Antibes is a city of contrasts, where luxury yachts moor alongside the historic Old Town with its centuries-old ramparts. Smaller than Nice and less showy than Cannes, Antibes makes a great day trip along the French Riviera from both. Here's my guide to spending a day in Antibes, with lots of ideas for things to do and places to eat, drink and shop.
Antibes is lovely year-round and I've visited the small coastal city many times over the years while staying with my parents in Cannes, a short train ride away.
Established by the Greeks in the 5th century BCE as a trading port named Antipolis ('opposite city', i.e. the city across the bay from Nice), Antibes later became part of the Roman Empire.
By the late 19th century, it was a popular destination for wealthy Europeans seeking sun and sea air, and then artists, writers and bohemians, like Picasso and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
Today, Antibes combines a rich history with vibrant culture, a wonderful food scene, glorious hikes and beautiful beaches. Read on for all my favourite places and tips for making the most of your time in Antibes.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN ANTIBES
Roam along the ramparts
Antibes' city walls were built in the late 16th century and fortified in the 17th century by Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis of Vauban, a prolific military engineer whose legacy lives on in Antibes to this day.
Walking along the ramparts always takes me back to Dubrovnik, although without the cliff jumpers! Head south along Promenade Amiral de Grasse from the Old Town to Square Albert 1er and you'll pass several bastions along the way. The views of the sea, Fort Carré and Cap d'Antibes are especially lovely at golden hour.
Eventually, you'll reach the Sentier Littoral path to Billionaires' Bay, where you can gawk at the sprawling, elegant villas and megayachts.
Visit Antibes' star(-shaped) attraction
Although its name means 'square fort', Fort Carré is actually star-shaped thanks to its four arrow-head-shaped bastions. Perched on a hill on the north side of Port Vauban, the fort was built in the late 16th century.
Napoleon was imprisoned there for a short time in 1794 — he came back with his army 21 years later! It's also served as Bond villain Largo's Palmyra Fortress in Never Say Never Again.
If you're interested in history, it's well worth a visit, and the sweeping views over Antibes and the Baie des Anges are pretty special.
Stroll and shop in Old Antibes
With its pastel buildings and narrow, maze-like streets and alleys, Antibes' compact Old Town is a wonderful place to explore. To delve deeper into Antibes' rich history, book a guided walking tour, which covers the main sights and stories of Old Antibes.
Explore Antibes' art scene
One of Antibes' cultural claims to fame is that it was home to Pablo Picasso for six months in 1946. He stayed at Chateau Grimaldi, which has now been converted into the Musée Picasso. The world's first museum dedicated to the artist, it's a must-visit for any modern art buff.
If you don't have time to visit the museum but want to see some of Antibes' art, head out to the marina and look for Le Nomade. To be honest, it's pretty hard to miss the eight-metre-high sculpture by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa even from afar. The titular nomad is made from cast iron letters, which together symbolise the way letters help us construct meaning.
Go yacht-spotting in Europe's largest marina
If you're in the market for a new boat (I mean, who isn't these days? ;) ) or just like to gape at the most mega of megayachts, you should include a stroll around the marina at Port Vauban in your Antibes itinerary. My family and I usually play a game of identifying the wittiest boat names.
At the end of Quai Julien Baudino, you can climb up to the viewing platform of the lighthouse to get a better view of the boats and of Fort Carré, just across the water.
Hike to La Garoupe Lighthouse
If the weather's nice, one of my favourite Antibes activities is the hike to La Garoupe Lighthouse. From Bastion St André keep walking along the shoreline until you get to Plage de la Salis.
It's a short walk from there to the trailhead, Chemin de la Garoupe, and then 15 to 20 minutes to climb up the stony steps of the Pilgrims' Path.
The panoramic views from the viewing platform are incredible, and while there, you can also pay a visit to the small chapel, Notre-Dame de Bon Port.
Relax on the beach
Most of Antibes' best beaches are outside the city centre. Plage du Ponteil and Plage de la Salis are a short walk south, or head to one of the beach clubs on Cap d'Antibes or Plage de la Garoupe for a more luxe experience.
But if you just want a walk on the sand and a dip in the sea (weather permitting), Plage de la Gravette is small but lovely and right next to the Old Town and marina. It does, of course, get pretty busy in the summer.
