More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A short city break was a relatively new concept to me. My previous holidays had mostly consisted of family breaks at resorts in Europe or camping trips in the UK.
I had spent time in foreign cities when I travelled, but never for longer than a day or two and feared I would run out of things to do.
However, my concerns were squashed during the four days I spent in Nimes, in the south of France.
The city, often referred to as the French Rome, grew strongly in the Roman Empire and is today bursting with culture, tourist attractions and fine dining experiences.
The town is scattered with ancient monuments, most of which are within walking distance of each other and are best explored on foot.
Among the most impressive is the Maison Carree, a brilliantly preserved temple built in the early first century AD, which today acts as a cinema allowing tourists to explore Nimes’ history in 3D, hourly.
On the south side of town lies the vast Arena, strikingly similar to the Colosseum in Italy, which was designed for gladiator combat and animal hunts.
Now, the amphitheatre can be toured during the day, and is used as a music venue at night, hosting acts including the Arctic Monkeys, Elton John and DJ David Guetta.
Another stunning spot is the Jardins de la Fontaine, which surround the town’s spring, and the Magne Tower, which peaks at 32m.
Although the climb is quite an effort, the views from the top are definitely worth it.
We spent an afternoon exploring the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct 30km from Nimes.
The site includes a visitor centre, cinema screen, museum, children’s area and guided tours
are available throughout the day.
As well as being the birthplace of denim, Nimes is famous for several speciality dishes.
Being a vegetarian, I was unable to try most of them. However, my travel companion tells me the Brandade de Nimes, a puree made of cod and olive oil, and the petit pate nimois, a pastry containing veal and pork stuffing, were excellent.
The region is also rich with vineyards and olive farms.
We visited the 12,000-hectare Costieres de Nimes vineyard, south of the city, and enjoyed an afternoon of wine tasting and exploring the fields.
We also took a trip to the 30-acre Moulin des Costieres which grows six different varieties of organic olives and produces many different oils.
Culture in Nimes can be found in abundance.
As well as hosting concerts in the amphitheatre twice a year, two million people attend the Feria de Nimes, a festival which includes bullfighting, bull running and music and dancing.
On Thursday nights during the summer, the town centre is transformed into a carnival with live acts playing on every corner.
We were in the city for the first one of the season, and found ourselves torn deciding on which act to watch.
Put this all together and you’ve got yourself the recipe for the ideal city break.
