A Day In Antibes-A Solo Guide

On my plane ride over to Nice from Paris, I was reading my Rick Steve's guide book. There was a girl sitting at the window who asked to use the restroom. Upon returning, she stated she was from the Nice area. If I had any questions she could answer them. Of course, I had a ton. But, when I asked what was a city I must see she answered Antibes.

As there are so many cities along the French Riviera I had to narrow my list down. I was only going to do 4 days in Nice. I decided on Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes(because of that nice girl's recommendation), and Monaco as my daily excursions.  You can just click on those names and check out my experience in those towns.

Antibes has both Greek and Roman origins.  But, the town did not really settle until it came under French rule in the 15th century.  One of the reasons this town became popular(besides stunning beaches) was due to Pablo Picasso.  He came to Antibes in 1946 and stayed at the Chateau Grimaldi. Which is now a museum dedicated to some of the works he left behind.  You can also do all the water activities of your dreams. Just keep in mind it will be a bit pricey.

To get to Antibes from Nice you will have to take a train. It is about a 30-minute train ride away.  If you have any questions on how to book your ticket, there is an office inside the train station. They speak English and are very helpful. I was going to buy a more expensive ticket on the kiosk. I was trying to be independent. But, the kiosk only accepted credit cards. I choose not to bring mine on this day trip. Therefore, I had to go to the office. It all worked out because it saved me money.

Once I arrived it was about a 13-minute walk to the city center.  My first stop was to the outdoor food market(Marche Provencal). It opens at 7:30 am and closes at 1 pm.  Except for Mondays. They are closed Mondays. Do of course check online prior to going to make sure nothing has changed.  I arrived at 10 am, so I rushed over there. I thought it would be bigger, but the whole experience only took a few minutes.

They had all the fresh selections of vegetables, fruits, and spices. It was not a huge market, but I did walk around twice to take in all the little things. At the end of the market was a vendor selling Socca. Socca is a local snack that I was told I must try(by the nice local girl from the plane ride). It was made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. It was then cooked in a pizza oven. The cost was only 2.50 euros. I personally did not care for it. I will not waste food. So I nibbled on it for hours. Lol

The best thing about visiting any new town is to wander around the neighborhood. There are such cute houses and streets in Antibes.  By 10:30 am the streets were still pretty empty. So if you are seeking some pictures, you will still be able to accomplish this without a sunrise mission.  I did not feel like Antibes was ever overcrowded.

As with most other cities, there were plenty of small shops to visit.  Have your pick of gelato and restaurants. I choose to eat at a restaurant a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of the city center.  I did not care for the meal so I will not include the restaurant name. I hope you have better luck if you decided to eat in Antibes.

Now would be a good time to head to one of the beaches.  If you are looking for a sandy beach (as opposed to the pebble beach in Nice), then head on over to Plage de la Gravette.  It is only about a 3-minute walk from the market. If you are up from a bit more walking, then about 20 minutes away is Plage de la Salis.  It is a nice sandy beach as well. Hopefully, you stocked up on snacks from the market. Lounging at the beach would be a nice way to spend the afternoon.

There are plenty of other options if you do not want to stay at the beach. You can visit Marineland, Aquasplash, as well as museums and water sports.  You can make it as lazy or adventurous as you like. You cannot really go wrong with a picturesque little town. So take your time. If you have any questions, then please let me know.  There are more pictures and videos on my Instagram if you would like to see my day in action. Have a wonderful day!