July 2024
Perfect 4 Day Itinerary for Nice, France
Falling in love with eurosummer has changed the focus on summer travel. Beach clubs, spritz, evenings dressed up – finding new locations throughout Europe to tap into this eurosummer culture is tremendous fun. After two summers in Italy, we shifted this year’s trip to the neighboring country of France, specifically the French Riviera or Cote d’Azur, meaning blue coast. This portion of the south of France along the Mediterranean sea spans 550 miles where with over 300 days of sunshine a year, there is so much to see and do. We decided to base ourselves in the largest and most accessible city where there is always something going on – Nice. Nice serves as the perfect gateway to exploring everything the French Riviera has to offer and with a full week, we wanted to make sure we explored as much as possible.This itinerary was perfect for summer travel focusing on the coasts, beach destinations, and relaxation. We adored our time in Nice so much and even though it was high season and crowded, we had the best time. With enough planning in advance, the crowds are manageable and you can have a wonderful summer holiday in the French Riviera.
Know before you go
- Getting to Nice is very easy. With direct flights into Nice from the east coast of the USA and all over Europe, and an airport that is just minutes from downtown, this makes travel very easy and accessible.
- The public transit system in France is fantastic offering stops practically anywhere you want to go and with frequently running options – so no need to rent a car. You can get to anywhere in the French Riviera by bus or train.
- Make sure if you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee – highly recommend getting one if not – that will be fine for your trip. You can also take out euros to use as you will find some places that are cash only, but almost everywhere accepts credit cards.
- Learn basic French phrases as a respect to the country you are visiting but you will not have an issue with finding English in the larger towns.
- Keep an eye out for festivals throughout the year in this reason – many food and wine festivals occur and festivals are a great way to experience a town.
- The French Riviera is a popular travel destination so start planning in advance. Booking the accommodations, transportation, and dining should be secured ahead of your trip.
- Starting in 2025, if you are traveling international to any country in the Schengan Zone, you will have to complete a form prior to arrival, including a 7 euro application fee, for the ETIAS – European Travel Information and Authorization System.
Where to stay?
There are many options for where to stay in the French Riviera and we selected Nice which ended up being the best choice in our opinion. Nice is the largest city so there is always something going on day or night and is centrally connected to all other destinations along the French Riviera. You could easily spend the entire trip just in Nice as there is that much to do. We cannot recommend the Airbnb we stayed at more as it was perfectly located and had a wonderful space.
How to Get Around
Nice is extremely walkable and you can absolutely walk from one side to the other. There is a large promenade that hugs the coastline that is full of activity. For those that do not want to walk or are tired of walking, there are certain options to assist.
The public transit system in France is fantastic offering stops practically anywhere you want to go and with frequently running options – so no need to rent a car. You can get to anywhere in the French Riviera by bus or train. There is also a tram that runs through Nice.
Now, the disadvantage is they have not adopted tap-to-pay and you must download several different apps in order to accomplish the goal of riding on the train, tram, or bus.
- SNCF – for the major train station in Nice that take you across the French Riviera but also to Paris, Lyon, and much more. You can purchase the local train tickets at the train station but lines can often be long. The app allows you to book in advance and skip the line. If you are going on a high speed train, those tickets must be booked in advance as there are assigned seats and the trains book up.
- Lignes d’Azur + Carte Lignes d’Azur Mobile – It baffles me that two apps are required to accomplish one task but both are needed to purchase tickets on your phone for the trams and buses in Nice. Note that if you travel to another town, the bus app may be different. It worked the same in the nearby towns of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat but not in Menton. You purchase the ticket on Lignes d’Azur then it shows up as a ticket in Carte Lignes d’Azur Mobile. When boarding, you place your phone against the kiosk and it deducts the ticket from your inventory. Depending on how much traveling around you expect to do,
What is there to do?
This trip is what you want to make it. Want to sit on the beach all day? Want to charter a boat and stay on the water? Want to explore the nearby towns? Want to learn more through the numerous historical sites? It is up to you! Mix and match to make your perfect trip.
Nice is one of the most popular spots to visit in the French Riviera and it is easy to base your entire trip here if you choose. Nice is centrally located for all the action and due to its size, there is always plenty going on.
- Spend at least one of your days relaxing at one of the many beach clubs along the coast. We loved our time at Le Galet Beach Club and honestly wish we spent more of our days here.
- Get lost and wander around the Old Nice as the roads bend and turn in unexpected ways and alleys reveal some of the best spots in Old Nice.
- Visit the famous Marché Aux Fleurs (Flower Market) open Tuesday through Sunday all year long from early in the morning until 1:30PM which features produce, flowers, and so much more.