Ride the Grande Roue for an aerial view
During our most recent trip, we decided to take a spin on the Grande Roue d'Antibes. The big wheel is located near the port, just off Avenue de Verdun. We timed our visit well, arriving just before sunset, and were treated to gorgeous views of the colourful Old Town buildings bathed in golden light.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN ANTIBES
You won't go hungry in Antibes, where cosy cafés and street food stalls sit alongside Michelin-recommended restaurants.
Last Christmas, we had an exceptional meal at Restaurant L'Arazur, a small, family-run restaurant tucked away down an alley in Old Antibes. The seven-course tasting menu is incredible value at €85, featuring seasonal, modern Mediterranean dishes, expertly prepared and beautifully presented. My parents enjoyed the wine pairing too.
We had another fab festive meal at Le Figuier de Saint-Esprit several years ago now. I'd love to go back to the beautiful Michelin-starred restaurant. Sadly, I'm too old for their under-28s menu (love the concept!) but each bite was a delight and looked as good as it tasted. Save room for the dessert, especially the lavender crème brulée!
For a fun and green-tinged evening, head to the Absinthe Bar and museum on Cours Masséna. Absinthe is a *tad* strong — especially for a lightweight like me — so if you really want to learn more about the anise- and fennel-flavoured spirit, you might want to do the museum part first!
The buzzy cafés and bistros with outdoor seating in and around Place Nationale are the best places for people-watching. Restaurant Le Vauban and La Taille de Guêpe are other great Old Town eateries. And my Lebanese friend speaks highly of Le Phenicia, a short walk south of the Old Town, near Bastion St André.
With one Michelin Star, La Passagère restaurant at Hôtel Belles Rives in nearby Juan-Les-Pins has been on my list for the longest time. My parents have had several wonderful meals there. Sadly, on the date we'd booked to go together they were only serving a mushroom-centric tasting menu, which was a disaster for this fungi-phobe. But we did manage golden hour cocktails with quite the view at the Fitzgerald Bar.
SPECIALTY COFFEE IN ANTIBES
My three top picks for specialty coffee in Antibes are Good Mate, Nomads and Copenhagen Coffee Lab. They're all located within about 200 metres of one another in the heart of the old town.
I haven't made it to the Antibes branch of Good Mate or Copenhagen Coffee Lab yet but I have enjoyed their coffee in Cannes — and, in the case of Copenhagen Coffee Lab, also in Copenhagen and Lisbon!
Nomads is a lovely coffee shop on Rue Sade. They roast their own coffee (you can buy retail bags of beans too) and serve hand-brewed filter coffee and nitro cold brew as well as the usual espresso-based drinks. They were closed on my most recent trip but I've enjoyed cortados and V60 pourovers there previously.
WHEN TO VISIT
The Côte d'Azur's mild and sunny Mediterranean climate makes Antibes a great place to visit year-round. Spring and autumn often offer warm weather without the crowds of the peak summer season.
July and August are usually hot and sunny — perfect for lazy days on the beach, cooling off with a dip in the sea. This is also when the French Riviera is busiest: restaurants book up quickly and hotel prices soar. Accommodation can be particularly hard to come by during Jazz à Juan, the international jazz festival held every July in Juan-les-Pins.
Even in winter, Antibes often has nice weather. During my last few December visits, I've had sunshine and blue skies, even if it was a little cool. There's plenty to do indoors if it does happen to rain, and Antibes is particularly lovely during the festive season with its Christmas markets.
GETTING TO ANTIBES
Antibes is 14 miles west of Nice and 7 miles east of Cannes. The best way to get between them is by train. Trains run frequently and the journey time is about 10 minutes from Cannes (€4.80 one way) and 20 minutes from Nice (€6.70 one way). Antibes' train station is 10 minutes' walk from the Old Town.
From Cannes, you can also take bus 620, which takes about 30 minutes and costs €2.50. Like the train, it's quite a scenic route along the Mediterranean coastline. The bus continues on to Nice Airport (about 35 minutes).
If you're staying in Nice and want to see several of the most iconic towns on the Riviera in one day, consider taking a small-group tour, like this one, which includes visits to Èze, Monte Carlo and Cannes, as well as Antibes.
WHERE TO STAY IN ANTIBES
Although you can see most of Antibes' main attractions on a day trip, you may love the small city so much that you want to spend more time there!
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