One Day in Cannes Itinerary: 13 Best Things to Do
Planning a trip to the south of France and looking for the best things to do with one day in Cannes? Read on for my top recommendations!
One of the jewels of the French Riviera, Cannes boasts a glamorous atmosphere, stunning sea views, remarkable architecture, and luxury stores, restaurants, and hotels.
Cannes is also famous for hosting the annual Cannes Film Festival and for being the playground of the rich and famous, which all make Cannes an iconic Côte d’Azur destination to visit.
In this guide, I’m sharing the best things to do with one day in Cannes, a perfect amount of time to explore this glitzy city.
Why should you listen to me? I’ve visited France 10 times (including living in Paris for three months), and have traveled all over the French Riviera on 3 separate occasions. I absolutely love France and I’m here to give you all the best information about this incredible country.
Your Perfect One Day in Cannes Itinerary
This list is structured in order of how I would recommend you follow your daily itinerary in Cannes. So start with #1 and proceed through the list – I believe it is a sensible path as you tour through the city.
1. Stroll along La Croisette
La Croisette is among the most popular spots in Cannes – this long seaside promenade stretches for 2 km (1.2 miles) and is lined by palm trees and beautiful sandy beaches.
The wonderful promenade is the perfect place for a relaxing stroll and people-watching, similar to what you can do in Nice’s Promenade des Anglais. However, La Croisette adds something more to the experience: it’s where you can indulge in high-end shopping – Cannes has the highest concentration of designer boutiques on the French Riviera!
Haute-couture boutiques like Chanel and Dior, grand hotels, casinos, and a parade of luxe cars, La Croisette oozes that glam that is Cannes’ quintessential vibe.
2. La Malmaison
Along La Croisette, you will find La Malmaison, one of the top museums in Cannes, which hosts exhibitions of artists from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Housed in a stunning colonial house, La Malmaison has a small but exciting permanent collection of photographs and sculptures. The rest of the exhibits change constantly, so if you visit Cannes more than once, you will get to know different talented artists.
3. Visit the Palace of Festivals
The Palace of Festivals is one of the top places to visit in Cannes. This massive convention center is another attraction along La Croisette, and is mainly famous for hosting the annual Cannes Film Festival.
The striking feature of the Palace of Festivals is the iconic 24 steps dressed in a red carpet that the movie stars walk during the film festival. The Palace of Festivals is only accessible with guided tours in July and August; tourists can only admire it from the outside the rest of the year.
When I visited in September, this was the best I could see of the Palace and red carpet. Not exactly all that glamorous, ha!
If you have the chance to get inside, you will marvel at a breathtaking 360° panorama of Le Suquet, the bay, and the Lérins islands.
4. Le Chemin des Etoiles
Right in front of the Palace of Festivals is the Chemin des Étoiles, or Cannes Walk of Fame. Inspired by the iconic LA street, it features almost 400 handprints of the celebrities who have visited Cannes during the film festival over the years.
Stroll the street to see life-size casts of the stars’ autograph names and dated handprints engraved in cement slabs with a silver or regional Provençal terracotta look.
Among the most famous handprints are the ones of Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Leonardo Dicaprio, Meryl Streep, Meg Ryan, and Quentin Tarantino. You can’t miss the Chemin des Étoiles if you are a cinephile!
5. Rue d’Antibes
One thing I love about Cannes is the many shopping opportunities it boasts. Besides La Croisette, Rue d’Antibes is another very pretty shopping street, with more budget-friendly stores. You will find it outside Cannes Old Town, and it is a wonderful place to mingle with locals and the rich and famous for a fun afternoon of shopping.
Rue d’Antibes features chic boutiques, international chains like Zara, and French fashion stores. If shopping is not your thing, I suggest you visit Rue d’Antibes anyway as it makes for a pleasant walk to admire architectural buildings decorated with sculptures by Pellegrini.
6. Old Port of Cannes
This list of things to do in Cannes continues with the Vieux Port. To get to Cannes’ Old Port, continue just past the Palace of Festivals to the west. The Old Port offers a fun juxtaposition with its mix of traditional charm and glamor. Walking around, you will see fishermen’s boats and moored luxury yachts side by side.
Stop by a cool bar or seafood restaurant that lines the water’s edge to watch ferries to the Lérins Islands, huge yachts approaching, and locals strolling around.
Make sure to walk all the way to Quai Saint-Pierre, the wharf dotted with beautiful buildings. This is also the best spot to watch the Régates Royales, which are famous regattas in which sailboats compete in a race in the Bay of Cannes.
7. Explore Le Suquet
Perched on a hill just next to the port and overlooking the charming bay, Le Suquet is the ancient Roman settlement of the town. After five centuries of Roman domain, the area became the property of Cistercian monks.
The traces of this old history are still visible in Le Suquet neighborhood, in its cobbled streets, winding alleys, and the Château de la Castre, the medieval castle-fortress.
This neighborhood, also referred to as the “Old Town of Cannes” is perfect for a laid-back stroll, admiring pastel-colored buildings with red-tiled roofs and soaking up an authentic atmosphere.
The next two places to visit in Cannes on this list are located in the Le Suquet neighborhood.
8. Musée des Explorations du Monde
Housed inside an old medieval castle overlooking the Old Port, the Museum of the Explorations of the World was formerly Musée de la Castre.
The museum’s collection is impressive, showcasing art, antiquities, and archaeological relics from regions worldwide, from the Himalayas to Oceania to prehistorical Columbia. This eclectic exhibit mostly comes from the private collection of a Dutch baron who donated it to Cannes.
