8 best day trips from Nice

Day trips compared

The day trips

20 km · About 20 minutes by train

1.Monaco

The tiny principality packs the Prince's Palace on the Rock, the Oceanographic Museum, Monte-Carlo's casino square and a harbour full of superyachts into a few steep kilometres. Public lifts and escalators connect the levels.

Getting there

TER train from Nice-Ville to Monaco-Monte-Carlo

Best for

First-timers, Luxury, Families

12 km · About 30 minutes by bus

2.Èze

A medieval village perched on a rock about 400 metres above the sea, with car-free lanes, perfume shops and a cactus garden on the summit. Fit walkers can descend the steep Nietzsche Path to the station at Èze-sur-Mer.

Getting there

Lignes d'Azur bus to Èze village, or train to Èze-sur-Mer

Best for

Couples, Culture, First-timers

6 km · About 7 minutes by train

3.Villefranche-sur-Mer

A deep natural harbour with colourful houses, the vaulted medieval Rue Obscure, the Citadelle and the Chapelle Saint-Pierre decorated by Jean Cocteau. Its sheltered beach is one of the closest swimming spots to Nice.

Getting there

TER train from Nice-Ville or Riquier

Best for

Couples, Beach, Quiet stays

22 km · About 20–25 minutes by train

4.Antibes

Antibes has a walled old town, a daily Provençal market, the Picasso Museum in the seafront Château Grimaldi and Port Vauban's yacht harbour. The Cap d'Antibes coastal path is a few kilometres south.

Getting there

TER train to Antibes

Best for

Culture, Couples, Beach

30 km · About 35 minutes by train

5.Menton

The last town before the Italian border has a pastel old town climbing to the Basilica of Saint-Michel, lemon groves, subtropical gardens and the Jean Cocteau museum. In February and March it hosts the Lemon Festival.

Getting there

TER train to Menton

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture, Families

20 km · About 45–60 minutes by bus

6.Saint-Paul-de-Vence

A fortified hill village of galleries and cobbled lanes that drew Chagall (buried in its cemetery) and many other artists and film stars. The Fondation Maeght modern-art museum is a short walk uphill.

Getting there

Regional bus from Nice

Best for

Couples, Culture

10 km · About 25 minutes by bus

7.Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

A pink Belle Époque villa on the Cap Ferrat isthmus with nine themed gardens, including Spanish, Japanese and Florentine sections, and musical fountains overlooking both bays.

Getting there

Lignes d'Azur bus to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Best for

Couples, Culture, Quiet stays

33 km · About 30–40 minutes by train

8.Cannes

Walk La Croisette and the Palais des Festivals, climb the old Le Suquet quarter for views, and take a boat to the Lérins Islands for monasteries and pine-shaded swimming coves.

Getting there

TER train to Cannes

Best for

Luxury, Beach, Shopping

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Sit on the sea side of the train heading east towards Monaco for the best views.
• Lignes d'Azur buses serve the hills (Cimiez, Mont Boron) and coastal villages such as Èze and Villefranche, using the same tickets as the tram.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask