Essential Things to See + Do in Antibes

Billionaire’s Bay: This stunning location, known for its beautiful surroundings and luxury yachts dotting the turquoise water, is a must-visit destination in Antibes. The bay offers picturesque views and a really pretty walk around the headland. It's an excellent spot for soaking in the sun, and enjoying the luxurious ambiance. To get there, catch bus 2 from Rue Albert 1er; tickets are quite affordable at just 1 euro. You can walk from Antibes, but it’s quite a long, hot walk!

Explore the Old Town: A walk through Antibes' old town is an essential part of any visit. This area, characterized by its narrow, winding streets, boasts charming cafes/restaurants, local boutiques, and museums/landmarks. Take your time to wander and discover its hidden gems, such as quaint squares and traditional architecture. The vibrant atmosphere, especially with local artisans and markets, presents an authentic experience of the region’s culture.

Markets: Antibes is fantastic for local markets! The best one is Marché Provençal, a bustling undercover market that takes place every morning. It’s known for its extensive selection of fresh produce, local delicacies, and artisanal products and provides visitors with an opportunity to taste local flavours, purchase souvenirs, and mingle with locals. Be sure to explore the various stalls, showcasing everything from olives and cheeses to flowers and handmade crafts, making it an enriching experience for food lovers and shoppers alike. There are also antique markets in Place de Gaulle and Place Nationale every Thursday and Saturday, so make sure to have a wander and find some hidden gems!
Marche Provencal: Open daily 06:00 - 13:00 (except Mondays during Winter)
Place de Gaulle: Tuesdays 06:00 - 13:00, Thursdays and Saturdays 06:30 - 13:00
Place Nationale: Thursdays and Saturdays 07:00 - 13:00

Marche Provencal, open everyday until 12pm (except Mondays)

Cap d’Antibes Coastal Walk: For those who appreciate natural beauty, the Cap d’Antibes coastal walk (also named Sentier de Tirepoil) offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. The scenic route takes you along rugged cliffs and serene bays, providing plenty of photo opportunities and places to relax or take in the surroundings.

Beach Clubs at Juan Les Pins or Nice: Renting a sun lounger at one of the many beach clubs is a quintessential part of the French Riviera experience. Choose between the lively atmosphere of Juan Les Pins (right next to Antibes) or the more sophisticated setting of Antibes, each offering its unique charm. They range from affordable to extravagant so make sure to pick out one that suits you! If you’re looking for a luxurious option, you can’t go past Plage Belle Rives or Plage Keller, treat yourself!

Restaurants in Antibes

Le Ptit Cageot

Locally sourced, good quality food

Michelin Star
$$$

Le Ptit Cageot is an exceptional dining experience for those who appreciate high-quality, locally sourced cuisine. Located in a little side street off the main street in Old Antibes, this Michelin-starred restaurant prides itself on crafting dishes that highlight the freshest ingredients from the Alpes-Maritimes region. With a focus on seasonal offerings, the menu is both inventive and attentive to local culinary traditions. We were given fresh bread and olives to start, then we ordered the gnocchi and the octopus, both were *chef’s kiss*. While the prices may be on the higher end, I definitely found the experience worth the investment, especially given the friendly service. I highly recommend making a reservation in advance, especially in peak season, as it’s popular among both locals and visitors.

Instagram: @leptitcageot

Website: https://leptitcageot.com/

Falafel

Great lunch option
$

For a more casual and affordable option, Falafel provides a delightful array of Lebanese dishes, perfect for a quick lunch or a relaxed dinner. The menu features a variety of falafel wraps, mezze plates, and salads, all prepared with care and bursting with flavour. The laid-back atmosphere with outdoor dining makes it a great spot for those looking to enjoy a hearty meal without the frills, and it is particularly great for those in need of a quick culinary fix during a busy day of exploring.

Jeanne

Trendy wine bar
Extensive wine list
Paired food menu
$$$

Jeanne is a refined wine bar on one of my favourite streets in Antibes, offering a selection of local, seasonal dishes that beautifully complement its extensive wine list. The ambiance is warm and inviting, making it an ideal setting for social gatherings or a romantic dinner. While the pricing may lean towards the upscale side, the quality of the food, paired with expertly curated wines, provides a compelling incentive for diners looking to indulge. Each dish is carefully prepared to celebrate the flavours of the region, and the staff were really knowledgeable and passionate about wine.

