Avignon in 2 Days: everything you need to know
Two days are not enough to visit the city of Avignon, and in fact, there will be many places that will be left out. But I'll tell you the best plans for a couple of days in the city.
Architecture of Avignon | ©Lottie Griffiths
Avignon is a beautiful city, so it's easy to understand why it was once home to the Pope. For two days you will have the opportunity to wander its charming cobblestone streets, see some of its historic architecture and sample many of the best things to see and do in Avignon.
You will visit world-class museums, as well as incredible restaurants, in the middle of this French city that you will fall in love with. Believe it or not, two days is enough time to see the best of the city, but not so much that you get bored or feel like you have wasted your time.
Day 1: Religious temples, palaces, museums, squares and gardens
On the first day of your tour you will get to know most of the city, seeing some of the most interesting and cultural sites to be seen in Avignon. You will visit St. Peter's Basilica, the Place de l'Horloge, enter the Avignon Cathedral, cross the Avignon Bridge, among many other things.
The day will start very early, so I guess you will be in the city in the evening the day before starting the tour. I recommend getting up very early to start your day off on the right foot and make this first day last long enough to see as many places as possible on your own or by signing up for one of the best Avignon tours.
Enter St. Peter's Basilica
After a hearty breakfast, you will go straight to one of the most popular attractions, which is none other than St. Peter's Basilica. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Europe and is a must-see for any traveler visiting Avignon. I recommend staying for at least an hour and a half to fully explore the basilica and its many works of art. Admission is free.
You'll love the impressive architecture of the monument, and the various significant works of art scattered throughout the basilica, such as a painting of the Virgin Mary and a marble sculpture of St. Peter.
Touring Piazza Horloge
Around 8:30 you can continue on to the Place Horloge, which is an important historical site in the city of Avignon. The structure, said to be 1,000 years old, is a work of art that is used every day to mark the hours on the clock.
This is a good place to walk around, take advantage of the morning sun to stroll around a bit and also to take several photos in the square before continuing on to the next point on your itinerary, which is none other than the Avignon Cathedral. Half an hour will be enough to get to know the whole place.
Visiting the Avignon Cathedral
Around 9:00 am you should be arriving at the Avignon Cathedral, which is very close to the Place Horloge. This cathedral is one of the most beautiful and emblematic buildings in the whole city, and it is also a great place to learn about its history and architecture. You will also be struck by its art and beautiful stained glass windows.
Admission is free and for about an hour, you will have the opportunity to learn that this imposing structure is full of interesting narratives. For example, it is said that the building was designed to look like a fortress, which is very appropriate, given its location near the Italian border.
Visit the Jardins des Doms
When you go to the Jardins des Doms, your watch should already be just after 10:00, so it's a perfect time to lose yourself in this oasis in the middle of the city, which is well worth a visit. The gardens were built in the 16th century by King Francis I as a place of rest and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and today remain a popular destination for tourists.
Inside the gardens you will find thousands of stunning flowers and trees, as well as a beautiful lake. The gardens are also home to the largest and oldest rosary in the world, which is displayed in the chapel. It is also divided into several sections, including the rose and jasmine gardens, the cypress and laurel forest and the gardens of the moon and stars.
Be impressed by the Petit Palais
As you leave the Jardins des Doms, you will go straight to the Petit Palais, which is definitely a must-see in Avignon. It is a museum that was built in 1781 and served as the residence of the Pope's ambassador. Today it houses works ranging from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. You can also see masterpieces by artists such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec.
To visit the Petit Palais, you can go every day except Monday, and admission is free. The only thing that is not free is the audio guide, which costs 3 euros for adults and 2 euros for children, approximately. You will be able to stay about two hours at this place, so you will leave here at approximately 1:00, on to your next destination.
Crossing the Pont d'Avignon
After your visit to the Petit Palais, you will have the opportunity to continue on to the Pont d'Avignon, which formerly linked this city with Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. It was built in the 13th century and crossed the Rhone River, making it one of the oldest bridges in France and was originally called Pont Saint-Bénézet.
The interesting thing is that the Avignon Bridge has been renovated several times over the centuries, which gives it great value. To visit it you will have to pay around 9 euros per person, and at least 6 euros for each child. Guided tours are also offered throughout the day , but you have to book in advance. Your visiting time here will be no more than 30 minutes.
