Trip highlights
- 1Promenade des Anglais and the Baie des Anges
- 2Old Town (Vieux Nice) and Cours Saleya market
- 3Monaco and Monte Carlo day trip
- 4Castle Hill viewpoint
- 5Èze perched village
Daily spend
Where you're going
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Promenade des Anglais
Thursday, May 20
Est. spend
$220
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
Trams and buses connect the airport directly to the city centre in about 25 minutes — a fast, cheap alternative to taxis.
Tram Line 2 runs directly from the airport to central Nice — genuinely the easiest, cheapest airport transfer on the French Riviera.
☀️ Afternoon
Promenade des Anglais
Promenade des Anglais, Nice
Nice's iconic seafront promenade, stretching along the pebble beaches of the Baie des Anges, lined with grand belle époque hotels including the famous Hôtel Negresco.
Nice's beaches are pebble, not sand — bring water shoes or a beach mat if planning to swim or lie out.
🌙 Evening
Dinner in Vieux Nice
Vieux Nice, Nice
Nice's Old Town, with narrow Italian-influenced streets reflecting the region's history as part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860 — excellent restaurants serving Niçoise specialties.
Try socca, a Niçoise chickpea flour pancake sold at street stalls — a genuine local specialty found almost nowhere else.
🍽️ Meals
Airport or hotel breakfast
French · $14
Promenade café lunch
French (Niçoise) · $20
Vieux Nice dinner
French (Niçoise) · $45
Old Town Markets & Castle Hill
Friday, May 21
Est. spend
$230
per person
🌅 Morning
Cours Saleya Market
Cours Saleya, Nice
Nice's beloved daily flower and produce market in the heart of the Old Town, with Provençal textiles, fresh flowers, and local olive products — one of the best traditional markets on the Riviera.
The market transitions to an antiques and flea market on Mondays — a different but equally interesting experience if your visit falls on that day.
☀️ Afternoon
Castle Hill (Colline du Château)
Colline du Château, Nice
A hilltop park on the site of a former medieval castle (destroyed in 1706), with the best panoramic view over Nice's Old Town, the bay, and the Mediterranean coastline.
A free elevator (ascenseur) saves the climb if you'd rather not walk up — located near the eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais.
🌙 Evening
Dinner in Port Lympia
Port Lympia, Nice
Nice's historic harbour, with yachts and fishing boats moored alongside a strip of relaxed seafood restaurants — a quieter, more local alternative to the busier Old Town.
🍽️ Meals
Cours Saleya breakfast
French · $14
Castle Hill area lunch
French · $20
Port Lympia dinner
French (Seafood) · $50
Monaco & Monte Carlo Day Trip
Saturday, May 22
Est. spend
$230
per person
🌅 Morning
Train to Monaco
Nice Ville train station
A direct train reaches Monaco-Monte Carlo station in about 20-25 minutes — one of the easiest, most scenic day trips on the Riviera.
Trains run frequently throughout the day — no need to book in advance for this short regional route.
☀️ Afternoon
Monte Carlo Casino and Prince's Palace
Place du Casino, Monte Carlo
The world-famous Belle Époque casino building (worth seeing even if not gambling), and a walk up to the Prince's Palace, with its changing of the guard ceremony each morning at 11:55am.
Non-gamblers can pay a small entry fee just to see the casino's opulent interior, including the Salle Garnier — genuinely worth it for the architecture alone.
🌙 Evening
Return to Nice and dinner
Nice
Return by train to Nice in the early evening for a relaxed dinner.
🍽️ Meals
Monaco breakfast
French · $16
Monte Carlo lunch
French/International · $35 · Monaco is genuinely expensive — budget accordingly even for a casual lunch.
Nice dinner
French · $40
Èze Village & Departure
Sunday, May 23
Est. spend
$175
per person
🌅 Morning
Bus to Èze village
Èze, French Riviera
A short bus ride to this dramatically perched medieval village, clinging to a rocky outcrop with sweeping views over the Mediterranean — one of the most photographed villages on the Riviera.
The Jardin Exotique d'Èze, at the village's highest point, offers the single best panoramic view of the coastline below.
☀️ Afternoon
Exploring Èze and final lunch
Èze village
Narrow cobblestone streets, art galleries, and perfume shops (Fragonard has a factory and boutique here) make for a relaxed final half-day before returning to Nice.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Nice Airport
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
Allow at least 2.5 hours before an international flight. The tram from central Nice takes about 25 minutes.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
French · $14
Èze village lunch
French · $30
Airport food
French/International · $18
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
May–June and September offer warm, pleasant weather without July-August's peak crowds and highest prices. The Cannes Film Festival in May can affect hotel availability in the wider region.
🛂 Visas
France is in the Schengen Area. EU citizens need only a national ID card. UK, US, Canadian, Australian, NZ citizens: visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all Schengen countries.
💱 Currency
Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted; Monaco also uses the Euro despite not being an EU member.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 17
ambulance: 15
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Nice's beaches are pebble, not sand — bring water shoes or a beach mat for comfort.
- Monaco is an easy, genuinely worthwhile day trip by direct train (20-25 minutes) — no need to stay overnight given the principality's tiny size.
- Try socca, a Niçoise chickpea pancake sold at street stalls — a genuine local specialty distinct from anything found elsewhere in France.
- Monaco is noticeably more expensive than Nice itself — budget accordingly even for a casual meal during the day trip.
- The free funicular/elevator up to Castle Hill is worth using if you'd rather skip the climb and still get the best panoramic view in the city.
One thing worth not skipping
A 4-day trip to Nice, France without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
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