A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Seville vs. Arles for Attractions, Old Town, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Seville or Arles?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Seville and Arles. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Seville

Seville is a world-renowned, historic, and energetic city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include museums, theater, and nightlife.

Arles

Arles is a quaint, historic, and charming town. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Seville and Arles: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Seville or Arles?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Seville than Arles, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Seville is more popular for its theatre productions, nightlife, shopping, and big city activities, while Arles is known for its historical sights. Seville is more touristy than Arles and is popular for its Moorish and Islamic architecture, its colorful Flamenco dancing, and its local tapas and wine. It is also home to the Real Alcázar. Arles is popular for its Roman history and its influence over Vincent van Gogh.

How is Seville different from Arles?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Arles and Seville. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Seville or Arles?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Seville and Arles.

The museums and tourist attractions in Seville are world-renowned. This elegant city is filled with historic buildings and world famous architecture. From the iconic Catedral de Sevilla to the Real Alcázar and Plaza de España, there is an endless supply of world class sights around town.

You'll find many recognizable landmarks that put Arles on the map. It's a small town but it's filled with Roman ruins and remarkable landmarks. Popular sights include L'Amphithéâtre Romain, Les Alyscamps, Cloître Saint-Trophime, and Théâtre Antique.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Theater?

Seville is very good for its shows and theatre. However, Arles is not a theatre destination.

With some theater and performance venues, you might want to see a show in Seville. Flamenco shows are a highlight for many visitors. You can sip wine and enjoy tapas as you take in this dramatic dance form.

Arles is not a theatre destination.

Is the Food Better in Seville or Arles? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Seville and Arles.

Seville has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city is filled with cafes that spill into the streets. Locals live their lives outdoors, and the cafe terraces are filled with chattering guests from breakfast until late in the evening. The food includes many typical Spanish favorites such as Iberian pork, stewed meats, and other local tapas.

Dining out in Arles is an experience not to be missed. The cuisine is heavily influenced by the region's local agriculture. Popular dishes include agriade (beef stew), tellines soup, and fougasse (a local bread).

Is Seville or Arles Better for Nightlife?

Seville is well known for its evening party scene. Also, Arles is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

Seville is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. The excellent nightlife scene includes local bars, Flamenco shows, and student focused parties. The Triana District is a popular nightlife area, particularly for the Flamenco shows. There are also a lot of bars along Calle Betis and upscale ambiance can be found in La Alameda.

If you're looking for night time activities Arles has a few options to choose from. There are countless bars and pubs where you can enjoy a cold drink and a relaxing night out.

Is Seville or Arles Better for its Old Town?

Arles is terrific for its old town. Also, Seville is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its historic old town charm.

Arles has a unique history which comes to life in its historic area. The large old town is filled with Roman ruins and historic sights. There are narrow streets and many interesting places to explore.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Seville. Barrio de Santa Cruz is the old town of Seville. This is where you'll find the Jewish Quarter and many of the city's historic landmarks.

Is the Shopping Better in Seville or Arles?

Seville is well known for its shopping areas. Also, Arles is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Seville. There is a great combination of shopping streets, high end shopping malls, and local markets. Calle Sierpes, Calle Tetuan, and Calle Asuncion are some of the best places for shopping.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Arles. There are many boutiques that are filled with local art, crafts, and merchandise.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Families?

Seville is well known for its family-friendly activities. However, Arles is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

Seville is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. There are parks where kids can run around. There's also the Seville Aquarium as well as Isla Mágica, which is a small amusement park. Other fun family-friendly activities include taking a boat ride on the Guadalquivir River and seeing a Flamenco Show.

For families, Arles is not always the best place to visit. Filled with Roman ruins and beautiful art, this is a great town, but can make for a long day for younger kids.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Couples?

Seville and Arles both high quality destinations for a couple.

Seville is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. Romantic walks, beautiful parks, and world class attractions make this a truly romantic city. Couples will enjoy an evening out with dinner and a Flamenco show, or visiting the Arab baths.