Instagram: @jeanneantibes

Website: https://www.jeanne-antibes.com/

Troquet des Milliardaires

Fantastic cocktails
Delicious charcuterie and cheese boards
$$

My friend Selma with our cocktails and charcuterie

Troquet des Milliardaires Cocktail Club is a really cool bar, tucked away behind the old town. They offer a wide range of drinks, which is their specialty, however they also have charcuterie, cheese and other light meals on offer to complement the drinks. My favourite part about this bar is their “Surprise Me!” option, where they bring out a cocktail of their choosing that they think you’ll like and you can guess what’s in it. I did not get it right once, but they were always really good!

Instagram: @letroquetdesmilliardaires

Website: https://troquet-des-milliardaires-cocktail-club.eatbu.com/?lang=en

AVOID:

When visiting Antibes, try to stay away from the restaurants in the really touristy areas, such as those in Place Nationale or along the side of the port. I didn’t try all of them, so I can’t know for sure, but the ones I did try were overpriced for very small, average meals. A tip is to watch for where the locals go!

Cafes in Antibes

Nomad’s Coffee

Top-notch coffee
Aesthetic
$

Nomad’s is a must-visit café renowned for its amazing coffee. The owner and staff are super lovely and definitely know their coffee! It was one of the only cafes I found in Europe (not just France!) that had coffee as good as back home in Australia (Yes, I’m living up to the snobby stereotype!). The atmosphere in Nomad’s is warm, inviting and friendly, plus I really like the aesthetic of the cafe and the street it’s on. Also the carrot cake and pain au chocolat is superb!

Instagram: @nomadscoffeeantibes

Website: https://www.nomads-coffee.com/

Mellow Factory

Great breakfast
Cosy, comfortable and welcoming atmosphere
$

For breakfast enthusiasts, Mellow Factory is a great choice. This café not only serves delicious healthy, locally-sourced breakfast options, but it also has great coffee that complements the meal perfectly. The staff here are equally lovely, contributing to the overall welcoming ambiance that encourages patrons to linger and enjoy their food and drinks. You enter the cafe from the street (down from Nomad’s), and then venture down some stairs to reveal a cosy, warmly-lit space underground that almost feels like a living room. One of my favourite memories in France is going to Mellow Factory to study and enjoy one of their fantastic house-made sweet treats. Also they had colouring-in for the kids (and adults) and put one of mine on the wall (not bragging or anything!).

Instagram: @mellow.factory

Website: https://mellow-factory.fr/

PAUL

Best croissants
Reliable and widespread
$

Honestly, this recommendation goes against my values as I try to seek out locally-owned places to support wherever I’m visiting and PAUL is a big chain across France. BUT after trying lots and lots of croissants, PAUL was the clear winner. Their croissant was the perfect amount of buttery, flaky goodness.

They also have a wide range of affordable sandwiches, pastries, quiches and other delicious options, which make them a great place to look for on the go.

Instagram: @paulfranceofficiel

Website: https://www.paul-bakeries.com/

Maison Montaron

Sells a pastry known as choux au craquelin
Also has cookies, chocolate and coffee
$$

A rather undiscovered gem in Antibes is Maison Montaron. Here, the friendly chef Antony specializes in a pastry known as a choux au craquelin. This delicacy is often described as the most amazing pastry one can experience, and it should be on everyone’s list to try. I hadn’t had it before, but now I have, my life is changed forever. The Paris-Brest one is the best, with hazelnut filling.

Instagram: @maisonmontaron

Website: https://www.maisonmontaron.com/

Day Trip Recommendations

Option 1:

Morning: Take train to Cannes, walk around and look at luxury stores - also try to go on the day the antiques markets are on.

Midday: Go to Marche Forville and get supplies for picnic lunch (highly recommend the stracciatella cheese, paired with fresh tomato, basil, prosciutto and baguettes), then board ferry to Ile St Marguerite. The journey is relatively inexpensive and quick (takes 15mins). Once you arrive on the island, find a spot by the crystal-clear water to have your picnic lunch and go for a swim.

Afternoon/night: Once you arrive back in Cannes after Ile St Marguerite, stop for a drink or an ice cream at any of the vendors along the harbour on your walk back to the train station.

Option 2:

Morning: Rent a car and drive to Gorges du Verdon. The journey takes approximately two and a half hours from Antibes and winds through the picturesque mountains. Once you arrive at the Gorge admire views from the lookout at Lac Saint-Croix and rent a peddle boat to float lazily through the gorge.

