I recently spent almost two weeks in Nice, France, and during my time in the city I took countless trips from Nice to other destinations along the Côte d’Azur.
Nice was the perfect home base for day trips in this region, as it has excellent train and bus connections to the surrounding towns and cities. From the glamour of Cannes and Monte Carlo to the medieval charm of Saint-Paul de Vence and Èze, Nice has something for every kind of day-tripper.
Below, I’m recommending ten of my favorite iconic day trips from Nice that you can take by bus or train. There’s no need to rent a car to take any of these day trips, although if you’re already traveling by car most of the destinations noted below have decent parking structure (Èze and Saint-Paul de Vence are probably the exceptions).
The South of France buzzes with excitement during the summer months, which is when most of these day trip destinations will be busiest. If you’re visiting in the low season, some of the local shops, restaurants and hotels may be seasonally closed, but on the flip side there will be fewer crowds and a more relaxing atmosphere.
1. Monaco & Monte Carlo
The most iconic day trip from Nice is definitely Monte Carlo in Monaco. While you won’t get a passport stamp when you cross the border from France into this tiny principality, you will feel like you’ve entered an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
I wrote a complete guide to taking a day trip to Monaco from Nice. It covers things to do in Monaco, how to schedule your day so that you don’t miss anything, and all of the essential public transportation details. As long as you get a good start in the morning, you can see the casino, the oceanographic music, the old town and the changing of the guards at the royal palace in a little bit more than half a day.
Monaco is about thirty minutes by train from Nice, while the bus takes just over an hour. Upon arrival, it’s possible to explore by foot, but since the old town is atop quite a hill I recommend buying a one-day Monaco bus pass to hop all over the town at your convenience. Keep in mind that Monaco gets extremely busy during the Grand Prix, so if you’re not a fast car fanatic, try to plan your visit at another time!
2. Grasse
An easy day trip from Nice is to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. On a day trip from Nice to Grasse you can visit the region’s famous perfume museums and even mix your own signature scent.
Most day trips to Grasse begin at the International Museum of Perfumery, which takes visitors on a chronological journey through the history of perfume. Then, consider signing up for a custom perfume-making workshop at one of the local perfumeries, such as Galimard, Fragonard or Molinard. If you don’t have time to blend a custom scent, you can still shop at each house’s boutique for unique fragrance gifts and souvenirs.
Wearing your new, custom perfume, continue exploring some of Grasse’s other museums, such as the Provence Museum of Costume and Jewelry or the Provence Art and History Museum. You can also explore the palatial Villa J.H. Fragonard, or visit the nearby fields where raw ingredients like jasmine and lavender are grown.
Grasse is about an hour by bus from Nice, but it’s also connected to Cannes via train. By car, the trip takes about 45 minutes.
3. Antibes
If you’re looking to spend a day at the beach, take a day trip from Nice to Antibes. This small Riviera city has the perfect combination of calm beaches and streetside activities to keep you occupied.
While Nice’s long beach seems to continue down the coast forever, Antibes has three smaller beaches, each more protected and with calmer waters. Closest to the train station is Plage de la Gravette, a small, protected cove that is perfect for families with children. I swam here every morning during my three-day stay in Antibes.
From here, it’s a ten-minute walk out of the historic center of Antibes to reach Plage du Ponteil, a sandy beach with shallow water that is also family-friendly. There are some beach chair rentals here, along with a beach club.
Another five minutes will take you to Plage de la Salis, Antibes’ largest beach. This white-sand beach has an accessible section for travelers with mobility impairments (contact them in advance to confirm availability of services), public washrooms, seasonal lifeguard services and lots of space to spread out.
Of course, there are other things to do in Antibes besides spending the day at the beach. Antibes has a beautiful covered produce market, a noteworthy Picasso museum, and a surprising array of urban art. Only twenty-five minutes away from Nice by train, it’s a can’t-miss day trip for anyone on the Cote d’Azur.
4. Èze
One of the most charming day trips from Nice takes you to Èze, a fortified medieval town perched high above the Mediterranean Sea. This small town only requires half a day, so if you’re an efficient sightseer you can combine a day trip to Èze and Monaco in one shot.
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A day trip to Èze offers a little sample of everything you can see and do along the Cote d’Azur. If you don’t have time to get all the way to Grasse, Èze has two perfume factories (Fragonard and Galimard), both of which offer free tours and (paid) perfume-making workshops.
Èze also offers a taste of the luxury that you can find in nearby Monaco. The restaurant at the Chevre d’Or restaurant has earned two Michelin stars, and the attached hotel, in a former medieval palace, is where celebrities come to escape the crowds during the Cannes film festival.
As you ascend through the narrow medieval streets, don’t miss a quick detour to Le Jardin Exotique, where you’ll find plants typical to the Mediterranean climate and the town’s highest peak (almost 430 meters above sea level) with views of Provence.
Èze is 35 minutes from Nice by direct bus. I recommend choosing the bus over the train, as the train station is at beach level (a steep 45-minute hike beneath the town).
5. Cannes
You’re probably familiar with the Cannes Film Festival, which is held annually in May. However, Cannes isn’t just for Hollywood stars! In fact, it’s one of the easiest day trips from Nice, thanks to its proximity and compact city center.
If you arrive in Cannes by train, it’s a ten-minute walk to the Vieux Port (Old Port) and the iconic town hall building. From here, you can follow the waterfront walkway past the Festival and Congress Palace (home to the film festival) and along Boulevard de la Croisette, which is lined with luxury shops, upscale restaurants and posh beach clubs.
