Cannes in 3 to 5 Days Without a Car
Cannes works as a base for several days because the coastal train reaches Antibes, Nice and Monaco in under an hour and the Lérins Islands are a ferry ride away. Prices are in euros.
Three days in Cannes
Day 1: the town. Walk the Croisette from the Palais des Festivals to Pointe Croisette and look at the palace hotels from outside: the Carlton, the Martinez and the Majestic. Pass the star handprints on the Chemin des Étoiles. In the afternoon climb Le Suquet to the Musée des Explorations du Monde, open 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 in winter and closed on Mondays; entry is about €6.50. Eat in Rue Saint-Antoine in the old town.
Day 2: Sainte-Marguerite. Take the 15-minute ferry from the old port. Visit the Fort Royal museum, open daily June to September, and walk the pine paths. If the sea is calm and you swim well, snorkel the six underwater statues off the south shore, inside the marked zone.
Day 3: Saint-Honorat. Go by Planaria, which is the only company serving the island; the return fare is €19.50 online for adults. Visit the fortified monastery, free to enter, taste the monks’ wine and have lunch at La Tonnelle if you have booked online. Take the last boat back with time to spare.
Five days by rail
Keep days 1 to 3 and add two day trips.
Day 4: Grasse and Antibes. Take the train to Grasse, about 17 to 25 minutes for about €6.70. See the free Fragonard factory visit, then return and stop at Antibes, about 10 minutes from Cannes, for the Musée Picasso, which was listed at €12 in 2026.
Day 5: Monaco. The train takes about an hour. The Prince’s Palace State Apartments open from late March to mid-October at €13, the Casino atrium is free and the Musée Océanographique costs €22.50. Back in Cannes, the inside of the Palais can be seen on a guided tour that runs only on a few days in July and August at €6.
Timing and tickets
The Festival de Cannes runs from 11 to 22 May 2027. Hotels fill early and prices climb. The public cannot buy tickets for the main screenings, but the free Cinéma de la Plage on the beach is open to everyone. In July and August the bay hosts a fireworks competition on six evenings, free from the shore. In summer, check Esterel fire closures if you plan a hike.
Stay somewhere within walking distance of the station: see Cannes hotels on Booking.com . Read more: Cannes day trips and the 5-day Cannes itinerary .