How To Spend a Long Weekend in Cannes (2026 Travel Guide)

With its elegant architecture, Film Festival glamour and beautiful beaches, Cannes is one of the French Riviera's most iconic destinations. I've long been a regular visitor to Cannes and today, I’m sharing my favourite things to do, along with restaurant recommendations and practical tips for planning your visit.

How To Spend a Day in Cannes on a €50 Budget (Updated 2026)

Planning a French vacation on a budget? Cannes may not be the first destination that springs to mind. The euros soon add up in the Riviera city known for its Film Festival premieres, designer stores and luxury hotels. But you can have a White Lotus Cannes experience — with beautiful beaches, history, culture and delicious food — without breaking the bank. Here's how.

Six Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in Cannes

I've been visiting Cannes for over two decades and until recently, there was little in the way of specialty coffee in the French Riviera city — unless you count the pourovers I brewed at my parents' place! Over the past few years, that's started to change and in this guide, I'm rounding up some of my favourite specialty coffee shops in Cannes.

A Perfect Day in Antibes: History, Hikes and Harbour Views

Antibes is a city of contrasts, where luxury yachts moor alongside the centuries-old ramparts of the historic Old Town. Smaller than Nice and less showy than Cannes, Antibes makes a great day trip from both. Here's my guide to making the most of that day, with lots of ideas for things to do and places to eat, drink and shop.

How To Spend a Winter's Day in Nice, France

Set beside the azure Mediterranean Sea at the foothills of the Alps, Nice is often thought of as a summer destination. But with its baroque architecture, historic Old Town and pleasant climate, the French Riviera city is just as lovely, and less crowded, in winter. Here's what my parents and I got up to on our 'Winterlude' day trip from Cannes.

My Top Travel Experiences of 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, I'm looking back on my travel highlights of the year. I travelled to three new countries (Latvia, Guatemala and Belize) and one new island (Mallorca) in 2025. I also enjoyed return visits to destinations like Cannes, the Gorges du Verdon, Cambridge and Windsor. These are the moments and experiences from my 2025 travels that stayed with me — and might just inspire your next trip.

A Walk through Cannes' Movie-Inspired Murals

It's hard to think of Cannes without conjuring up images of the Festival de Cannes, the glamorous film festival held every year right by the beach. If you're looking for fun ways to tap into the French Rivera city's cinematic culture, why not take a self-guided walking tour of the Murs Peints — murals that celebrate Cannes' film history?

Creating My Own Fragrance in the Perfume Capital of the World

Ever strolled past the fragrance counters at your local department store, smelled the perfumes and thought you could do better? Well, in Grasse — the French town dubbed the perfume capital of the world — you take a workshop and do just that. I don't think I'll be troubling the big fragrance houses any time soon but I was very happy with the perfume I created and I had a lot of fun!

48 Hours in the Gorges du Verdon: Europe's 'Grand Canyon'

During our recent stay in Cannes, my parents and I took a side trip to the Gorges du Verdon. With its towering cliffs and meandering turquoise river, this gorge-ous region is known as the 'Grand Canyon of Europe'. We spent two action-packed days hiking, white-water rafting, boating and enjoying the views. Read on to discover the best things to do in the Gorges du Verdon and how to make the most of your stay.

Where To Eat on the Beach in Cannes (Updated 2026)

Cannes has some of the best restaurants in the South of France. The beautiful Riviera city offers something for all palates — yes, there are a lot of expensive, high-end venues, but check out my guide to visiting Cannes on a budget if you are looking for more cost-effective ways to make the most of the city. 

But one thing is certain: a trip to Cannes wouldn't be complete without at least one meal on the golden sand overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Here are some of the beach eateries I enjoyed on my most recent trip last month (plus a couple of bonus recommendations from previous stays).

Packing for Four Days in Cannes (Personal Item Only)

After a summer that never really took off in London, I was glad to escape for some sunshine in late August to stay at my parents' apartment in Cannes. I flew out on Friday night and returned late on Tuesday night, so I had full four days of sun, sea and steak-frites in the glamorous French Riviera city (check out my guide to spending a day in Cannes on a 50 euro budget). Always striving to travel light, I packed everything into one under-seat bag. Here's what I packed for my four-day trip.

In Europe's Highest Coastal Village, Côte d'Azur Views with a Lavender Twist

Countless villages — including Sainte-Agnès in Alpes-Maritimes — lay claim to the title of prettiest village in France. And Sainte-Agnès certainly is very pretty. But it also holds a more unique honour: le village du littoral le plus haut d'Europe. Indeed, on the day we visit Europe's highest coastal village, it's almost as though we are driving into the clouds.

Long Weekend in Cannes: Bex's Guide

Update (2026): Check out my complete Cannes travel guide for a more comprehensive and updated version of this guide.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with the French Riviera but it was over two decades ago. We visited many times on family holidays, and Cannes soon emerged as our favourite town. My parents have an apartment there and I go once or twice a year. Spending a long weekend there last week reminded me that I hadn't put yet together a guide for my favourite things to eat, drink and do in Cannes, so here it is!

Cannes: Beaches, Bites To Eat and Biot

As I was only in Cannes for a long weekend, I wanted to spend as much time as possible on the beach. This included spending the whole of Sunday relaxing on Île Sainte-Marguerite and most of the rest of the time at Plage Zamenhof, one of the public beaches in the eastern corner of the Bay of Cannes. 

Cannes: Excursion to Île Sainte-Marguerite

When in Cannes for the summer, I spend as much time as possible on the beach. There are plenty of good public beaches in Cannes itself, my favourite for swimming and sunbathing being Plage Zamenhof, which is on the eastern end of the main stretch of the Croisette. Sometimes, though, it's nice to escape the town and head for one of the islands.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Itinéraire Café, Cannes

Updated (2026): I now have a much more comprehensive and more recently updated Cannes specialty coffee guide.

I've been going to Cannes two or three times a year for more than a decade, but finding good — or even decent — coffee there has been hard, though I've had a decent noisette (macchiato) at a few places around town. Da Laura, an Italian restaurant on rue du Vingt-Quatre Août and a family favourite of ours, often performs well in the noisette stakes: this little beauty arrived at the end of lunch on my first day in town on Friday.

Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Yesterday we took a trip to Antibes, which is only a 15-minute train ride from Cannes. We had a potter around the town centre and then headed to chef Christian Morisset's restaurant, Le Figuier de Saint-Esprit, a gorgeous restaurant in an unassuming building on the seafront on rue Saint-Esprit.

A Very Cannes Christmas

My family spends Christmas in Cannes most years, although for various reasons we were elsewhere for the last two years. It's nice to be back though.

In Cannes, Life's a Beach

I've travelled to some awesome places this year and enjoyed all of my adventures. Sometimes, though, I just want to go somewhere familiar with good food and a good beach. Cannes has both in spades and I jetted off there last week to spend a long weekend at my parents' flat with a couple of friends.

Lighthouse Leaps and Premium Pizza

The weather forecast suggested we should expect rain yesterday, but it was beautifully sunny, so we drove up the coast road to Antibes. There's a lovely, bustling produce market on Sunday mornings, and the town has some nice shops, including an excellent English-language bookstore.