Lunch at any nearby restaurant
After having a few minutes to get to know the Pont d'Avignon, you will surely be hungry and want to have something to eat, and for that there are several alternatives in the city center. One of the options you have is La Bouchee, a cozy bistro that serves classic French dishes with a modern touch.
Other places you can visit for lunch are Le Gourmet and Restaurant du Pont, which are among the most popular in the area. You will have about an hour to make a quick lunch to continue your visit to the next point on your two-day Avignon itinerary, so you should be leaving the restaurant a little earlier than 14:30 to arrive in time for your guided tour of the Papal Palace.
Take advantage of the guided tour of the Papal Palace
After your lunch, you will have to go directly to the Palaisdes Papes, another must-see in Avignon. The tour starts at 2:30 pm and lasts about 2 hours, so you will stay here until about 4:30 pm. The tour includes a visit to the Pope's private apartments, where you will see his bedroom, his study and other rooms used for personal fines.
The visit to the Palace of the Popes costs 10 euros per person, approximately, and children under 18 are free. You can visit the Palace from Thursday to Sunday and it is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You will pay around 5 euros for adults and 3 euros for children from 7 to 17 years old. Children under 7 years old are free.
Go to see the Calvet Museum
As you will leave the Papal Palace at approximately 16:30, you will have time to get to the Calvet Museum to enter the last tour group. You'll love it because it's a small but beautiful museum, with many exhibits that showcase the history and culture of the city.
The Calvet Museum houses over 1,400 paintings and sculptures by artists such as Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Louis Valtat and Edgar Degas. There are also many pieces that were created by famous artists but were never sold or publicly exhibited until they were donated to the museum after their death. There is also a small collection of Egyptian artifacts dating back thousands of years.
Entering the Church of Saint Didier
Just a few blocks from the Calvet Museum is the Church of Saint Didier, your next stop on the itinerary and a must-see if you visit Avignon in 3 days or less. You can take a guided tour of the church, where you can learn about its history and architecture. Your guide will tell you all about this 13th century building and how it was restored after suffering severe damage during World War II.
Once your visit is over, don't forget to stop by the gift store to buy unique souvenirs of your trip. Guided tours are usually organized in the morning, but in this case you will visit the church in the afternoon hours, around 5:30 pm and I recommend staying at least an hour and a half touring the place.
Dinner and drinks in a nearby restaurant
After finishing visiting the church of Saint Didier, approximately at 19:00, it will be almost time to go to know a little of the nightlife of Avignon. It is a beautiful city with many places to eat and drink, so I will tell you some of the best options for dining in Avignon, before you go partying.
One of the most popular places is Le Petit Comptoir, a place that changes the menu daily, so you can always count on a variety of dishes like duck confit, trout au gratin or the classic French fries. The wine list is extensive, so you can make a good accompaniment to your meal. You can take as long as you like.
Tasting the nightlife in Avignon
After a couple of drinks, nothing better than going to taste the nightlife of Avignon, where there are many different places where you can go to dance, have a few drinks and party with your friends. The Place de l'Horloge, in the city center, gathers many bars and restaurants.
If you are looking for something quieter, Le Clipper Lounge is a good place to hang out, and is located in the old part of town. Although small, it is home to some of the best nightlife in Europe. If you want to visit nightclubs, Avignon also offers an incredible atmosphere to enjoy electronic music, hip-hop, rock, or any other rhythm.
You can enjoy this activity for as long as you want, or you can skip it, to go to your hotel or lodging place to rest, to continue with a second day in Avignon.
Day 2: Rue des Teinturiers, museums, ramparts and Barthelasse island
For this second day of adventures in the city of Avignon, you will surely be a little tired, so you will want to sleep a little more, that's why the second day of the city tour will start around 9:00 when you leave your hotel or accommodation.
Breakfast at Les Halles
To start the day on the right foot, I recommend you to have breakfast in Les Halles, which is the main square of Avignon. It is a structure surrounded by restaurants and cafes for breakfast. It is also an opportunity to take advantage of buying jewelry and souvenirs.
You can complete the breakfast with some fruit or yogurt with granola in one of the cafes on the square. But without a doubt the star dish you can't miss is the crepes, a French dish made with flour and eggs in the form of thin pancakes. They are usually filled in many ways, for example with cheese or chocolate, and then folded into triangles.
