Are you planning to visit the Côte d’Azur and wondering whether to go to Antibes or Nice?
We love both destinations. The choice is difficult, but we’re here to help you with our opinions on specific criteria.
Here’s our Antibes vs Nice battle with tips and photos:
- Atmosphere
- Beaches, monuments and museums
- Location
- Hotels and restaurants
- …
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Antibes or Nice: comparison summary
Short answer
The two cities are very close, yet very different.
Nice offers a blend of historic charm and modernity, with numerous top-class art museums and an elegant ambience.
Antibes has two faces that will delight visitors: the old town with its ramparts and the sea and mountain views, complemented by its seaside resort of Juan-les-Pins.
Depending on what you’re looking for…
- to easily explore the region: equality
- for the most beautiful beaches: Antibes
- for young children / families: Antibes
- for the most beautiful hotels: Nice
- for a romantic break: Nice
- for gastronomy: Nice
- for the city’s charm: equality
- for nightlife: Nice
- …
See the top-rated accommodations in Nice.
See the top-rated accommodations in Antibes.
Access + Location to explore the region
Both towns are located on the eastern half of the Côte d’Azur. They are both well placed for exploring the region.
However, it’s quicker to get out of the smaller town of Antibes.
Here’s some road map to help you make a better assessment:
- Antibes to Nice= 35min drive
- Antibes to Cannes = 25 min drive
- Nice to Monaco = 30 min drive
- Cannes to Saint-Tropez = 1h20 drive
Nice-Côte d’Azur airport is the main international airport serving Nice and Antibes.
Nice airport: 15min drive
Antibes airport: 25min drive
Compare available flights.
The two towns also have a train station with services between Marseille and Menton.
Book your trains.
OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Best hotel offer: Antibes vs Nice
Hotels in Nice
The variety and quality of hotels in Nice are undeniable: luxury hotels overlooking the sea, charming Art Deco hotels, quieter Aparthotels close to attractions…
Here are some of our favorite accommodations:
- Luxury: Anantara Plaza Hotel Nice – see photos and availability
- Art Deco: Hôtel Le Riviera Collection Best Western – see photos and availability
- Poetic: Hôtel Apollinaire – see photos and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Nice.
Hotels in Antibes
The range of hotels in Antibes is fairly limited. You’ll find plenty of apartment rentals.
You can choose between hotels on the old town side, or close to the Juan-les-Pins beach.
We recommend..:
- Old Town: Hotel La Villa Port d’Antibes – view prices, pictures and availability
- Charm: Hotel Alexandra – view prices, pictures and availability
- Quiet: Hotel La Villa Cap d’Antibes – view prices, pictures and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Antibes.
Our review
We prefer Nice’s range of hotels, with a good selection at all levels.
Attractions, museums and monuments
Nice Attractions
Nice’s main attractions are..:
- The seafront promenade (Promenade des Anglais)
- The old town with its Italian influence
- The ancient heritage
- Numerous museums, especially art-related: MAMAC, Musée Matisse, Musée Chagall…
- Views from Colline du Château
- Belle-Epoque and Art-Déco architecture
- St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
- …
Find out more in our article on Nice’s top attractions.
Attractions in Antibes
The main attractions in Antibes are:
- Walk on the ramparts and admire the statue of Le Nomade
- Explore the narrow streets of the old town
- Enjoy the many sandy beaches with unforgettable views
- Visit Fort Carré
- Learning at the Picasso Museum
- Hike the coastal path to Cap d’Antibes and its impressive Garoupe lighthouse!
- …
Find out more in our article on the best attractions in Antibes.
Our review
Nice offers a wider choice of attractions and museums.
Our winner: Nice.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
- Great kayak trips in:
Saint-Tropez to the Ramatuelle reserve
Cassis to the calanques - Helicopter flight from Cannes
- Shuttle service along the coast between Nice and Saint-Tropez
- Bike tours: eBike in Nice – Mountain biking in the Esterel massif
Most beautiful beaches
Beaches of Nice
Nice boasts several magnificent beaches along its coastline. Pebbles, sand, the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea: the choice is yours if you want to swim, stroll or take a break in front of the azure immensity! Restaurants are located near most public and private beaches, but you can also bring your own packed lunch.