- Climb to the top of Colline du Chateau Park for epic views of Nice and the coast line – the viewpoints here are a must do.
- Promenade des Anglais hugs the entire coast of Nice and is a generous walkway that allows for walkers, bikers, and skaters to safely enjoy the views. Make sure to walk the entire way up to the Cadran Solaire and #ILOVENICE sign as the views are spectacular. Continue going towards the marina where you will pass the largest war memorial we have ever seen.
- Port Lympia is home to all the boats and yachts in the area. The vibe here is completely different from Old Nice so leave some time to explore here as well.
Nice is accessible to much of the French Riviera which makes day trips to nearby towns very easy and accessible. You can explore every town along the riviera if you have time.
- Provence Wine Tasting tours leave directly from Nice and take you into the beautiful countryside of Provence.
- Rent a car and take a two hour drive out to the Verdon Gorge where you can rent a boat to explore the gorge. From there, take a short drive to one of the many lavender fields and stop for lunch in one of the small towns.
- Towns along the French Riviera:
- Èze – This hilltop town is a must see as it provides stunning views of the French Riviera coastline. Stop at Le Jardin Exotique and Fragonard Perfumery during your visit.
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat – The Cape Ferrat offers a unique landscape as it extends into the ocean with a pine forest. Make sure to visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and if you have time, spend the day at one of the most famous beaches along the Riviera, Paloma Beach Club.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer – Neighboring Nice, this beautiful small village is iconic for the Riviera. We instantly fell in love with Villefranche-sur-Mer and had one of the best meals of our trip at Le Belle Etoile.
- Menton – The city of lemons! This is the most eastern town in the French Riviera where the buildings are colors in yellows and oranges.
- Monaco – Home of the famous Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco is completely different from the rest of the French Riviera, mostly since it is a separate country altogether.
- Cannes – Cannes Film Festival attracts guests from all over but do not expect too much as a tourist. If you visit, make sure to plan a beach day to enjoy one of the few areas along the Riviera with sand beaches.
- Antibes – This ancient town has more than meets the eye. In addition to the Old Town, there is Cap d’Antibes that extends into the ocean and is home to the Bay of Antibes Billionaires.
- If you decide to have a beach day at any of these towns, you can dedicate an entire day to that town but for the most part, visiting them to sightsee can be a few hours to a half day depending on your interest.
- For planning these towns as day trips, I would make the following recommended pairs and rank them in this order:
- Option 1: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer
- Option 2: Èze, Menton, and Monaco (if only time for two, can skip Menton)
- Option 3: Cannes and Antibes (least favorite of the day trip options)
- For planning these towns as day trips, I would make the following recommended pairs and rank them in this order:
Where to eat?
Nice, along with the rest of the French Riviera, is more heavily influenced by Italian cuisine than French which was surprising for us but we learned that this area was once Italian so it all makes sense. This diverse combination of Italian and French creates a delicious result of pasta, seafood, and French culinary skills.
- There are so many restaurants in Nice and since it is a popular tourist destination, do a bit of research ahead of time to dodge tourist traps. And definitely have reservations ahead of your trip to ensure you do not get stuck. That being said, there are so many wonderful spots to discover and I know we barely scratched the surface.
- From our experience, I recommend Rouge Wine Bar, Le Panier, Peppino, Cose Cosi, Le Bar des Oiseaux, Chez Acchiardo, Bistrot d’Antoine, La Cucina, Le Galet Beach Club
- For coffee and pastries, go to Armand
- For a snack, go to Café des Amis or Lou Pilha Leva
- For gelato, go to Papilla or Fennochio
Itinerary
This itinerary works very well as a stand alone trip or as part of a loner trip exploring the French Riviera. There is so much to see and do so if you have more time to explore, I highly recommend it! You can mix and match days or double up in activities you really want to do. This itinerary gives you the ability to explore and relax while using the evenings to spend more time in Nice to see more areas.
| Day 1 | Explore Nice Marché Aux Fleurs Colline du Chateau Park Promenade des Anglais for sunset |
| Day 2 | Beach day: – Le Galet Beach Club – Paloma Beach Club |
| Day 3 | Day trip of choice: Option 1: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer Option 2: Èze, Menton, and Monaco (if only time for two, can skip Menton) Option 3: Provence Wine Tasting Option 4: Verdon Gorge and lavender fields |
| Day 4 | Day trip of choice: Option 1: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer Option 2: Èze, Menton, and Monaco (if only time for two, can skip Menton) Option 3: Provence Wine Tasting Option 4: Verdon Gorge and lavender fields |