All about Old Town Antibes

Old Town Antibes

Antibes is the epitome of sun, summer and delicious sandy beaches, combined with a fascinating history and extremely worth seeing cultural treasures – all wrapped up in a beautiful environment with Fort Carré, Port Vauban, Cap d’Antibes and Juan le Pins as well-known landmarks.

Chateau Grimalde og Picasso museum — *One of Antibes’ most popular attractions – the Grimaldi Castle, which houses the Picasso Museum.*

Things to do in Antibes

Here's what you can experience this in Antibes

It is not without reason that Antibes is one of the favorites of the French Riviera for tourists and famous people from all over the world.

Antibes offers a mix of culture, history and scenic surroundings. From charming beaches and historic fortresses to art museums and lively markets, there are plenty of experiences that make the city a popular destination for both relaxation and adventure.

Antibes bykort — *At the entrance to the city from Port Vauban, a practical overview map made of ceramics is displayed - ©cityxee.com*

Here is an overview of the most interesting experiences in Antibes, Cap d'Antibes and Juan-les-Pins:

See all the experiences at the end of the article.

Picasso

Picasso in Antibes

Pablo Picasso's presence in Antibes has had a profound and lasting impact on the city's artistic heritage. In 1946, Picasso spent time in Antibes, where he lived and worked at Château Grimaldi, a historic building that had previously served as a royal palace.

During his stay in Antibes, Picasso created over 20 paintings and many ceramic works, inspired by the Mediterranean, the light and the atmosphere of the city.

One of the most significant things Picasso did for Antibes was to donate many of these works to the city. This led to the opening of the Picasso Museum at Château Grimaldi, which today is one of the first art institutions dedicated to his works.

The museum contains a unique collection of paintings, drawings and ceramics that he created during his stay, including famous works such as La Joie de Vivre.

Picasso i Antibes — *The Picasso Museum located in the Grimaldi Castle is a CITY-must-XEE in Antibes - ©cityxee.com*

Picasso's time in Antibes cemented the city's status as an artistic destination. His presence subsequently attracted other artists and helped make the city a cultural center on the French Riviera.

Today, thousands of art lovers visit Antibes to explore Picasso's influence and immerse themselves in the city's rich art history.

Read here about the Grimaldi Castle and the Picasso Museum.

City history

Antibes – over 2000 years of history

Antibes has a long and fascinating history spanning over 2,000 years. The city was founded as a Greek colony around the 5th century BC. under the name Antipolis, which means "the city opposite" and refers to its location opposite Corsica and other coastal cities.

It became an important trading city and played a strategic role as a junction between Italy and the western Mediterranean area.

After the Roman conquest in the 2nd century BC. Antipolis became part of the Roman Empire and grew as a port city. The city remained an important fortress throughout the Middle Ages, especially during wars between various regional powers.

Built in the 16th century to defend the city against attack, Fort Carré still stands as an iconic landmark.

Fort Carré Antibes — *The fantastic Fort Carré with its four bastions*

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Antibes began to attract artists, writers and celebrities who were captivated by the bright light and scenic surroundings. Pablo Picasso lived in the city for a period after World War II, which led to the opening of the Picasso Museum in the city's former fortress, Château Grimaldi.

Today, Antibes combines its rich historical heritage with a modern atmosphere and is a popular destination for history buffs and sun-hungry tourists alike.

A visit to the Museum of History and Archeology is definitely worth a visit if you are interested in this area.

The beaches

Beaches and water activities

Antibes is rich in sandy beaches and opportunities to practice water sports in all different directions.

You can indulge in stand up paddle boarding, windsurfing, jet skiing, parasailing, diving, deep sea fishing, hire a pedal boat, kayak or canoe for an excursion at sea alone, as a couple or with family or friends.

The beaches are famous for the quality of their bathing water and most have lifeguard stations, showers and toilets.

Plage de la Gravette i Antibes — *Just outside the old town of Antibes is the lovely sandy beach Plage de la Gravette*

The best beaches in Antibes are: Plage de la Garoupe, Plage des Ondes, Plage de la Gravette, Plage de la Salis, Plage du Ponteil and Plage de Juan-les-Pins.

See the overview of beaches on the Côte d'Azur here.

Cap d'Antibes

Experience Cap d'Antibes along the sea

Cap d'Antibes is a scenic peninsula off Antibes, known for its luxurious villas, beautiful coastal paths and secluded beaches.

The area offers spectacular views of the Mediterranean and is popular for hiking and relaxation in exclusive surroundings.

The Bay of Billionaires at Cap d'Antibes — *The Bay of Billionaires can be found on the hike around Cap d’Antibes - ©cityxee.com*

Cap d’Antibes is enriched with several coves and small secret beaches that can be experienced along the path Sentier de Tirepoil.

Here is also one of the best beaches in the area, Plage la Garoupe. It is supervised during the season and offers many facilities; sanitary facilities, showers, sunbed rental, restaurants, etc.

And not least, good parking conditions along Avenue André Sella.

In the middle of Cap d'Antibes lies a small pine forest on the Garoupe plateau. At the top of this plateau you will find one of the Riviera's best-situated chapels, the Chapelle de la Garoupe with a view of Nice on one side and the entire bay of Juan-les-Pins on the other, as well as the mountains with their sometimes snowy peaks to the north.

Read here about the hike around Cap d'Antibes.

Also read about the 3 amazing villas that Cap d'Antibes is also famous for: Villa Eilenroc, Chateau de la Croë and Chateau de la Garoupe.

Juan-les-Pins

Jazz and world-class hotels

When you say Antibes, you also have to say Juan-les-Pins. Where Antibes is the city center with the old town as the focal point,

Juan-les-Pins is a more modern beach area with hotels, bars, restaurants and nightclubs that attracts a younger, party-minded crowd.

Juan-les-Pins strand — *The beaches all along Juan-les-Pins are very popular*

In Juan-les-Pins the world-famous jazz festival is held and here are some of the largest palaces in the world, such as the famous Eden Roc hotel or the Belles Rives hotel, which Ernest Hemmingway and Scott Fitzgerald greatly appreciated.

Antibes and Juan-les-Pins are located on opposite sides of the Cap d'Antibes peninsula.