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Trip to Antibes
Le Vieil Antibes
There are two parts of Antibes, the old Antibes, and the new Antibes. The old Antibes is referred to as Vieil Antibes and is built on the old ancient Greek town of Antipolis. This old town is a very popular tourist destination and has exquisite architecture, historical art, and a pleasant calm atmosphere where numerous restaurants and cafés thrive.
The old Antibes has a rich and interesting history under the greeks and Romans and is a perfect destination for a history lover. The town’s markets, streets, houses, and beautiful scenery also attract tourists to this rich cultural center.
Things to see in the old town include the Picasso museum, Notre dame cathedral, Chemin des douaniers, Antibes marché provencal, and many others, all of which I will tour and tell you more about.
The Picasso Museum
I will start with the Picasso museum, which is one of the most popular sites in Vieil Antibes.
The Picasso museum is situated in an old mansion in old Antibes, next to the Notre Dame cathedral. It was initially the Antibes town hall building and later became the first museum in the world to be dedicated to Picasso, who once had his studio in the building and even gave some of his works to the museum when he left.
The museum has almost 250 pieces of Picasso’s works and also houses pieces from other artists. The history of the building itself is quite interesting and apart from the works of art inside the mansion, the building and its surroundings are also beautiful and great for sightseeing, and the sea view is stunning.
The museum is also located in a great location with nice bars, restaurants, and cafes nearby.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Located just next to the Picasso museum, the Notre Dame cathedral is the largest church in Antibes and its rose-colored beauty has attracted many tourists. The church is a mixture of old and new as it has been built and rebuilt numerous times since its creation in the 5th century. It is a national monument and historical site and it is believed that St. Paul was arrested here in AD 67.
Inside, the church is full of old artwork and beautiful architecture that tells the story of resilience through time and yet still seems delicate and fragile. The inside is also quite silent and one could use this opportunity to relax silently with your thoughts, listen to the choir singing, or join an ongoing service.
The Archeology Museum
The archeology museum of Antibes is located in one of the two remaining forts of the Old Antibes. It is a small local museum that has archaeological finds from as far as the 17th century and tells the story of how Antibes came to be.
Inside you will find artifacts from land and sea and stories of ancient greek and roman mariners. There are many artifacts and one is free to roam around, or even just enjoy the beautiful view of the sea at the top of the building.
Antibes marché provencal
This is a local market that sells fresh produce, meats, fruits, vegetables, bread, olives, and even pastries such as french croissants, cheese, and chocolates.
The market is outstanding with a wide variety of multi-colored fabulous selling products that create a great vibe.
The market is a bit pricey but has high-quality goods. It is a clean orderly place to buy fresh regional produce or just take a stroll and enjoy the arrangements or the restaurants and cafes around.
Fort Carre
Built in the 16th century for military strategic purposes, Fort Carre is a star-shaped structure on the edge of the Saint-Roch peninsula and was used as a military barracks and a military training center. It has an exceptional 360-degree view of the surroundings and a fascination layout.
The fort is accessible only by guided tour due to safety reasons and gives you a good idea of how soldiers used to live in historic times. It played a significant role in the French Revolution and in the history of France and even had Napoleon briefly imprisoned there.
It is quite an interesting experience that is worth checking out.
Le Nomade
Le Nomade is a 3 meters tall modern sculpture that squat at the edge of port Vauban seemingly watching into the horizon as ships sail into and out of Antibes. It is most definitely one of the best spots in the town.
It was built on a building that was once a temple, which later became a church and later on a fortified tower and has a rich history that is quite interesting.
The sculpture is made of letters and is a gigantic hollow figure where tourists can enter and sit in its hollow space. The sculpture is well worth a visit and is one of the most interesting icons about Antibes town and is quite spectacular at night.
