Absorbing Antibes | A Low-Key, High-Charm Day Trip on the French Riviera

When you’re planning a girls trip to the South of France with one friend who wants to check off cities like it’s a scavenger hunt (hi, Melissa), and another who wants to stay long enough to be considered a local (hi, me), compromises must be made. Antibes wasn’t originally at the top of my list. But a bout of food poisoning, some unpredictable Riviera weather, and the flexibility of a 7-day train pass shuffled our itinerary—and I’m so glad it did.

Because Antibes? She’s underrated.

Why Visit Antibes? A Little History First.

Antibes is one of the oldest cities on the Côte d’Azur, originally founded by the Greeks around the 5th century BCE as Antipolis—meaning "the city across" (from Nice). Later fortified by the Romans, then transformed by the French through centuries of military, cultural, and artistic evolution, it’s now a charming blend of old walls, market squares, and moody sea views.

Picasso famously lived here for a time, working out of Château Grimaldi, which now houses the Musée Picasso—one of the most important art stops on the Riviera.

But for me, Antibes wasn’t about museums. It was about wandering. Photographing. People-watching. And trying not to get lost (again) when your friend has her data turned off.

Getting to Antibes from Nice: Quick, Easy, and Charcoal-Stomach Approved

After spending a day and a half recovering from what I can only describe as a violent betrayal by Niçoise street food, I finally felt well enough to leave the apartment. Our original plan was Menton for market day, but the weather there was looking grim, and so we pivoted.

Antibes is just 20 minutes by train from Nice. We had the Pass Sud Azur (highly recommend if you're in the region for 7+ days), which covers trains, trams, and buses throughout the Alpes-Maritimes. We hopped on the tram near our Airbnb at 8 Boulevard Jean Jaurès, zipped over to Gare de Nice, scanned our pass, and were en route before most of the Riviera had finished their croissants.

Pro tip: Use the SNCF Connect app to find your train’s terminus and platform. European trains don’t list your exact destination—they list the last stop. It’s a game of “Guess the Endpoint,” and this app is the cheat code.

Arriving in Antibes: Grey Skies, Colorful Streets

We arrived around 8 a.m., just as Marché Provençal, the town’s beloved covered market, was beginning to stir. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the station to the old town, and while there are signs, Google Maps was our guiding star.

Saturday in Antibes is double market day:

• The daily market (Marché Provençal) opens early and features local produce, spices, cheeses, and jams.

• The antique market sets up nearby later in the morning—though when we arrived, it was barely unfolding.

The vendors at Marché Provençal were kind and patient with two tourists poking cameras into baskets of lavender, saffron, and sun-dried everything. One vendor selling homemade jams caught our eye, and we both walked away with pineapple jam. Not your typical Provençal flavor, but honestly? Worth the suitcase space.

Losing Melissa and Finding Lunch

We wandered into a nearby church where I—predictably—got distracted taking photos of stained glass and shadowy corners, and Melissa vanished. She was trying to conserve data on her Airalo SIM, so her phone was mostly off, which meant I couldn’t track her down on WhatsApp. (I, however, was living large with free T-Mobile international data, and it was flawless.)

At this point, I was actually hungry for the first time in 36 hours. Google Maps to the rescue again: Lilian Bonnefoi, a coastal café with excellent reviews. What should have been a 7-minute walk turned into a 30-minute photo stroll along the sea wall. Grey skies, sea spray, and salty wind made it one of the moodiest—and most beautiful—coastal walks I’ve done in a while.

The bacon avocado toast with a rainbow-bright side salad? Exceptional. I ate half, then messaged Melissa to come find me and finish the rest (that toast was €17—I wasn't about to waste it).

Antiques, Alleys & Port Views

After brunch, we swung back toward the antique market, which sadly wasn’t as photogenic as I’d hoped—possibly a mix of weather and off-season lull. Still, we meandered through Old Town Antibes, camera in hand, dipping in and out of winding alleys, catching glimpses of quiet locals and sun-washed shutters. It’s the kind of place where the buildings are the art.

Eventually, we made our way through what turned out to be the main entrance to the old town—whoops—and exited through the medieval portcullis, right onto the promenade around Port Vauban.

Here’s a fun fact:
Port Vauban is the largest marina in Europe, home to over 1,500 boats, from local fishing vessels to billionaires’ floating castles. And it’s stunning.

From here, we could see walkers high up on the city walls and decided to figure out how to get up there ourselves. There are stairways at either end—we climbed up near the sea and walked the full length, taking photos as the light shifted across the terracotta rooftops of Antibes.

In the distance, we spotted Le Fort Carré, a 16th-century fortress built under King Henry II and later reinforced by military engineer Vauban. Its geometric, star-shaped design reflects Renaissance ideas of proportion and symmetry. The fort is now a national monument, but with rain threatening, we decided to admire it from afar.

A Rainy Wrap-Up + Back to Nice

Rain hit just as we reached the train station. We tucked ourselves into a train car and rode back to Nice with that specific kind of satisfaction you only get from a day well wandered.

Later that afternoon, I headed out solo to make up for lost Nice time while Melissa went on her own adventure. I wandered down to Port Lympia, letting my camera lead the way. (Nice deserves its own post or three—I'm still deciding how best to break it down.)

Melissa made a last minute leap back onto the train, taking the opportunity hop over the border into Italy and check out Ventimiglia on her own. She tried to get me go with, but from what I had seen on TikTok, Ventimiglia is pretty much the ghetto. I was wholly uninterested in riding another hour just to check off another destination. Especially when I’d already lost a whole day to illness. From what she told me about her afternoon, I made the right choice.

Final Thoughts on Antibes

Antibes was a quiet gem. It didn’t demand anything from me. It let me stroll slowly, breathe deeply, shoot freely. It didn’t feel overrun or over-curated. Even on a market day, it felt like a place people actually live—not just perform for Instagram.

If you're looking for street photography, charming market scenes, or a peaceful coastal wander—Antibes is your place. Especially if you’re on the mend from food poisoning, mildly sleep-deprived, or just in the mood for something slower and softer than the Riviera’s flashier spots.

🗺️ Planning Your Trip to Antibes

• 🚆 Getting There: Regional TER train from Nice Ville to Antibes, about 20–25 mins. Covered by the Pass Sud Azur card.

• 🕓 Best Time to Visit: Early morning on a Saturday to catch both the daily market and antique market.

• 📱 Helpful Apps:

  • SNCF Connect (train schedules + platforms)

  • Google Maps (for walking Old Town)

  • WhatsApp (if your friend ever turns on their data)

👋 Your Turn!

Have you been to Antibes?
Did you visit the Picasso Museum or Fort Carré?
What’s the best market you’ve visited in the South of France?
Drop your favorites—or any hidden gems I missed—in the comments.

And if you’ve ever lost your travel buddy because of bad service, you’re not alone.