Antibes- Places to visit
Welcome to my trip to the small and interesting town of Antibes. Here I will be visiting some of the sites and will be showing you the many interesting places you should check out when you are Antibes.
First, I should tell you a few facts about Antibes. It is a small resort town in the south of France, which is situated between Cannes and Nice. It is full of history, culture and has a vibrant community that makes it a very popular destination for holiday makers. And to top it up, Antibes has amazing beaches and a beautiful blue sea that is perfect for both solo travelers and families on holiday.
So join me in exploring this beautiful little coastal town of Antibes and its environs.
- Le Vieil Antibes
There are two parts of Antibes, the old Antibes and the new Antibes. The old Antibes is referred to as Vieil Antibes and is built on the old ancient greek town of Antipolis. This old town is a very popular tourist destination and has exquisite architecture, historical art and a pleasant calm atmosphere where numerous restaurants and cafés thrive.
The old Antibes has a rich and interesting history under the greeks and romans and is a perfect destination for a history lover. The town’s markets, streets, houses and beautiful scenery also attract tourists to this rich cultural centre.
Things to see in the old town include the Picasso museum, Notre dame cathedral, Chemin des douaniers, Antibes marche’ provencal, and many others, all of which I will tour and tell you more about.
2. The Picasso Museum
I will start with the Picasso museum, which is one of the most popular sites in Vieil Antibes.
The Picasso museum is situated in an old mansion in old Antibes, next to the Notre dame cathedral. It was initially the Antibes town hall building and later became the first museum in the world to be dedicated to Picasso, who once had his studio in the building and even gave some of his works to the museum when he left.
The museum has almost 250 pieces of Picasso’s works and also houses pieces from other artists. The history of the building itself is quite interesting and apart from the works of art inside the mansion, the building and its surroundings are also beautiful and great for sightseeing, and the sea view is stunning.
The museum is also located in a great location with nice bars, restaurants and cafes nearby.
3. Notre Dame Cathedral
Located just next to the Picasso museum, the Notre dame cathedral is the largest church in Antibes and its rose colored beauty has attracted many tourists.The church is a mixture of old and new as it has been built and rebuilt numerous times since its creation in the 5th century. It is a national monument and historical site and it is believed that St. Paul was arrested here in AD 67.
Inside, the church is full of old artwork and beautiful architecture that tell the story of resilience through time and yet still seem delicate and fragile. The inside is also quite silent and one could use this opportunity to relax silently with your thoughts, listen to the choir singing, or join an ongoing service.
4. The Archeology Museum
The archeology museum of Antibes is located in one of the two remaining forts of the Old Antibes. It is a small local museum that has archaeological finds from as far as the 17th century and tells the story of how Antibes came to be.
Inside you will find artifacts from land and sea and stories of ancient greek and roman mariners. There are many artifacts and one is free to roam around, or even just enjoy the beautiful view of the sea at the top of the building.
5. Chemin des douaniers
This is a hiking trail at the Cap d’Antibes that takes you through the old town, the beautiful seafront and coastline and the billionaires bay where you will see beautiful private villas.
Through this hike, you will get to see the beautiful sites of Cap d’Antibes and experience the great views of this wooded hilly area that has attracted rich men since the 19th century.
The path is rocky but easy to walk and takes slightly more than an hour.
I enjoyed the interesting blend of hostile rocks and the colorfulness of vegetation, flowers and the clear blue ocean. It was quite relaxing.
Make sure to come prepared with the right shoes and a bottle of water, and if you can, it is even more enjoyable as a bike ride.
6. Antibes marche’ provencal
This is a local market that sells fresh produce, meats, fruits, vegetables, breads, olives and even pastries such as french croissants, cheese and chocolates.
The market is outstanding with a wide variety of multi couloured fabulous selling products that create a great vibe.
The market is a bit pricey but has high quality goods. It is a clean orderly place to buy fresh regional produce or just take a stroll and enjoy the arrangements or the restaurants and cafes around.
7. Fort Carre
Built in the 16th century for military strategic purposes, Fort carre is a star shaped structure on the edge of the Saint-Roch peninsula and was used as a military barracks and a military training center. It has an exceptional 360 degree view of the surrounding and a fascination layout.
The fort is accessible only by guided tour due to safety reasons, and gives you a good idea of how soldiers used to live in historic times. It played a significant role in the French Revolution and in the history of France and even had Napoleon briefly imprisoned there.
It is quite an interesting experience that is worth checking out.
8. Le Nomade
Le Nomade is a 3 meters tall modern sculpture that squat at the edge of port Vauban seemingly watching into the horizon as ships sail into and out of Antibes. It is most definitely one of the best spots in the town.
It was built on a building that was once a temple, which later became a church and later on a fortified tower and has a rich history that is quite interesting.
The sculpture is made of letters and is a gigantic hollow figure where tourists can enter and sit in its hollow space. The sculpture is well worth a visit and is one of the most interesting icons about Antibes town and is quite spectacular at night.
9. Parc de la pinede
The Parc de la pinede is a beautifully maintained park in the center of the town full of pines.
It has small pathways and benches, carousels and merry go rounds and is a great place for children.
It is also a great place for adults to take a stroll, feed birds, or just sit and relax as you people watch. The place is decorated with large art figures and could be great for unwinding after a long day touring the beautiful city.
I hope you enjoyed my day in Antibes and had as much fun seeing this interesting city as I did.
Do let me know what you think in the comments below.