The Riviera Journal · Towns and destinations
Things to do in Menton: old town, gardens and sea
Colourful old town, Sablettes beach, subtropical gardens and nearby villages: plan your stay in Menton.
All Riviera Guide adviceAt a glance
- Suggested time
- Half a day to 2 days
- Best for
- Gardens, photography, beach and a gentle pace
- Access and getting around
- The station, centre and Sablettes beach combine well on foot. Gardens and hill villages need more time and sometimes a vehicle.
Local selection
Stops worth keeping
The colourful one
Colours, gardens & lemon trees
Menton · Half day
A warm-coloured old town, subtropical gardens and a distinctly Italian atmosphere beside the water.
Secret garden
Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden
Menton · 1.5 hrs
A calm, luxuriant exotic garden only minutes from colourful Old Menton.
Adult €8 · reduced €6 · family pack €24
A collector’s garden
Serre de la Madone Garden
Menton · 1.5–2 hrs
Created by Lawrence Johnston, this terraced garden brings together plants from around the world. Its paths and steps form a botanical walk in the hills of Menton.
Shallow · Accessible
Sablettes Beach
Menton · At your own pace
The large family beach facing the old town, with a promenade, restaurants and easy access.
Castle & lanes
Medieval Roquebrune
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin · 2 hrs
A thousand-year-old castle, stone passages and views between Monaco, the cape and Menton.
Free access
Vertiginous village
Sainte-Agnès, balcony above the sea
Above Menton · 2 to 3 hrs
A high hill village, a fort and a spectacular road between the mountains and Mediterranean.
Free access
Itinerary advice
How to organise your visit
Photograph the old town in the morning, walk along Sablettes, then devote the afternoon to one major garden rather than rushing several.
Practical questions
Plan this outing well
How much time should you allow?
Half a day to 2 days
What is the best way to get there?
The station, centre and Sablettes beach combine well on foot. Gardens and hill villages need more time and sometimes a vehicle.
What order works best once there?
Photograph the old town in the morning, walk along Sablettes, then devote the afternoon to one major garden rather than rushing several.