While the museum is nice, the real draw is climbing the 109 steps of the historic watchtower to admire the incredible 360-degree views at the top over the Bay of Cannes. This watchtower is included in your entrance ticket and is in an outside courtyard from the middle of the museum.
9. Eglise Notre Dame de l’Esperance
Another must visit on Le Suquet Hill is the Eglise Notre Dame d’Espérance. This stunning Gothic church, the oldest in Cannes, dates back to the 15th century. This historic landmark blends different architectural styles, including a Romanesque bell tower and a Renaissance front porch.
The church interior is elegant, decorated with statues and two side chapels dedicated to the brotherhoods of craftsmen who worked on the church’s construction.
One particularly fun thing in the church is the display of Provencal dolls and figurines in various outfits and engaged in activities typical for the region.
Given its location, the Eglise Notre Dame d’Espérance is a fabulous vantage point from which to enjoy the gorgeous views over Cannes.
In July, the courtyard before the church transforms into a lovely venue for the ‘Nuits Musicales du Suquet’ music festival.
10. Relax at the La Croisette Beaches
One of the best parts of visiting Cannes are all the beautiful beaches in the city. The beaches along La Croisette are particularly popular and are some of the best beaches on the French Riviera for soft sand.
The beaches at La Croisette are a mix of private and public. Hit the free Plage Macé and Plage de Casino for a great time, or choose one of the many private beaches for the ultimate glamorous experience.
In the summer months, La Croisette’s private beaches are frequented by the crème of Parisian society, models, and moguls – so get ready to spend to rent umbrellas and sun loungers and enjoy fantastic cocktails and dishes.
11. …Or at the Plage du Midi
Alternatively, head to the other side of Cannes for to recharge your energy at the Plage du Midi. Running along the Boulevard du Midi, the namesake beach is a free public beach, which means there aren’t sun loungers and umbrellas for rent – so join the locals and pop down a towel wherever you can find a spot!
Around the Plage du Midi, there are plenty of cafés and ice-cream parlors for a refreshing break.
12. Marché Forville
This is the largest market in Cannes, where you can shop for fresh produce. Bustling with locals shopping for food, the Forville Market is just a short stroll from the Old Port on the edge of Le Suquet.
I always make a point to stop in the market of any French city I visit – the markets are so fascinating, full of delicious foods, locally produced goods, and regular French people going about their daily lives.
The venue has stalls on stalls selling French cheeses, dried meats, local honey, and artisan bread. Browsing around, you will also find organic fruit and vegetables, fresh seafood, and hot dishes prepared for immediate consumption.
A large section of the covered market is also dedicated to seasonal flowers.
While maybe slightly less scenic than the Marché aux Fleurs in Nice or the Marché Provencal in Antibes, I had a great time at this market. The vendors were particularly kind to me – offering free samples of different items and being chatty and pleasant.
13. Discover the Murs Peints
Wandering around Cannes, there will be something you will notice – many walls have beautiful paintings on them. Scattered around town, these painted walls are trompe-l’oeil frescos that feature scenes from film-making and cinema.
Marvel at wonderful representations in their likeness of Marylin Monroe and Alain Delon and at the epic walls depicting scenes from popular movies such as Taxi Driver and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The Murs Peints (“Painted walls”) make Cannes a true open-air movie museum and so they are one of the town’s unique features – don’t miss finding at least a few of these charming murals during your day in Cannes.
I have noted several of the Mur Peint that are nearby the rest of the spots on this itinerary in the map, below.
Map of Places to Visit in Cannes
Practical Information
How to Get to Cannes
Cannes is conveniently connected to many towns and villages along the French Riviera by the main SNCF train line that runs along the coast. For example, you can get here in less than 30 minutes from Nice for around €5.
Is One Day in Cannes Enough?
Unless you want to spend multiple days lazily lounging on the beach, Ithink 24 hours is plenty of time to see and experience what Cannes has to offer. You can easily do all the things on this list with a day in Cannes, and you can also do a day trip to Cannes from other cities in southern France.
Where Else to Visit on the French Riviera
The south of France is a great area to explore – there are tons and tons of little towns and coastal cities to visit and discover and you could easily spend 7 days exploring the French Riviera.
Grasse is just a 20 minute train ride from Cannes and is the perfume capital of France (and you can actually make your own luxury perfume here!)
I love the charming villages of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Eze. I’d recommend spending a few days in Nice, and I also really enjoyed visiting Antibes, a fairly large coastal city.
I also love the colorful towns of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Menton, as well as the coastal hike around Cap Ferrat. Finally, the Principality of Monaco is always a popular nearby destination, and the village of La Turbie above Monaco is a new favorite spot.
Is Cannes Worth Visiting?
Cannes is a beautiful city with gorgeous beaches and many attractions, and I really enjoyed my time there. In general, I definitely do think that it’s worth visiting. However, if you have less than a week in southern France, I think I would prioritize other places first over Cannes.
That certainly comes with some caveats, though. If you’re looking for a great beach destination, Cannes is incredible (albeit crowded) on hot summer days. Also, if you have more than a week in the French Riviera, I would definitely spend at least 24 hours in Cannes.
And if you love movies, then Cannes’ history and association with the film industry is certainly a big reason to visit the city.
Spending One Day in Cannes – The Wrap Up
A day exploring Cannes can be a wonderful addition to your trip to the French Riviera. From shopping and glam to history and beaches, Cannes has a lot to offer in terms of beauty and enjoyment. Now that you know what to do in Cannes, make those plans and enjoy your visit!
