Nestling on the French Riviera between Nice and Cannes, the old town of Antibes stands on the shores of the Mediterranean and is an explosion of colour. The colours are particularly stunning in the free commune of Le Safranier: the cream façades are framed by lush vegetation in a vast palette of pink, yellow, red, purple... This part of old Antibes, surrounded by ramparts, offers lovely walks on quiet and shady streets, where many houses have Provençal louvred shutters.
Continue this bucolic outing to Cap d'Antibes and visit the little harbour of L'Olivette, where multicoloured "pointu" boats bob up and down, looking like a French Riviera postcard. More athletic visitors can don their hiking boots to explore the nearby trails, starting with the famous Customs Officers' Path (Chemin des Douaniers), also known as Tire-Poil, 5 km in length and running along the entire cape. This stunning itinerary overlooks the palette of blues around the craggy rock, as the cicadas' song and the delightful scents of the pine grove fill the air! After all that exercise, nothing beats a dip in the crystalline sea: Cap d'Antibes has some remarkable beaches for snorkelling. Although the beaches offer a long expanse of sand, there are many rocks on the sea bed once you enter the water, making it a very appealing place for aquatic wildlife. Isolated coves are also dotted along the coast.
If you feel like a change in altitude during your trip to Cap d'Antibes, go up to the Garoupe lighthouse, which offers an incredible view of some top sites on the French Riviera, like Nice, Cannes, Juan-les-Pins and the Lérins Islands.
Continue your journey towards Antibes town centre, in order to discover some of its major cultural sites. The Picasso Museum, housed inside the majestic Grimaldi Castle, an immense stone building overlooking the sea, possesses some major works by the artist: La joie de vivre (Joy of Living) and Satyr and Faun were painted in Antibes during the painter's stay there. Ceramics, sculptures and paintings are displayed across this vast space along with other works of modern art. Talking of which, remember to visit the museum terrace where contemporary sculptures in ebony tones look down on the coastline.
Outside the old town is the charming Vauban harbour and its pretty white boats. People especially like to go there for its great restaurants celebrating the delicious flavours of neighbouring Italy. And if you are there in the morning, drop by Antibes' Provençal market, brimming with local products to take away for a tasty picnic by the sea!
