Antibes, France

Antibes is a city in France, located on a rocky promontory on the Mediterranean coast. The city is one of the most famous resorts of the Riviera. Its population is about 80 thousand people. It was founded in the 5th century BC by Greek colonists and was called Antipolis. Later, in 27 BC, the city of Antibes became part of the Roman Empire and a centre of Mediterranean trade. The fortresses and harbour were reconstructed by Vauban in the 17th century. Above the harbour is the old town, which can be reached on foot. Here the streets are narrow, cobbled and full of shops where, along with souvenirs, you can see how the old crafts are practiced. The fortifications of Antibes have allowed many of the historical monuments to be preserved.

The Grimaldi Castle towers over the fortifications above the sea. Picasso stayed here in 1946. From his stay in the Castle, which he himself considered very fruitful, are some of his finest paintings - "The Joy of Life", "Night Fishing in Antibes" and "Antipolis Series", which he donated to the city. Since 1966, the Grimaldi Castle has been designated the Picasso Museum. Around 25o of his works are exhibited here, as well as paintings by other artists such as Nicolas de Stahl and Modigliani. On the terrace are sculptures by Miró and Risz, which look impressive against the sea.

In the Museum of History and Archaeology near the fortifications, Greek, Roman and other artefacts are presented in two large halls with cylindrical vaults.

The district of Joan le Pen, to the west of Antibes, is beautiful and rich. At the beginning of the 20th century it was annexed to the main town. It then became one of the most visited places by musicians, artists, painters and the rich. In the resort of Joan le Pen there are many restaurants, casinos and discotheques where the nightlife boils. American jazz saxophonist Sidney Beckett fell in love with this town and celebrated his wedding here in 1951. Railroad magnate Frank Gould opened the first summer casino here. The Italian-American artist Rudolph Valentino has a splendid villa in this charming place. A world jazz festival is held every year in July in Juan le Pen. Huge yachts are moored in Antibes harbour. Most of the beaches are private. The public beaches are rocky but unspoilt by human activity. So if one decides to visit the Riviera, one should definitely stop in Antibes.