Antibes is a small town in the south east of France on the desirable Côte d'Azur. Over the years this has become one of the primary resorts of the Alpes Maritime region and it receives as many French tourists as it does foreign visitors. That is not surprising considering that Antibes has nearly 50 beaches and enjoys a wonderful Mediterranean climate.
When you are not enjoying the beach the town has a wealth of restaurants, bars and other cultural attractions. There are also two beautiful parks and one set of gardens with a number of different pines and herb bushes.
Antibes Mini Guide
Antibes is an extremely popular holiday resort for French people, who refer to it as the Cap d’Antibes, within their own country. If the name Antibes doesn’t sound French, that’s because the city was named by the Greeks over 2,00 years ago when they settled here. Since that time it has been ruled by both the Romans and the Genoese.
This French Riviera city is glamorous to say the least and can be found nestled between two bays alongside beautiful beaches. The old part of Antibes, including its port, faces the Baie des Anges to the north east, while Juan les Pins faces the Bay of Cannes to the south west. Tourists started going to Antibes at the end of the 19th century and it was also a place of inspiration for famous painters like Pablo Picasso. A museum is dedicated to his life in Antibes and should be seen by anyone who is interested in art or history. And if you want to emulate the artists just go to one of the many trendy bars and try the local drink – absinthe. You’re sure to have a good time!
A good place to take children if you are on a family holiday is Marine Land which is open every day of the year after 10am and has fantastic shows involving killer whales. Antibes is also a particularly good place for families to rent a self catering villa as there are a number of open air markets selling wonderful fresh produce. The shopping will become part of the holiday experience itself, you will eat very well and you will save yourself a great deal of money by not going out to restaurants.
If you prefer convenience then there is a large Carrefour hyper market while other good places to shop are in Juan les Pains (part of the dual municipality of Antibes) where there are some trendy boutiques selling designer fare.
Most people coming from abroad will fly into Nice international airport (where you can also pick up your Rhino rental car) and make the short journey along the coast to Antibes by taking the RN7 or RN 98 coastal roads from Cagnes sur Mer and Nice. Alternatively you may go along the A8 road and the city is well signposted as you leave it but any of these options can get clogged during the busy summer months.
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