Vespa rides by means of slender streets lined with pastel-hued buildings, charming piazzas centered round ornate public fountains, and all that contemporary, do-it-yourself pasta. And naturally, the Colosseum—ah, absolutely the marvel that it’s!
It is no surprise thousands and thousands of vacationers flock to Rome yearly:
It’s a boundless trove of historical wonders, however if you cannot stand the surging crowds or standing in line for hours to go to an attraction, it won’t be the idyllic European getaway you are craving this summer season.
Fortunately for you, the Romans did not cease on the Italian peninsula when constructing the best empire in historical past—they expanded far and broad throughout Europe, together with what’s now France:
Although not as well-known because the Everlasting Metropolis, Nîmes is residence to a plethora of Roman monuments, together with one of many best-preserved arenas of the Historical World:
Nîmes Is The Most Italian Metropolis In France!
Situated in Occitanie—a historically-significant area within the South of France that’s usually neglected by vacationers who set out for Provence or the French Riviera—Nîmes is oftentimes described as ‘probably the most Roman metropolis outdoors Italy’.
Based within the 1st century BC as Nemausus, a Roman colony in a then-Gaul-majority territory, it turned a strategic outpost and non secular heart of the bygone empire.
Now, Nîmes is basically an extension of the Italian Peninsula in France, and strolling round its labyrinthine Outdated City, dotted with picture-perfect piazzas and pastel-hue edifices, you may really feel such as you’re in a extra compact, quieter Rome.
Rome could have the Pantheon, dubbed the best-maintained Roman temple nonetheless in existence, however Nîmes has the Maison carrée, maybe second in state of preservation and an primarily unimpaired, 2,035-year-old edifice positioned proper within the heart of city.
Devoted to the dynasties of Gaius and Lucius Caesar, it turned a major image of the Imperial Cult—the deification of Roman emperors and their households—and although smaller in measurement, it’s simply as spectacular because the Pantheon, with its Corinthian columns, ornate portico, and marble steps.
Roman Ruins Galore
Nîmes’ resemblance to Rome is not restricted to the Maison carrée:
Whereas the Italian capital has the Roman Discussion board, its smaller French counterpart has the Jardin de la Fontaine, a Seventeenth-century public backyard providing tree-flanked pathways, magnificent fountain shows, and, biensûr, loads of historic ruins.
Most notably, the 1st-century Temple of Diana, with partially preserved vaulted ceilings and niches that when seemingly held beautifully-carved sculptures, and the Nymphaeum, a water sanctuary later enhanced with Renaissance additions, nonetheless fed by town’s millennia-old spring.
Wait, there’s extra: Perched on a hill overlooking the gardens, Tour Magne is a uncommon instance of a Roman-era fortification inbuilt 28 BC, across the similar time as Rome’s Mausoleum of Augustus.
A brief half-hour drive from downtown Nîmes, there’s additionally a UNESCO-listed Pont du Gard, an aqueduct that used to produce water to Nemausus—very similar to Rome’s personal Park of the Aqueducts, besides this one spans a crystal-clear river that doubles as a swimming spot in summer season.
Of Course, There’s An Historical Area
We have saved the most effective for final:
Les Arènes de Nîmes, or the Nîmes Area, is town’s most monumental Roman construction nonetheless standing, in addition to one of many best-maintained Roman amphitheaters on the earth.
Roughly 2.5 instances smaller than the Colosseum, it is probably not as mighty as its well-known counterpart, however it’s arguably in higher situation.
The outer facade continues to be largely intact, and visual tiered seating stays, whereas the Colosseums have been destroyed with the passing of time. It additionally has vaulted corridors.
The world may also accommodate as much as 24,000 spectators, and as a matter of reality, it continues to serve its unique goal:
In summer season, it hosts live shows, festivals, and even bullfights, carrying on a millennia-old custom of entertaining the general public—granted, there are not any gladiatorial fights anymore, however are you able to think about attending a pop live performance in a 2,000-year-old venue?
How To Get To Nîmes This Summer time
The quickest technique to Nîmes this summer season is to take a prepare from one of many bigger cities within the South of France, both Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, or Good, although Good is farther out.
Aix-en-Provence provides the quickest route, at solely 11 minutes and with tickets ranging from as low-cost as €4–€5, although you’d have to get to Aix by prepare first, because it doesn’t have a global airport.
Lastly, from Good, which hosts nonstop flights from no less than 4 totally different U.S. cities this summer season, together with New York and Philadelphia, the prepare journey takes as much as 4h30, and tickets common €60–€70.
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