Midday: Stop at the nearby village Moustiers-Sainte-Marie for lunch after your peddle-boat trip. The village is straight out of a fairytale and has been named one of the most scenic in France. After lunch, take your time wandering through the streets.

Afternoon: I highly recommend staying overnight somewhere close by as you will be so relaxed you won’t want to drive all the way back. If you were wanting to visit St Tropez, this would be a good idea as it’s directly south of the Gorge and then you can head back along the coast to Antibes.

Option 3:

Morning: Spend a lazy morning eating croissants at home before embarking on a journey to Saint-Paul de Vence, a village in the mountains about a half hour drive or hour public transport trip from Antibes. There is no train line to the village, so you will have to hire a car or take the bus to the village. If choosing the latter, you will need to first take the train to Cagnes-sur-Mer (in the direction of Monaco) and then get off before taking Bus 655 to the village.

Midday: Once you arrive at the beautiful village, take a walk through all the streets and admire the little boutiques before going to the Les Remparts restaurant for lunch. It has amazing views and great food.

Afternoon: Either spend more time walking around the village or head back to Antibes.

Option 4:

Morning: Take the train to Nice and walk down Rue Jean Médecin to the old town and walk around. Make sure to go to the flower and produce market to pick out some treats/souvenirs.

Midday: Take the stairs up to Castle Hill Park. They’re steep, but more than worth it for the panoramic views of the beaches and the port on the other side. Then you could either spend whole day exploring Nice (potentially going to one of the many beach clubs to relax with a drink in hand) or you could keep following the train line to the next town called Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Afternoon: Wander through Villefranche-sur-Mer’s old town and gaze at the colourful buildings lining the harbour front. The village is pretty enough to spend a whole day there and at its beaches, but if you wanted to squeeze in as much as you can, seeing it in an afternoon is absolutely possible.

Option 5:

Morning: Take the train to Beaulieu-sur-Mer (a stop after Villefranche), then catch the bus to Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat (which takes approx. 10mins). Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat is a beautiful seaside town with lots of old money houses. Explore the town and admire the houses for a bit before embarking on the coastal walk.

Midday: I highly recommend following the coastal walk that begins with a view of the bay to the left of the peninsula and then winds around the rocky cliffs with green shrubbery along the way. Tip: Pack a sandwich or picnic for lunch with a 10/10 view during the walk. The walk itself is 6km long and (excluding stopping for swims which are very necessary) takes about 2 hours to finish.

Afternoon: A highlight of your visit to Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat will be stopping in at Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. The 20th century villa built during the Belle Epoque era is open everyday from 10:00 - 17:30, with tickets costing around 18euro. The villa features amazing gardens with different themes, a tea room and an interactive tour of the rooms. This was one of my favourite activities I did in France, so beautiful!

Other day trips:

Monaco - cool to see, but also quite expensive, not many activities that don’t cost a lot of $$ - if you want to go into casino need to wear long pants and it costs 25 euro for entry.
Eze - really pretty mountain views and gardens, need to take the train to Eze-sur-Mer, then a bus which can be crowded.
Menton - highly recommend, lots of colourful buildings, close to Italy so lots of Italian influence in food and architecture, on the train line, could do in the same day as Monaco

Transport

Train

One of the best things about Antibes and the French Riviera is that a train line runs all the way along the coast, making most towns easy and quick to get to! For that reason I recommend getting the train most places. Tickets can be bought on an app called SNCF Connect, which is fairly easy to use and relatively affordable. Highly recommend that you do buy a ticket every time rather than risking a fine from the officers that patrol the trains on occasion (learned my lesson with that one, whoops).

Hire a Car

If you’re not a train person and have a bit of extra $$ up your sleeve, I highly recommend hiring a car for your stay. It’s the best way to explore places a bit further away and definitely more comfortable than the train at peak hour! However, always make sure to check that the place you’re staying has parking because most places in Old Antibes aren’t accessible by vehicles. I hired a car to go to a place called Gorges du Verdon and Moustiers Saint-Marie, which you can’t get to by train.

Take the Bus

Another great option is the bus! If choosing to use public transport, a combined approach of the bus and train will probably be needed depending on where you’re going or the times. If taking the bus, download an app called Envibus for timetables and a different app called Envibus ticket to buy tickets (or can buy onboard with cash)

Walk!

Walking is easily my favourite way to get around Antibes, especially since the majority of the old town can’t reached any other way.

How to Spend a Week in Antibes, French Riviera

Essential Things to See + Do in Antibes

Restaurants in Antibes

Cafes in Antibes

Margaret River