Holidays in Cap d'Antibes
Antibes is located on the Côte d'Azur between the two world-famous resorts of Nice (23 km) and Cannes (11 km). Antibes is an ideal destination for both a beach holiday and an active vacation. The harbor is home to numerous luxury yachts, as the city is the largest port on the Riviera. You can admire these remarkable vessels on the Billionaires' Quay. Antibes was founded in the 6th century BC by Greek sailors, who initially called it Antipolis, meaning "located opposite." This meant that the new settlement was located opposite Nice, which was visible across the bay. Over time, the city's name changed to the one we know today.
In 1815, Napoleon, fleeing from the island of Elba, landed in Antibes but failed to capture the city. Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, and Cap d'Antibes form a single administrative unit. If you walk from Antibes' main square, Place de Gaulle, along the main shopping street, Boulevard Wilson, you'll find yourself in the center of Juan-les-Pins, home to the city's main nightlife, in just 20 minutes. The old part of Antibes is very authentic: strolling through the narrow streets, you can find artisan workshops with original products, bakeries with fresh pastries, Provençal spices, and signature rosé wine, and enjoy the atmosphere of a leisurely old town. Many cultural figures are associated with Antibes. F. Scott Fitzgerald spent much of his time at the Villa Saint-Louis, which was later sold and converted into the five-star Hotel Belles Rives.
It was at this villa that he wrote his famous novel, Tender Is the Night, set on the Côte d'Azur. The Greek writer Nikas Kazantzakis lived in Antibes, where he wrote the novel "Alexas Zorbas," which was adapted into a Hollywood film in 1964 as "Zorba the Greek." Pablo Picasso also worked in Antibes for six months. His studio was located in the Grimaldi dynasty's waterfront château. This period was one of the most prolific in the artist's life, and in gratitude to the city, he left many of his drawings and sketches, which are now housed in the château, along with works by César, Arman, Léger, and others, and are open to tourists.
The artist Nicolas Stael, a native of St. Petersburg, spent the last year of his life in Antibes. He created approximately 300 works there, many of which are now housed in the Grimaldi château. Abstract artist Hans Hartung and American writer Graham Greene also spent several years in Antibes. The renowned American jazz saxophonist Sidney Biché fell in love with Antibes so much that he celebrated his wedding there, after which he settled there permanently. The musician dedicated his composition "On the Streets of Antibes" to his beloved city.
In memory of this famous resident, the authorities organized an annual jazz festival in Juan-les-Pins, which has been held every summer since 1960. World jazz stars such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, and Norah Jones have performed at the festival. The history of Russian relations with the Côte d'Azur goes back centuries. The royal family regularly visited the Riviera, and after the Revolution, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich settled with his family on Cap d'Antibes, where he lived for the rest of his life. Traces of Russian history can be found in Antibes. For example, the Church of La Garoupe houses church relics taken from Russia during the Crimean War, including a 16th-century icon of the Virgin and Child, a wooden cross, and the embroidered shroud of the Vorontsov family. The most luxurious hotel on Cap d'Antibes, the Hôtel du Cap Eden Roc, was built in 1870 at the instigation of Prince Paul Fersen, a former colonel and military adviser to the Russian Emperor.
All the beaches in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins are sandy, and many are state-owned, so admission is free. Numerous restaurants offering Mediterranean cuisine, rich in fish and seafood, are open during the day and evening. In the evening, young people gather in the bars, clubs, and casinos of Juan-les-Pins or the pubs of Antibes. Antibes and Juan-les-Pans have train stations, connecting you to Monaco, Nice, Cannes, and Grasse in less than an hour.
The Musée de la Marine et Napoleon is widely known for its collection of models of ancient ships and marine paintings. Its halls display exhibits documenting the development of the French navy and Napoleon's escape from Elba. Also located on the cape is the oldest botanical garden on the Côte d'Azur, the Jardin Botanique des Thures, where the National Institute of Agronomic Research has collected 3,000 plant species over a 4-hectare area.
The main attraction of Antibes is, of course, the collection of Pablo Picasso's works, housed in the Musée Picasso. At the age of 65, Picasso settled in the former Château Grimaldi, where he created approximately 150 works in six months. This period is considered to be marked by an extraordinary creative surge. The Museum of History and Archaeology is widely known, where The exhibits are found during numerous land and underwater archaeological expeditions. Antibes's most captivating feature is its old quarters. The best way to reach them is through the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The courtyard of the Church is incredibly romantic, and at any time of day, you can experience a sense of surrealism. The same feelings ensue in the old quarters themselves. A good place to begin exploring them is the Cours Masséna. Every morning, a market opens here, where delicate roses from local gardeners stand alongside fresh fish caught overnight, and the stalls are adorned with sun-drenched fruits and vegetables from local farmers.
Cap d'Antibes Climate
The climate is Mediterranean, with moderately warm winters (average January temperature 8-10°C) and dry, warm, and sunny summers (average July and August temperature 26°C). In summer, sea breezes have a cooling effect on the coast.