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The post will share the details of my Nice to Cannes Day Trip.
While I would have loved to visit all the cities on the French Rivera, I had to narrow my options down to three to avoid burning out. Naturally, Nice and Monaco were at the top of my list. But as a movie geek, I didn’t think twice about Cannes when it came down to the third option.
Just as I had visited Venice for the Venice International Film Festival, I had to stop at Cannes to see where the famous Cannes International Film Festival is held annually. As a coastal city, I did not have too many expectations as I noticed that there wasn’t much to do.
But I knew that the worst-case scenario would be to relax on the beachfront at the end of the day, which is exactly why I did.
I was not prepared to be blown away by how stunning this city was. Despite the heavy downpour almost ruining the day for me, after a couple of hours, the grey clouds made way for the sunny blue skies, and the city literally came to life.
If this were in England, the weather would remain grey all day, making you depressed so much that you might not even leave the house anymore.
Despite being a bordering country, there’s a huge contrast between the weather in England and the South of France.
With this gorgeous weather, I could explore for a few more hours before finishing the day by the beach.
Here’s how my Nice to Cannes day trip went down.
Getting To Cannes From Nice
After my experience taking the bus from Nice to Monaco, I wasn’t going to repeat the same thing with Cannes. My hotel is a five-minute walk from the Nice Ville train station.
There was no way I would walk further than that just for the scenic views on a bus ride.
Depending on what time of the day you go, the journey takes about 30 – 40 minutes. The train runs every thirty minutes compared to one of the buses, which runs every four hours. The Line 620 bus from the Nice airport also runs every thirty minutes.
So if you want to go straight to Cannes from the Nice airport, you can catch the bus at the station in front of the terminal.
Moving Around Cannes
From Nice, make sure you’re taking the train to the main train station in the city centre: Cannes Station and not the Cannes La Bocca, which is further away.
The Gare de Cannes is right at the heart of the city centre, so you don’t need any form of public transport to move around Cannes. The city is compact and best explored on foot.
Also, the city’s primary attraction, the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes, where the Cannes Film Festival takes place, is a five-minute walk from the train station.
From there you can easily explore other parts of the city. Plus the beach is also close-by.
The Best Things To Do On Your Nice To Cannes Day Trip
Perhaps the most iconic thing for me was visiting Cannes just a week before this year’s annual Cannes Festival. This meant that similar to the Grand Pix in Monaco; I also visited during the set-up.
Naturally, there were many restrictions, so that I couldn’t move around. But I just made do with whatever was available. This included exploring the Cannes Walk of Fame, which includes about 140 handprints of famous and familiar movie stars.
The first thing I thought whilst walking along the streets of Cannes was that it was giving me Marbella vibes. I visited the South of Spain last Summer, and the similarities between both destinations are uncanny.
While the former is a city and the latter; a town, they’re both resort destinations. Which is what I prefer for the Summer. The fewer attractions a city has, the more suitable it is for a beach holiday.
Iconic Landmarks
While at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes, you might as well walk along the Promenade de la Croisette, the waterfront avenue stretching along the Cannes coastline. The road is lined with stunning pines and palm trees and stretches for about 3km, with immaculate views.
After that, you can hike into The Old Town: Le Suquet. This is where you find the origins of Cannes, which started as a small fishing village. Expect cobbled streets, colourful market stalls and everything that makes the city charming.
Ensure you stop by:
- Meynadier Street, where you’ll find a selection of artisan food shops.
- Forville Market; an indoor market with local produce and flowers.
- Le Suquet des Artistes, a former mortuary turned exhibition centre.
- Museum of World Explorations: a collection of antique and primitive art in a former monastery.
When you’re done basking in the panoramic views of the Old Town, climb down to the Old Port at the foot of the hill. Here you’ll find fishermen’s boats and shuttles to and fro the nearby Lerins Islands: Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat. It is a 20-minute boat ride.
If you spend half a day exploring The Old Town, you can finish with a trip down to Sainte Marguerite island. A return trip is €16.50. Book tickets here.
After a day of exploring, if you would rather not take the boat to one of the islands, you can always relax by one of the beaches.
Overall,
Cannes impressed me. I did not expect much from it, but it gave what it had to give, so much so that I’m considering returning to visit the Lerins Islands.
Did I also mention how stunning the turquoise waters are? Compared to Nice, the city is a lot more quiet and serene. It’s a great gateway from the chaos of Nice, especially since most people use it as their base on the French Riviera.
I feel like I can return here during the off-season for a quiet holiday and have a great time. So, if you have been considering a Nice to Cannes day trip to test the waters, go for it.