This itinerary focuses on exploring the beautiful and exciting destinations of the French Riviera. It includes visits to the resort city of Nice, the glamorous city-state of Monaco known for its renowned casinos, and the vibrant town of Aix-en-Provence.

The South of France has many beautiful towns along the Riviera. From east to west, the Mediterranean coast is full of small villages to discover. The French Riviera is famous for its beaches, clear water, yachts, and as a place for the rich, with a strong art and culture scene. It's an ideal spot for travelers who want great food, wine, history, and culture.

<Scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the Photo Gallery>

Tips:

• Aim for May–June or September–October. Avoid July and August to skip extreme crowds and peak pricing.

  • If you visit in the off-season, most hotels and restaurants stay open, but seaside restaurants may be closed.

• How to get to your hotel in Nice:

  • 🚕 Uber - is the best way from the airport to the hotel. Lower cost than taxis.

  • Public transport is available. Take Tram Line 2 from the airport to city center, Vieux Ville(Old Town), and port. Duration: 25 min.

  • Car Rental - great for hopping town to town, but parking can be a problem and expensive during peak season.

• 🧑‍🍳 Most restaurants are open for lunch from noon to 2pm and dinner starting at 7:30 pm.

• Travel Adaptor: Type C and Type E.

• 📖 Lonely Planet Pocket Nice and Monaco and Rough Guides Nice.

• Sign up for great travel stories and ideas on National Geographic online !

• In France and Western Europe, 112 is the emergency number like 911 in the USA.

DAY 1 and 2

• Arrive at Nice airport and transfer to your hotel.

• Arriving by train is also an option. Nice's station is Gare De Nice-Ville located on Avenue Thiers and serves most major French cities.
  i.e. The train from Paris to Nice takes ~ 6 hours.

• Nice is an ancient city with a beautiful beach. You will find great food, good wine, historic sites, museums, lovely parks, and upscale hotels and casinos.

  Highlights:

• Wander along the famous beachfront Promenade des Anglais.

  • The promenade is lined with large, lovely hotels. The Promenade des Anglais is a great place to stay.

  • One of the most expensive hotels is the Le Negresco Hotel, popular with celebrities.

  • The Promenade des Anglais is where many events are organized including the famous Nice Carnival, as well as sporting events, exhibitions, and meetings.

  • Pedestrians, joggers, inline skaters and skateboarders populate the 5 km promenade at any time of the day.

• Casino Barrière Nice Le Ruhl is the clear “go-to” for fun on the famous Promenade des Anglais.

• Explore the winding streets of the old town, called Vieux Nice (Old Town). <Read more>

  • Vieux Nice is the city’s vibrant old town, with narrow cobblestone streets and pastel-hued buildings where shops sell Niçoise soaps and Provençal textiles, plus meats and cheeses.

• Visited the Chapelle du Rosaire, a church designed by famous artist Henri Matisse. The church is located in nearby Vence, and although it appears unassuming from the outside, the inside features art and stained-glass windows by the expressionist artist. <address>

• Relax at one of Nice’s many private beaches for lunch and sunbathing. Nice has a few public beaches, but there are also private beaches where you can rent a chair and get food and drinks delivered to you.

  • Relaxing at the beach in Nice is a “must-do” if you’re visiting the Rivera in the summer.

  • <Beach water temperature>

• If your active, stroll the coastal pathway of Cape Ferrat. A great walk! The trail is 12 km.

  • Learn more.

  • Walking trails.

  • <How to get there>

  • A top attraction is walking the Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild. <watch video>

• Overnight: Nice, (6 nights)

  • <where to stay> We recommend the Promenade des Anglais area.

DAY 3

• Visit Monaco - the playground of the rich and famous.

  • Its mild climate, scenery, luxury casinos, lavish wealth & glamorous events such as the Monaco Yacht Show and
    the Monaco Grand Prix have made it “the destination” for the wealthy.

