With the city‘s history dating to the 4th century BC, Antibes is one of the oldest cities on the Côte d'Azur. The old town offers a great mix of Mediterranean and medieval architecture with a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, theatres, piano bars, boutiques and art galleries. With superb views over the Mediterranean Sea, Baie des Anges and the snowy peaks of the Alps, it is not surprising that Antibes inspired many great artists, including Picasso, who settled in the city. Explore Antibes and other beautiful cities of Côte d'Azur with the local guide.
Things to do in Antibes
Visit Picasso Museum
In the summer of 1946 as soon as the war had ended, Picasso and his new lover, the young French artist Francoise Gilot, left Paris and headed to Antibes. As Picasso was searching for a new place for his studio, a friend told him about free space in the Musée Grimaldi.
The formal Roman Fort from the 14th century served as Picasso's studio during his 3-month sojourn. From September to the middle of November that year, Picasso produced great works including both paintings and drawings. All the work he completed in Château Grimaldi, including 23 paintings and 44 drawings, he donated to the museum. Picasso returned to Antibes regularly and expanded the museum’s collection of his works. The museum also exhibits permanent collections of art by Léger, Staël, Bergman, Calder, Hartung, and Miró.
Take a walk around Fort Carré
Perched on a rocky outcrop by Vauban port, the 16th star-shaped fortress stands high on a peninsula of Saint-Roch with amazing views over Port Vauban and Antibes. Built 26 meters above sea level, the fort marked the border between Italy and France and was used as a defensive site for Antibes. The location and the structure of the fort consisting of the central tower and four bastions made it very difficult to penetrate its walls. Guided tours are organized every 30 minutes every day except Mondays and public holidays. Save some money visiting the Picasso Museum and Fort Carré by buying combined tickets at the tourist office.
Explore Provencal market in Antibes’ Old town
Meander through the maze of narrow streets from the Musée Picasso and you will soon find yourself in the large Provencal market in Cours Masséna. It's very easy to get carried away by local delicacies such as goat cheese, olives, many varieties of tapenade and local charcuteries. There are plenty of restaurants lining the market where you can try regional French cuisine specialities. For an after lunch aperitif, head to the olive oil shop located just next to the market. In the basement, there is an original absinthe bar where you can choose from 25 varieties of the green spirit.
Beaches
Resting on the beach is one of the main attractions while staying in Antibes or Juan-les-Pins. Both resorts have many sandy beaches, which are either private (Chemin de la Garoupe, Bd Guillaumont) or open to the public (Plage des Ondes, Bd du Maréachal Juin). The most beautiful beach in Cap d'Antibes is Baie de la Garoupe, which is partly private (you can stay for the day if you rent a lounge chair from the restaurant), and the smaller part of the beach is public. After walking through the city, you can cool down on Plage de la Salis, which is the main public and most popular beach closest to Antibes.
Want to have an afternoon swim after walking through the city? Relax on the Plage de la Gravette a small sandy beach near the ramparts and just a few minutes walk from the centre of Antibes.
Stroll through the harbour
Antibes is home to one of the Europe’s largest marinas. By walking along the ramparts on the Promenade Amiral de Grasse, you can reach the Port Vauban. With a great setting, the Fort Carré behind and old Antibes in front, it’s no wonder millionaires choose this harbour to dock their luxury yachts. Stroll around the large marina and watch elegant sailboats purring out to sea. You may spot the largest and most beautiful yachts in the world such as the 160-metre yacht "Platinum" belonging to the Prince of Dubai or Roman Abramovich’s over 300-metre yacht built in Germany.
Feel the beat of Jazz in Juan
The Jazz festival in Juan is one of Europe’s oldest and most popular. For more than 50 years, Juan-les-Pins has been attracting big music names including Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and Ella Fitzgerald. These three musicians’ handprints are lined in ceramic tiles in the pavement next to other jazz legends. This year, the city will ring to the sound of jazz from the 10th to the 19th of July. If you are looking for a way to save money on the tickets for the main event, the off fringe festival is the perfect backup option.
Trips around Antibes
Cap d'Antibes
The picturesque Cap d'Antibes peninsula is a small piece of paradise between Antibes and Cannes with one of the most exclusive addresses on the French Riviera. Thanks to its idyllic natural setting, isolation, superb beaches and wild greenery, Cap d'Antibes has been a popular destination for high society, artists and the fabulously wealthy since the 19th century. On the edge of this charming cap, the famous Hotel Eden-Roc is located. This hotel is one of the most luxurious in the world, and throughout the years has accommodated exquisite artists such as Picasso and Chagall. It's not surprising that during the Cannes Film Festival the hotel is packed with international celebrities and movies stars.
Meet the sea animals in Marineland
Play with the dolphins and watch the magnificent killer whales jump out of the water, showing their power and grace. Between the shows, you will have time to meet the penguins, sea lions, and polar bears, or come face to face with sharks’ jaws while visiting the shark tunnel! With plenty of attractions for everyone, Marineland is a great place to have fun and learn something new about marine animals.
With so much to do and a lot of things to see in Antibes you have to find the perfect holiday rental if you plan to spend only a few days in this beautiful city. You can rent a holiday home and attend the jazz festival in July or simply enjoy a relaxing vacation in a villa for rent. Take a stroll on the beach or go in for a swim only a few minutes away from the holiday homes and rental villas in Antibes.
You can even make this beautiful city your long term home and consider an apartment for rent in Antibes. This enchanting city has so much culture, art and history you can take your time to visit the Museum with Picasso’s art collection while living in a long-term rental apartment.
Enjoy the first hand experience of life on the French Riviera from your long-term rental villa in Antibes.
It is time to fulfil you dream of buying a house on the French Riviera, how about considering a villa for sale in Antibes. With this city so close to Cannes, any villa for sale in Antibes is very attractive. Immerse yourself in the music and nightlife from a villa for sale in Antibes and don’t miss out on a beautiful sea view from the villas for sale here.