Arles, France ( bouches–du–rhone), the Rome of the North, was once the most important roman city beyond the Alps. Arles is filled with Roman ruins and an eclectic assortment of museums. This is an incredible place to walk through the picturesque city streets, exploring the culture and architecture, along with spending time in the fabulous outdoor markets! Arles is a great base for sightseeing Provence. The most well preserved Roman gladiator arena is in Arles which holds 20,000 people and now they use it for concerts. You can see why Van Gogh used Arles as a point of inspiration.