions I have received about costs/ money related to our Viking Rhône River Cruise that we took in the Spring! There were a lot of questions that I didn’t get to answer so if you have questions please feel free to leave a comment or send a message and I will try to answer them! The Rhône River cruise on the Viking Delling was incredible and I could not recommend it enough. It truly was an amazing experience that leaves a legacy on your life and was absolutely priceless.
Do you have any "must have experiences" from a Viking River Cruise? Please share them in the comments below! I would love to hear them!
Happy Tuesday friends! I hope that you have a wonderful day! As always, please let me know if you have any questions!
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