Antibes beaches
In Antibes, you’ll find beautiful beaches, mostly of fine sand, although some are pebbled. The largest are located in Antibes’ seaside resort, “Juan-les-Pins”, while the “wildest” are at Cap d’Antibes.
We love the Ponteil beach with its view of Antibes old town and the mountains behind.
See our article on Antibes’ most beautiful beaches (coming soon).
Our review
We prefer the beaches of Antibes.
Excursions around the cities
Excursions from Nice
From Nice, you can visit:
- The magnificent village of Èze – see our article
- Monaco, Cannes, Antibes and Menton
- Spend a day in the village of Èze, then stop off in Monaco and Monte-Carlo, the must-sees of the Riviera – see photos, details and availability.
- Visit the fortified town with its 16th-century ramparts, opt for a day trip to discover beautiful Antibes and its Fort Carré, then head inland – see photos, details and availability.
- Explore the Gorges du Verdon, its cliffs and transparent waters, then stroll through the lavender fields. A magical experience – see photos, details and availability.
See our article on the best excursions from Nice (coming soon).
Excursions from Antibes
From Antibes, you can visit:
- The magnificent village of Èze – see our article
- Monaco, Cannes, Antibes and Menton
- The city of Grasse and its perfumes
- The villages of St Paul de Vence, Mougins, Vallebonne
Our review
Both towns offer great excursions. However, the choice is greater in Nice.
Our preference: Nice.
Best gastronomic offer
Restaurants in Nice
Nice has a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes. You’ll discover a cuisine of land and sea, based on local Provencal produce, blended with Mediterranean notes and flavours, but that’s not all! Reservations are strongly recommended for all establishments where possible.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant JAN (1 star): a sensory and poetic dining experience
- Restaurant Sweet Sisters: a colorful place to enjoy a healthy meal in Nice
- Restaurant Peixes: for seafood lovers
- Restaurant La Storia: for specialties from Nice
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Nice.
Restaurants in Antibes
The restaurant offer is interesting for the size of the town. There are numerous restaurants offering refined, traditional cuisine. We were impressed by the concentration of bistronomic restaurants.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant L’Arazur: colorful plates that change with the seasons
- Healthy Lounge Restaurant: for a healthy lunch while exploring the Old Town.
- Restaurant Le Figuier Saint-Esprit (1 star): traditional French gourmet cuisine.
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Antibes.
Our review
We preferred Nice’s gastronomic offerings.
Ease of getting around these cities/regions
Getting around Nice
Nice is a fairly large city that you can explore on foot (for the old center), by streetcar or by bus.
We found it quite easy to get around.
Nice also has a hop-on-hop-off bus to see the main places of interest – save time, buy your ticket.
Getting around Antibes
Antibes’ old town side is easy to explore on foot.
The alleyways are narrow and mainly pedestrian, anyway.
However, if you want to explore Cap d’Antibes, you’ll need a car.
Can you visit Antibes and Nice on the same trip?
The two towns are quite close.
By car, 45min drive.
By train: 40min, good frequency
And why not other cities/regions?
On the Côte d’Azur, there are plenty of other great towns to discover. You can read our comparison:
Or see our list of the most beautiful towns on the Côte d’Azur.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE Côte d’Azur
- Inspiration
The most beautiful landscapes in 30 photos
Best things to do on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful villages
Best beaches on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful gardens
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Most beautiful islands
Secret places
- Practical advice
Successful travel on the Côte d’Azur (coming soon)
Rent a car in Provence – in Nice – in Cannes – in Marseille – in Aix-en-Provence.
Itineraries: 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
Weekend ideas: best-of – romantic – luxury – unusual
- Where to stay
Where to stay on the Côte d’Azur
Best luxury hotels on the Côte d’Azur
Hotels by the sea
Best boutique-hotels
