Cannes, a beautiful coastal city in France, is famous for its glamorous film festival, luxury lifestyle, and golden beaches. Cannes is a name people know, even if they have never been. They picture the red carpet rolled across the steps of a modern building, stars stepping out of cars, flashbulbs firing until the night feels like day. That is the story the world tells. But Cannes is not just about movies.
It is also the smell of bread from a boulangerie in the morning, an old man carrying baskets through Marché Forville, fishermen yelling at gulls in the port, and monks walking quietly on an island where time seems slower. Cannes is a city of two faces, one polished and glossy, the other lived-in and steady.
You can sit on La Croisette and feel like you are inside a postcard. Or you can climb into Le Suquet and feel like centuries are still breathing around you. That balance keeps Cannes alive. Glamour next to simplicity. Champagne next to olives.
Here are best things to do in Cannes. They do not follow one order. Some are famous, others are quieter, but together they tell the story of a city that is more than the film festival.
1. La Croisette
The promenade curves with the bay like a long stage. Palms line it, swaying when the wind blows in from the sea. Hotels stand proud behind them, names glowing at night that anyone who has picked up a glossy magazine would recognize.
In the morning, it feels soft. Runners move along the edge, their shoes tapping rhythmically on the pavement. Shopkeepers drag chairs outside cafés, sweep dust into the gutter, pour coffee into white cups. The smell drifts with the breeze.
By afternoon, the sound changes. Families walk in slow groups. Kids point at sandcastles on the beach below, pull at their parents’ hands, whine for ice cream from carts. Tourists stop every few meters to lift phones for photos. A painter sets up a canvas, brush scratching softly against it. The sea sparkles so bright it makes you squint.
Evening falls, and La Croisette becomes something else. Cars glide past, polished and shining, not loud, just smooth. Couples sit on benches staring out across the bay as the light shifts from gold to black. Hotel lights reflect on the water. The sound of glasses clinking comes from terraces above.
On one side, boutiques show bags and dresses behind glass. On the other hand, the beach. Part of it is private, with rows of umbrellas and chairs arranged neatly, waiters carrying trays balanced perfectly. Part of it is public, with kids throwing balls, people stretched out on towels, the sand full of footprints.
La Croisette is not just a street. It is a stage. Everyone who walks here feels like part of the show.
2. Le Suquet (Old Town)
Climb the hill behind the port, and the mood changes immediately. The ground underfoot shifts from smooth to stone. The streets are narrow, winding in ways that force you to slow down. Houses rise close together, painted in faded pinks and yellows, shutters leaning open. Some windows hold flowerpots, others just shadows. Laundry sometimes stretches across alleys, catching the sun.
There is a feeling here that Cannes once looked like this everywhere, before the hotels and the shine.
Restaurants are tucked into corners, tables spilling onto the stones. A guitarist sometimes sits against a wall and plays softly. Not for tourists, not for money, just because the sound carries nicely here. A dog lies under a chair waiting for scraps.
At the top stands the Church of Our Lady of Hope. Plain, steady, built to last. The medieval tower rises above, stone catching the sunset light. From the square, the view is wide. The harbor below, yachts like toys, La Croisette curving in the distance, the sea stretching endlessly.
The old town is not large. You can walk through in less than an hour. But you carry it with you after. The cobbles, the colors, the way the air feels quieter at the top.
3. Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
From a distance, the building does not look like much. Modern, flat, more concrete than glamorous. But the steps at the front tell another story. They are covered in a red carpet. That is enough. Tourists come to stand there, even when the festival is not running. They pose, they smile, they pretend cameras are flashing. They imagine names being whispered and applause breaking like waves.
Inside, the building hosts more than film. Conventions, exhibitions, music events. But none of it matters as much as the memory of May, when the festival fills it with noise and light. It is not about design. It is about what has happened there. The red carpet has carried legends. That is the draw.
4. Marché Forville
Step inside, and the market swallows you. Noise first. Vendors shouting prices. People answering. Laughter from a group of friends carrying baskets. The scrape of crates being dragged across the floor. Then smell. Cheese sharp and strong, herbs fresh and green, fish salty and briny, strawberries so sweet you can almost taste them in the air. Flowers stand in tall buckets, filling the edges with color.
Locals come early. They know who sells the best olives, the freshest bread, the juiciest tomatoes. They taste before buying, leaning across counters, chatting with vendors who call them by name. Tourists wander more slowly. They stop to take photos of pyramids of fruit, to pick up a piece of cheese, to watch as a man slices ham so thin it curls into ribbons.
On the edge, cafés spill onto the street. People sit with espresso cups, watching the market flow past. A woman rests a basket at her feet, talking with a neighbor. The glamour of Cannes feels far away here. This is ordinary life. But it is alive, colorful, irresistible.
5. Îles de Lérins
The boat ride is short, fifteen minutes maybe, but enough to leave the city behind. Cannes fades, the noise disappears, and the sea opens wide. Ahead, the Lérins Islands. Sainte-Marguerite is the larger. A forest of pines and eucalyptus covers it. The air smells sharp, earthy. Paths twist across the island, some leading to the water’s edge where waves crash lightly on rocks.
At Fort Royal, the stones feel heavy. Thick walls, narrow windows. The Man in the Iron Mask was kept here. People whisper the story, imagine the silence of his cell. Saint-Honorat is smaller and quieter. Monks walk slowly, their robes brushing the ground. Vineyards stretch green across the island, grapes ripening under the sun.
