Cannes

Cannes is a small city on the French Riviera, best known for its annual film festival. Most cruise ships anchor offshore, and tenders bring passengers to the old port area. From there, the palm-lined Boulevard de la Croisette runs along the waterfront past luxury hotels and designer shops, while the hilltop quarter of Le Suquet, with its cobbled streets and 12th-century castle tower, gives a view over the bay and the Lérins islands. The Marché Forville, a covered market a few minutes from the port, sells Provençal produce, olives, cheese and flowers. Socca, a hot chickpea pancake sold by the slice, is a local street food worth trying. Ferries to the Îles de Lérins run from the old port; Sainte-Marguerite island has clear swimming coves and a fortress where the Man in the Iron Mask was held. Trains to Nice, Antibes and Monaco leave from the station a short walk inland.