Sightseeing in Avignon

Provence in France will offer you one of the best holidays in the world. And when you are in Provence, you cannot miss out on Avignon, in fact sightseeing in Avignon will make you come back with glorious memories for a lifetime. Avignon is an industrial city and one of the three major cities of Provence. The other two are Arles and Marseille. It is beside Rhone River and in the past had contributed significantly, to make French civilization reach its nadir. In the 14th century, Avignon was the seat of quite a few anti-popes (1378 AD to 1408 AD). Pope Clement V left Rome and its politics to establish residence in Avignon and thus the city became a new center of Christianity. The main activity in the city is found in the restaurants and shops lining the Place d'Horloge.

Avignon is prosperous and home to some of the well known personalities of France. But you are on a holiday, so check the nightlife and restaurants in Avignon, but indulge in some historical tours which will take the time machine back by some decades if not centuries. Start your sightseeing in Avignon with a visit to Cathedrale Notre-Dame des Doms. It was built in the 12th Century and is very elaborate. There are some distinguishing Baroque galleries and a gilded Virgin Mary lantern. A tour to Palais des Papas will be equally interesting. It is one of the most important Gothic palates of the world and has some mind boggling frescos. There are several cultural activities taking place here through out the year.

You need not restrict yourself to indoors only while sightseeing in Avignon. There are some well designed and structured outdoor garden which are a delight to be in specially in summer. You can try spending some time in Rocher des Doms. It is a rocky outcrop which falls sharply to the Rhone River. It was here that the first settlement of human population began around 4000BC. The garden here offers a really breathtaking view.