Arles is a very popular place to visit for couples. Couples who enjoy history, roman ruins, and beautiful art will appreciate a weekend getaway to this town.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Seville is well known for backpackers. However, Arles is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Seville is a very popular city for backpackers and budget travelers. It's a well established backpacker destination with a large supply of hostels and plenty of eager travelers ready to head out on the town.

Arles is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There are a couple of hostels and apartments in the area.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Students?

Seville is an unbeatable place for students. However, Arles is not popular with students.

Students come from all over the world to visit Seville. It's a top destination for international students who appreciate the many great educational institutions, beautiful year-round weather, and many festivals and evening activities.

Arles is not popular with students.

Is Seville or Arles Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Seville and Arles both offer good public transit to get you around.

While Seville offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses that travel through the entire city. There is also a tram system that has 4 stops and travels 1.4 kilometers.

Arles has a few public transit options. There are shuttle buses that run between the city center and the train station, which is less than a kilometer out of town.

Is Seville or Arles a more walkable city?

Seville and Arles are high quality when it comes to walkability.

Seville is a very walkable city. There are many parts of the city that are very walkable. It takes about 45 minutes to walk across the city center in its entirety.

Arles is a very walkable destination. It's a historic walled city that is very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Seville Worth Visiting? and Is Arles Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Arles or Seville?

How long in Seville or Arles?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Seville or Arles to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Seville than Arles because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Seville, and 1-2 days is enough time in Arles.

Families should spend more time in Seville than Arles. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Seville, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Seville than Arles. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Seville that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Seville than Arles if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Seville.

One day in Seville or Arles?

In Seville, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this energetic destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Lots of people come for the museums. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

In Arles, you'll find nightlife and food. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. One reason most visitors come is for the museums. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Seville or Arles?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Seville. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

In Arles, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. One reason most visitors come is for the museums. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Arles has to offer.

Five days in Seville or Arles?

Seville is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the museums and theater when visiting the destination of Seville. Lots of people come for the museums. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Arles is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Seville or Arles?

You'll find theater and nightlife around the energetic destination of Seville. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the museums. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Arles. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Arles. One reason most visitors come is for the museums. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.

When comparing the travel costs between Seville and Arles, we can see that Arles is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Seville Expensive? and Is Arles Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Seville or Arles?

Seville has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Arles. When comparing the sizes of Seville and Arles, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Seville or Arles?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Seville or Arles in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Seville as well as Arles. Many travelers come to Seville for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Also, many visitors come to Arles in the summer for the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Seville is a little warmer than Arles. Typically, the summer temperatures in Seville in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Arles averages at about 24°C (75°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Arles. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Seville this time of the year. In the summer, Seville often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Arles. Seville gets 360 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Arles receives 354 hours of full sun.

Seville usually gets less rain in July than Arles. Seville gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Arles receives 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Seville or Arles in the Autumn?

Both Arles and Seville are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Seville in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Also, most visitors come to Arles for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

In October, Seville is generally a little warmer than Arles. Daily temperatures in Seville average around 20°C (67°F), and Arles fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Seville. Seville usually receives more sunshine than Arles during autumn. Seville gets 208 hours of sunny skies, while Arles receives 178 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Arles. In October, Seville usually receives less rain than Arles. Seville gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Arles receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Seville or Arles in the Winter?

Both Arles and Seville during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Seville for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine during these months. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Arles because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Seville is much warmer than Arles in the winter. The daily temperature in Seville averages around 11°C (51°F) in January, and Arles fluctuates around 7°C (44°F).

In the winter, Seville often gets more sunshine than Arles. Seville gets 173 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Arles receives 146 hours of full sun.

Seville usually gets more rain in January than Arles. Seville gets 89 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Arles receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Seville or Arles in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Seville and Arles. The spring months attract visitors to Seville because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Furthermore, the natural beauty are the main draw to Arles this time of year.

In the spring, Seville is a little warmer than Arles. Typically, the spring temperatures in Seville in April average around 16°C (61°F), and Arles averages at about 13°C (56°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Arles this time of the year. In Seville, it's very sunny this time of the year. Seville usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Arles during spring. Seville gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Arles receives 218 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Seville usually receives around the same amount of rain as Arles. Seville gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Arles receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Arles and Seville