The monastery rises simple and steady, a place that has held silence for centuries. They make wine and liqueur here, bottles filled with patience and care. The islands are not crowded. No red carpet, no shine. Just calm. Escape. A reminder that Cannes is also surrounded by nature and history.
6. Cannes Beaches
Golden sand lines the coast. The Mediterranean laps gently most of the year, calm and clear. Private beaches spread along La Croisette. Rows of umbrellas and chairs, waiters carrying drinks, music soft in the background. Expensive, yes, but quiet and polished.
Public beaches tell another story. Plage du Midi, close to the old town, is filled with families. Children run to the water, parents unpack sandwiches, and teenagers play music from small speakers. Plage de la Bocca stretches further west, wider, calmer, with locals reading books under umbrellas.
The beaches repeat in memory. Morning light across the water. Afternoons filled with noise and games. Evenings when the sun drops slowly, the sky turns pink, and the whole sea glows.
7. Musée de la Castre
At the top of Le Suquet stands a castle. Thick stone, towers that rise against the sky. Inside, a museum waits. The rooms hold instruments from across the world, masks carved with strange faces, Mediterranean relics, and paintings that glow with Riviera light. The halls are quiet, filled with echoes.
Climb the tower, and the view spreads wide. Cannes below, the port, La Croisette curving, the islands sitting dark on the horizon. Many say it is the best view in the city. The museum is small. You can see it in an hour. But it carries weight, history, and the reward of the climb.
8. Rue d’Antibes
Parallel to La Croisette runs Rue d’Antibes. No glamour, no red carpet. Just shops, cafés, bakeries. People walk constantly. Locals carrying bags, tourists stopping at windows, students rushing with phones in hand. The sound is footsteps, car horns, and voices mixing.
It feels practical. It shows the side of Cannes that lives daily, not only during the festival.
9. Port de Cannes
At the base of the hill, the port waits. Fishing boats tied close, yachts stretching sleek across the water. Nets piled, ropes creaking, gulls circling. Walk along and you see two worlds. Fishermen calling out, repairing lines, and selling fresh fish. Owners of yachts stepping carefully on board, glasses of champagne already in hand.
Restaurants serve grilled fish, lemon dripping, the smell rising with the smoke. The port is centuries old. It has carried work, wealth, and everything in between.
10. Villa Domergue
High above the city, Villa Domergue stands surrounded by gardens. Built by painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue, it is elegant, quiet, and full of style.
Fountains trickle, flowers bloom, terraces open wide. Concerts are sometimes held here, music floating across the gardens. Exhibitions take place inside. Other days, it just waits quietly, empty but beautiful.
Few visit. That makes it feel like a secret.
11. Boulevard du Midi Louise Moreau
West of the center runs this boulevard. Long, calm, and less crowded than La Croisette. The sea runs beside it, wide and steady.
Locals jog here. Families sit on benches with sandwiches. Children race scooters. Dogs run in circles on the sand. The air feels open.
It is Cannes without the pressure.
12. Espace Miramar
Once a cinema, now a cultural space. Espace Miramar still holds the spirit of film and art. Inside, exhibitions change often. Photography lines the walls. Performances fill small rooms. The sound of film remains in its corners.
It is not as famous as the Palais, but it adds to the city’s identity as more than just glamour.
13. Cannes Yachting Festival
September changes the harbor. Boats line up, hundreds of them, side by side. Small sailboats. Enormous yachts. Everything between. Visitors step on board, wander through cabins, and touch polished rails. Conversations rise in French, English, Italian, laughter mixing with music. Champagne glasses clink against each other. You do not need to want a yacht. The spectacle is enough.
14. Nightlife in Cannes
When the sun drops, Cannes wakes again. Bars glow, music spills, clubs pulse. Some nights are strict, velvet ropes, dress codes. Others are open-air, casual, sandals on sand, laughter spilling across tables. People dance, drink, and talk until morning. Nightlife is the city’s second life. Different from the morning. Just as strong.
Useful Travel Tips For Cannes
- Walk slowly through the little streets, not just the big ones. That’s where the real Cannes hides.
- Hotels fill up fast during the Film Festival, so try booking way before.
- A croissant from a small bakery will taste better than most tourist cafés.
- Bring light clothes, but don’t forget good shoes. You’ll walk more than you think.
- Public beaches are free and just as pretty as private ones.
- Buses work fine and cost much less than taxis.
- For gifts, check the tiny shops on side streets. They feel more personal.
- Go early if you don’t like big crowds.
- Carry water. The sun here can surprise you.
- Say “Bonjour” with a smile. It goes a long way.
Conclusion
Cannes is two cities in one. The one the world knows, with the festival, the glamour, the luxury. And the one that locals live in, with markets, narrow streets, beaches open to everyone, and islands where monks still walk slowly in silence.
These best things to do in Cannes show the balance. The Croisette with its palms and hotels. Le Suquet with its old stones. Forville with its smells and noise. The islands with their calm. The beaches with their endless sand.
It is a city that performs but also breathes. A place where you can feel like a star for a moment, and then sit quietly with an espresso in the market the next morning. Cannes does not hide either side. It shows both. That is why it stays unforgettable.