Antibes Old Town and Market

Antibes is the most rounded day trip from Nice: a real town with a working market, an old quarter behind sea walls, Europe's grandest yachts, a wild cape and a beach resort next door. Start with the Marché Provençal, held under the iron and glass halls of the Cours Masséna in the heart of the old town every morning (closed on Mondays outside the high season). Stalls of seasonal fruit and vegetables, olives, cheeses, flowers, spices, tapenade and soap fill the hall, and it is one of the best places on the coast to try socca, the thin chickpea pancake of the region, hot from the oven. From the market, wander into the old town: narrow streets of honey-coloured stone, the Safranier quarter, an artists' enclave of tiny squares and flowering doorways, and the lanes running between the ramparts and the cathedral. The sea walls give views across the bay to the Alps on clear days. The Picasso Museum, in the Château Grimaldi on the ramparts, is covered separately in this guide and closes on Mondays. Walk down to Port Vauban, one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean, past Jaume Plensa's giant seated figure Nomade, made of steel letters, toward the star-shaped Fort Carré on its headland. In the afternoon, take a local bus out to the Cap d'Antibes to climb to the Garoupe lighthouse or walk the rocky Tire-Poil coastal path, then spend the evening in Juan-les-Pins, among its Belle Époque villas, the pine grove where the July jazz festival takes place and its sandy beaches. Trains from Nice take around twenty to thirty minutes.

Market tips: the market runs from early morning to around 1pm; arrive by mid-morning for the best choice and before the tour groups. Bring cash for small stalls, and buy picnic supplies for later. In summer, the same halls hold craft stalls in the afternoons and evenings. The market is closed on Mondays outside the summer season, which also happens to be the Picasso Museum's closing day, so do not plan Antibes on a Monday in winter.

The Cap d'Antibes: buses run from the town centre to the Plage de la Salis, from where you can climb the Chemin du Calvaire to the Garoupe lighthouse and chapel for a sweeping panorama, or follow the Sentier du Littoral (Tire-Poil) along the rocky shore of the cape. The path is free and open all year in good weather, but it is steep and uneven in places, closes in storms and is not suitable for strollers. Allow one to two hours for the walk, and wear proper shoes.

Juan-les-Pins and getting around: Juan-les-Pins is a short train or bus ride from Antibes, or a long walk around the coast. In winter it is sleepy, with many beach restaurants closed, but its sandy beaches and Belle Époque streets are pleasant for a sunset stroll. Antibes and Juan-les-Pins have frequent trains to Nice and Cannes, so you can easily return late. A natural pairing is to combine Antibes with Cannes and the Lérins Islands over two days, or with Saint-Paul-de-Vence by car. Foodies should not leave without trying socca and buying olive oil and herbs at the market.