The city of Nice can be explored within a day. When researching for my recent trip to Nice, I noticed that there weren’t many attractions I was interested in. I also spoke to a few people who have been there, and they felt the same. Nice is a good base for the French Riviera, but there are many other beautiful towns that are less than 1 hour away. Buses and trains connect these towns, and the public transport is affordable. So I decided to compile a list of 5 day trips from Nice France.
1. Monaco
How to get there: You can take a train from Nice central station (Nice-Ville) the journey takes 20 minutes and costs around €4 one way. I would advise you to buy a ticket in advance online because there are barely any ticket machines at Nice-Ville station. I queued for an hour to get this ticket, and many people in the queue were getting frustrated. You can also reach Monaco by taking the 607 bus for €2.50; the journey time is 1 hour.
Why visit Monaco? Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, and also one of the most expensive. You will find the world’s fanciest cars zooming down the road, as you wander around the lavish streets whilst gazing through the windows at some of the most expensive shops in the world. It is the perfect destination to enjoy panoramic views of expensive yachts on the Mediterranean Sea’s crystal blue waters.
| Top Attractions in Monaco |
| Casino de Monte-Carlo |
| Prince’s Palace of Monaco |
| Princess Grace Japanese Garden |
| Port Hercule |
2. Èze
How to get there: The best way to reach the centre of Èze village is a 30-minute bus ride on line 82 or 112. If you only want to visit the beach in Èze, take bus line 100. You can reach Èze by train, but the train station is next to the beach, not the village. The walk from Èze train station to the village is a 1-hour steep walk. You could take a 10-minute taxi ride from the station up to the mountain top village, but it will cost you around €25.
Why visit Èze? To explore the winding cobblestone streets of this cute mountain-top village. Marvel at the breathtaking views of the French Riviera from the exotic gardens for a cheap entry fee of €6. Devour a buttery croissant in Chateau de la Chèvre, which is a hotel famous for hosting Walt Disney on multiple occasions. Then take the Nietzsche walking path down to Èze-sur-mer to unwind, get in your bikini, and soak up some vitamin D by the sea.
| Top Attractions in Eze |
| Le Jardin Exotique |
| Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild |
| Nietzsche path |
| Èze-sur-Mer Beach |
3. Menton
How to get there: Menton can be reached with a 40-minute train ride. I bought my ticket in advance and paid around €6 one way.
Why visit Menton? To get a taste of “la vita Italiana” in France! This citrus-coloured town is close to the border between France and Italy. Walk around the yellow streets while sipping on a shot of fresh limoncello. Fill your bags with lemon-themed souvenirs as you stroll along Rue Saint-Michel, to the Picturesque beachfront of Plage des Sablettes.
| Top attractions in Menton |
| Marché des Halles |
| Port de Menton Garavan |
| Jardins Biovès |
| Plage des Sablettes |
4. Cannes
How to get there: The journey by train is 35 minutes and tickets cost around €8 one way. You can also take the bus for approximately €2.50. However, this is a long bus journey that could take 2 hours if there is traffic.
Why visit Cannes? This town is famous for its many festivals. The most famous one is the International Film Festival, which takes place every year in May. Visiting Cannes in February? check out the International Games Festival. Visiting Cannes in April? Check out the International Series Festival. Visiting Cannes during July or August? Then you may be lucky enough to see the Fireworks Festival. Sip on cocktails as you watch the waves from your sun bed in a luxurious beach club. Wander through the old town and gaze at the historic buildings which date back to the Middle Ages.
| Top attractions in Cannes |
| Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes |
| Marché Forville |
| Église Notre-Dame d’Espérance |
| Le Suquet |
5. Antibes
How to get there: By train it takes 15 minutes to reach Antibes for around €5. You could also go with some regional bus services, but the journey will take more than 1 hour.
Why visit Antibes? Antibes must be on the list of ideas for 5 day trips from Nice France! This town was historically a trading post for the ancient Greeks and used to be heavily fortified. Visit the Fort Carré to find out more about the history of this town. Tired of injuring your backside on the rough rocky beaches of Nice? Then visit Antibes for some smooth golden sand at the Plage du Ponteil. This town is also famous for its numerous art galleries and art lessons.
| Top Attractions in Antibes |
| Musée Picasso |
| Port Vauban Antibes |
| Bay of Antibes Billionaires |
| Plage de la Salis |
What a fantastic guide! I would love to go to Antibes – it looks amazing.
Nice is great as a home base to explore the French Riveria!
These Nice day trips are pure wanderlust! 😍 Explore lavender fields in Valensole 🌾, stroll through charming Eze streets 🏞️, and hit the luxe casinos in Monaco 🎰. Don’t miss the glam beaches of Cannes 🏖️ and artsy Saint-Paul-de-Vence 🎨. Your guide is a Riviera gem! 🇫🇷🚗 #FrenchRiviera #TravelTips
Thank you! You have just given me some inspiration to return and visit some of the other areas you mentioned above 🙂
Pretty sure I would enjoy any of these destinations.
Such amazing places! Gorgeous beaches, history, cobblestone roads – Nice is a fantastic base for exploring france
Such an incredible area to explore in southern France! Haven’t been in years but hope to go back someday.
Saving this for later! We are staying in this area next summer 🙂
I visited 3/5 of these day trips while I was in Nice last summer and Menton was my favorite! I need to head back for Eze and Antibes (:
Love this post! Easy to read and has all the information you would want. Thanks for sharing.
This is a really great list of amazing places.