In Les Halles you can find many restaurants and cafes, including the Cafe de la Poste, Le Cafe du Pont or La Brioche d'Or, in the latter you can try delicious croissants flaky on the outside, but soft and buttery inside. I recommend you take no more than an hour having breakfast, so that you leave for your next point on the itinerary, around 10:00.
Walking along Rue des Teinturiers
After a hearty breakfast, your tour is going to take you to Rue des Teinturiers in Avignon, a street full of fabric and colorful stores that you won't find anywhere else in the world. It was built by the dyers' families between the 15th and 17th centuries. During this period, the dyers lived in the street with their families and worked in their businesses.
The atmosphere was unique, as dyers would join with their neighbors to share ideas and experiment with new coloring and design techniques. With the passage of time, these customs were lost and now only a small part of this history remains in the street, but it is still possible to see some elements. It will take you half an hour to get to know the place.
Visiting the Lambert Collection
Leaving the Rue des Teinturiers, you will continue to the Lambert Collection for one of the most interesting visits in the area. The collection is open Wednesday through Monday from 10:00 to 18:00 and closes on Tuesdays, so it's perfect if you arrive around 10:30.
Inside you can see contemporary art, minimalist and conceptual art, as well as art from the 80s and photographs from the 90s. As for guided tours, you have the opportunity to attend on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 15:00. Unfortunately you can't go with children under 7 years old to the collection.
Lunch anywhere nearby
Near the Lambert Collection there are different places to go for lunch around 12:30 and before continuing your tour, one of the most popular being Le Petit Poucet, which serves salads, soups, meat and fish, desserts and vegetarian dishes.
The price range of this restaurant is between 10 to 15 euros per dish. Another great restaurant is Le Gant D'Or, which offers a variety of French dishes, including canard au foie gras, tuna tartar and lamb meatballs. The price range per dish is also between 15 to 20 euros.
Visit the Angladon Museum
After lunch, you can move on to your next point on the itinerary which is the Angladon Museum, a wonderful place to visit with plenty to see inside. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, but in this case, you will visit between 13:30 and 15:00.
The cost of admission ranges from 8 euros for adults, 4 euros for students with a valid ID card and free for children under 18. Guided tours of the museum generally take place every Saturday between 11:00 and 13:00.
Touring the ramparts of Avignon
At approximately 13:00, you can go to visit the ramparts of Avignon, which are an important example of defensive architecture from the Middle Ages. To enter you will have to pay around 6 euros for adults and 3 euros for children.
You can go on guided tours that you have to book in advance. These walls protected the city from external attacks in the Middle Ages. You will see the remains of the watchtowers, the entrance gates and the wide walls.
Going by boat to Barthelasse Island
After touring the ramparts of Avignon, I recommend you to get on a boat that will take you from the ramparts of Avignon to Barthelasse Island, in the middle of a ride that takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You will have to pay around 8.50 euros per person. Boats leave every 30 minutes between 9:00 and 19:00.
Enjoy all the activities available on the island
When you get off the boat you will have already arrived at Barthelasse Island, an ideal tourist destination to spend a pleasant time, in the middle of one of the best excursions from Avignon. There are many fun things to do on the island: explore the island, visit the parks, go hiking and enjoy the scenic views.
You can enjoy various outdoor activities such as kayaking, canoeing and windsurfing. You will also have the opportunity to do water activities such as fishing, diving and snorkeling. On the island you can find meeting places such as cafes, bars and restaurants, as well as stores, water parks and other places to have fun.
Dining and evening plans on the island
When night falls, Barthelasse Island offers a wide range of options to enjoy. For dinner you can visit La Civette restaurant, which serves traditional French food with a modern twist.
There are also several bars and pubs on site, such as Bar de l'Esprit, which offers excellent cocktails and a stunning view of the Rhone River. If you're looking for something a little more lively, you can visit the La Maison Rouge dance club, where you can dance the night away, before heading off to rest.
Stay in one of the island's hotels or hostels
Once you get tired of partying, you have many options on the island to stay, such as hotels and other really comfortable places. There are also some campsites and lodgings on the island, plus you will find house and cabin rentals available. In any case, you can see all the accommodation options on the Barthelasse Island website.
The next morning it will be time to return to the city of Avignon to go back home, for which I recommend you board one of the buses that leave Barthelasse Island at 7:30 and 8:30. The trip takes about an hour and costs about 7 euros.