On the opposite side of the port, Le Suquet is Cannes’ medieval Old Town. Narrow streets are lined with pretty old houses, and winding streets lead to some of the best views in the region. Entry to the Musee de la Castre gives you access to the old stone clocktower, where 109 steps take you to a panoramic viewing terrace with stunning views of the city.
The train from Nice to Cannes takes 30-40 minutes, depending on the speed of the train. There’s also sporadic bus service, but the train is much more frequent and convenient.
6. Villefranche-Sur-Mer
I visited Villefranche-sur-Mer on a half-day trip from Nice. I had noticed its pretty beach on the train from Nice to Monaco, and thought it would be nice to return for a late afternoon swim one day.
I have to confess that I don’t know much about the history of rock and roll, so I didn’t know that the Rolling Stones had spent a year here in the early 1970s. However, I learned it very quickly when a local woman accosted me in the street to tell me, repeatedly, that she had partied with the Rolling Stones! The house where they lived while recording Exile on Main Street is not open to the public, but if you’re interested you can use Google Maps to find it and check out its gates from the sidewalk.
Otherwise, from the train station it’s a pleasant fifteen-minute walk through the historic town center to the beach, which makes a pretty crescent-moon shape beneath the hills. The water was definitely clean and refreshing, and I liked watching the trains pass by right overhead. On your way to or from the station, make sure to check out Rue Obscure, an ancient covered alley that inspired one of Jean Cocteau’s famous artworks.
The bus from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer takes less than twenty minutes, but this route is popular so be prepared to have to stand for the duration of the trip. I think this was the only time I had to stand on an inter-city bus in France (and I had to stand both ways!).
7. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Just a few kilometers down the coast from Villefranche-sur-Mer, the peninsula of Cap Ferrat juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. Its main village, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and the surrounding areas, are a worthwhile day trip from Nice.
Most people visit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to tour Villa Ephrussi, the spectacular mansion built by the Baroness de Rothschild in the early 1900s. Surrounded by nine unique gardens, this villa is now open to the public as a museum that gives you a glimpse into how the wealthy lived during the Belle Epoque.
A quick look at the Sotheby’s website should give you a hint into who calls Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat home (as I’m writing this in one tab, I’m looking at a villa currently selling for €35 million in another tab…). However, not everything on the cape is pricey! A beautiful, seven-mile hiking trail circumnavigates the peninsula; budget three to four hours for the journey and try to avoid the mid-day summer sun. For a more relaxing visit, the tiny Plage Paloma beach is considered to be one of the prettiest in the region, and the adjacent beach club is popular with local residents (yes, the ones who own those €35 million villas!).
The best bus from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is #15, which leaves from Place Garibaldi and goes right into the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat village. The trip should take about thirty minutes.
8. Menton
Menton’s city center is just two kilometers from the Italian border, and this underrated French city is one of the prettiest day trips from Nice.
Menton has something to appeal to every type of traveler. Sheltered, sandy beaches attract both sun worshipers and families traveling with children, while its historic basilica and hilltop cemetery entice history buffs. More of an art fan? Jean Cocteau was a lover of Menton, where he decorated the town’s wedding hall and renovated a historic bastion to house his works (since then, the town has also established a proper museum in his honor). If you’re a foodie, don’t leave Menton without trying the town’s famous lemons, which are known for being brighter and juicier than their standard counterparts.
The easiest way to travel from Nice to Menton is by train, which takes about 35 minutes. From the station, it’s a ten-minute walk to the highlights of the historic center.
9. Ventimiglia
Speaking of Italy, did you know that you can visit Italy on an easy day trip from Nice? Scratch another country off your map of the world by hopping across the French-Italian border to colorful Ventimiglia.
Ventimiglia is located in Liguria, a region best known for the villages of the Cinque Terre (and, if you’re me, for its pesto!). Ventimiglia is a charming blend of Ligurian and Provencal influences, with a colorful old town winding its way up the hill and a clean, sandy beach (Spiaggia delle Calandre) just west of the town center.
I recommend planning your day trip to Ventimiglia on a Friday, when the town hosts its famous weekly market. Expect hundreds of vendors selling everything from local food and drink to leather goods and antique furniture. Believed to be the largest market in all of Italy, it stretches from the bridge past the public gardens and along the waterfront to Via Dante.
The best way to travel to Ventimiglia from Nice is by train, which takes about 50 minutes and costs about €9. There are typically one or two trains per hour, making this a surprisingly convenient border-crossing day trip!
10. Saint-Paul de Vence
Very few travelers know that one of the prettiest day trips from Nice is to Saint-Paul de Vence, a hilltop medieval town with a rich artistic history.
My guide to taking a day trip from Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence covers exactly what to do in town, from walking the ancient stone ramparts (shown above) to visiting classic and contemporary art galleries. As I mention in my guide, though, the nicest thing about taking a day trip to Saint-Paul de Vence is just slowing down and enjoying the Provençal small-town life.
If you want to dine in Saint-Paul de Vence’s world-famous Colombe d’Or restaurant, make sure to book your table well in advance. This restaurant, with its walls adorned with art by Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky and Chagall, is nearly impossible to get a table at during the high season.
The bus from Nice to Saint-Paul de Vence takes slightly more than one hour, and departs from the Parc Phoenix bus station in Nice.
I spent two months traveling around Paris and the South of France. Too read all my insider tips, check out my complete France collection.
If you’ll be in Paris, find out when tickets go on sale for the key attractions, when to go up the Eiffel Tower and where to shop for niche perfumes (many of which were crafted by perfumes from the South of France!).
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