Avignon Travel Guide

Avignon suits a historic city day and one selected excursion. Two nights provide one full day; three nights provide two. Arles, Pont du Gard and the Luberon are therefore alternatives for the second day, not three automatic additions.

Old town, city walls and main sights

Walk from the southern walls along Rue de la République to Place de l’Horloge and continue to the papal palace. Choose Palais des Papes for a longer interior visit or Pont Saint-Bénézet, the Pont d’Avignon, for a shorter monument focus. Both fit a full day with a real break between; with young children, one paid monument is often enough.

The official palace website distinguishes palace products and combinations with the bridge and gardens. Check inclusions and time slots before adding separate tickets. About two hours is a useful personal allowance for the palace, longer for a detailed visit; the bridge is not an all-day programme. Rooms and steps make an interior visit different from a public street walk. For limited mobility, ask about the available suitable visitor route beforehand.

Day trips from Avignon

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct over the Gardon, not the bridge in Avignon. Give it at least half a day including return transport. On the official website, choose between the landscape/bridge visit, museum and special guided visits; the upper level is not automatically included in every product. Check parking and your chosen access separately.

Arles works as a separate city day with trains from Avignon Centre. Châteauneuf-du-Pape suits a reserved wine tasting with a non-drinking driver or transfer. A northern Luberon village outing follows another direction and needs a selective plan. Do not combine Arles, a tasting and Gordes in one day.

Parking and train notes

Avignon has two stations: Centre immediately beside the southern old-town edge, and TGV about six kilometres outside. The tourist board explains both. Include the connection between TGV and Centre in your arrival search; a hotel “near the station” is ambiguous without this distinction.

You do not need a continuous rental car for city and Arles days. For countryside outings, check the exact pickup office and confirmed accommodation parking. A room within the walls does not guarantee vehicle access to its door.

A three-night stay

Arrive on day 1, visit Avignon on day 2, choose Pont du Gard or Arles on day 3 and depart on day 4. Another Luberon day requires a fourth night or replaces the other excursion. Check event dates before summer bookings: accommodation availability and evening programmes can alter the base decision. The train/car comparison helps limit rental days to the sections that benefit from them.

Daily budgets are editorial planning allowances per adult for two sharing a room and transport costs, including food and selected admissions, excluding arrival travel. Check actual offers and additional activities separately.