Cannes

Cannes's grand seafront boulevard — a wide, palm-lined promenade curving along the bay past belle-époque hotels, designer flagships and the beach clubs, with the film-festival Palais at one end. Stroll it in the evening for the passeggiata, the yachts and the people-watching; the glamorous heart of the city, free to enjoy.

The home of the Cannes Film Festival — the big convention hall at the west end of the Croisette, fronted by the famous red-carpet steps and the 'Allée des Stars', a pavement of handprints left by the stars. Pose on the steps, spot your favourite's handprint, and see the harbour beside it; a fun, free star-struck stop even out of festival season.

The old fishing quarter on the hill west of the port — steep, cobbled, flower-hung lanes of little restaurants climbing to a church and a medieval bell-tower with a sweeping view over the bay and the yachts. The most charming, un-glitzy side of Cannes; wander up at dusk for the view and dinner on a lantern-lit terrace.

The sandy beaches line the Croisette — a mix of glossy private beach clubs with their loungers and restaurants, and free public stretches in between, all on soft imported sand with the bay curving away to the islands. Rent a lounger for the full Riviera treatment or find a free patch; the swimming is easy and the setting hard to beat.

Two little pine-and-eucalyptus islands a short ferry from the harbour — Sainte-Marguerite, with its fort where the 'Man in the Iron Mask' was held and lovely swimming coves, and tiny Saint-Honorat, a working monastery where the monks make wine. A gorgeous, green half-day escape from the glamour; take a picnic and swim off the rocks.

The old harbour below Le Suquet — a marina packed with everything from fishing boats to gleaming superyachts, ringed by cafés and the departure point for the Lérins ferries. A pleasant stroll for a coffee or an evening drink among the masts, with the old town rising behind; the working, salty heart of Cannes.

The quintessential Riviera day — a lounger at one of the Croisette's private beach clubs, a long lunch of grilled fish and salad with your feet near the sand, and a chilled glass of Provence rosé as the afternoon drifts. Pricey but pure Côte d'Azur; book a bed ahead in summer, or do it for one indulgent lunch.

Cannes does old-school Riviera glamour after dark — the Casino Barrière beside the Palais, and the Palm Beach casino out on the point, for a flutter, a cocktail bar and a dressed-up night out. You don't have to gamble to enjoy the belle-époque glitz; dress smart and soak up the Monte-Carlo-lite atmosphere.

Cannes's covered Provençal market, a block behind the port — heaped with sun-ripe tomatoes, olives, cheeses, flowers, fish off the boats and socca straight from the pan. Come in the morning for the colour, the smells and a cheap, brilliant picnic lunch (Mondays it turns to a flea market); the tastiest, most local corner of the city.

Cannes's main shopping street a block back from the sea — a long run of fashion boutiques, from high-street to designer, plus cafés and patisseries, busier and better value than the Croisette flagships. The place for a browse and a coffee between the beach and the old town; a slice of everyday, stylish Cannes.

The local table is sunny Provençal-Niçoise — 'socca' (a warm chickpea pancake), 'salade niçoise', 'pan bagnat' (a tuna-and-olive sandwich), ratatouille and fresh grilled fish, all olive oil, tomatoes and herbs. Eat socca hot from the market or a small back-street bistro over the Croisette restaurants; simple, sun-soaked and genuinely regional.

At the top of Le Suquet, an old castle houses the Musée de la Castre — antiquities and world art in atmospheric medieval halls — beside a square 12th-century watchtower you can climb for the finest panorama in Cannes, over the rooftops, the bay and the islands. Worth the climb for the view alone; go late afternoon for the light.

Out at the eastern point past the Croisette, the beaches grow quieter and more local — sand and shingle stretches around the Palm Beach headland, away from the festival crowds and the priciest clubs. The pick for a calmer, cheaper beach day within walking distance of the glamour; a good base if you want the sea without the scene.

As the day cools, all of Cannes strolls the seafront — from the Croisette round to the Pointe and the old port, the sky over the bay turns pink and the yachts light up. Walk it with an ice cream, watch the sun set behind the Estérel hills to the west, and end with a drink at the port; the loveliest, and free, way to close a Cannes day.

The Riviera looks its best from the water — take a boat out from the harbour to the Lérins islands, along the red-rock Estérel coast, or towards the villas of Cap d'Antibes, with a swim stop in a turquoise cove. Small-boat and sunset cruises run all summer; the glamorous, breezy way to see the coast and its superyachts up close.

This is France, so the everyday joy is a proper boulangerie-patisserie — a buttery croissant with a morning coffee, a tarte tropézienne (the cream-filled Riviera cake), or a fruit tart from a glass case, eaten on a café terrace. Seek out a good local pâtisserie off the Croisette; a small, delicious, very French ritual between the beaches.

A pine-and-mimosa hill park behind the western town, crowned by a big white cross, with walking paths and a panorama over Cannes, the bay and the Lérins islands. A green, breezy escape from the seafront and a favourite local sunset viewpoint, blazing with yellow mimosa in late winter; a short drive or a stiff walk up from the centre.