  • City map.

    • Monaco is an area half the size of Central Park in Manhattan, New York.

    • Explore the sights with a self guided walking tour. It takes 1.5 to 2 hours to quickly visit the main sites.

• Best things to do.

• Capture the highlights and charm by walking the narrow streets of Old Monaco. The Old Town of Monaco is very picturesque and home to a number of historical buildings, monuments, and alleyways.

• Monte Carlo is a district in Monaco, where you can find the Place du Casino. - a famous square boasting the Hotel de Paris, Café de Paris and the legendary Monte Carlo Casino. These well-known buildings often show up in Hollywood movies and TV shows.

  • There are breathtaking sea views from the terrace of Place du Casino.

• Watch the Changing of the Guards in front of the Prince's Palace.

  • Performed daily at 11:55 AM at the royal entrance on the Palace Square.

• Visit the Musée Oceanographique — the aquariums containing rare species of fish and marine life in magnificent shapes and colors. There are three (3)Aquariums: the Tropical Aquarium, Mediterranean Aquarium, and Shark Lagoon. There are approximately 100 aquarium pools, with realistic natural environments such as coral reefs.

• One of Monaco's most popular beaches, Larvotto is a free-to-the-public, located just a short walk from Monte-Carlo.

• Purchase the Monaco Travel Guide PDF eBook.

• How to get from Nice to Monaco?

  • The train from Nice to Monaco runs continuously from the main train station (Gare de Nice-Ville, Gare Thiers). Duration: 20 minutes.  <Route> 

  • The No. 607 bus from Nice to Monaco departs from the Old Port of Nice (behind the church).
    Duration: 40 min.

• Overnight: Nice

• Driving time: Nice —> Monaco, 50 minutes.

DAY 4 - 6

• Relax, enjoy the beach, sit in a café or bar and take in the beautiful scenery and fun scene.

  • Best beaches along the coast.

• Enjoy the French lifestyle, cuisine, delicious produce and wine, shop in the local markets, live the village lifestyle.
  Or take in some of the magnificent walks.

  Take day trips to various small towns:

• Explore Eze—a hilltop village located within
  a 30-minute drive from Nice. Make sure to spend some time wandering the old, cobbled streets.

• Discover Villefranche-Sur-Mer- a small charming village worth a stop between Nice and Eze.

• Visit Cannes, famous for its international film festival! Wandered through the city and enjoy some pastries and coffee.

  • Top attractions.

  • Guided tours.

• Discover Antibes-wander at a leisurely pace. The narrow, winding cobblestone streets are filled with little boutiques, gourmet food shops, cafés, and restaurants.

  • Top attractions.

  • Where to stay.

• Overnight: Nice or Antibes.

• Driving time:

  • Nice —> Eze, 25 minutes.

  • Nice —> Vallefranche-Sur- Mer, 22 minutes.

  • Nice —> Cannes, 40 minutes.

  <Riviera Planning Strategy: East, West, and Monaco Solo>

• To maximize your time on the Riviera, the best strategy is to group your excursions by geographic direction.

• Spend a day on the East Coast: see the hilltop views at Èze and enjoy the seaside charm of Villefranche-sur-Mer.

• Add one or two days on the West Coast by pairing the charming markets of Antibes with the glitz and glamour of Cannes.

• By giving Monaco a full day to itself, you ensure enough time to explore the best of Monaco as discussed earlier.

  🛑 This "zone" approach cuts time in traffic and lets you enjoy each place more calmly and genuinely.

DAY 7 and 8

• Discover Aix-en-Provence, a picturesque Provençal town brimming with delightful cafes and lively markets. This vibrant place, home to a famous university, feels young and cosmopolitan.

  • The surrounding countryside offers enjoyable walks and a blend of cultural experiences . <outdoor activities>

• Nightlife—Aix-en-Provence offers a sophisticated nightlife scene. The renowned Grand Théâtre de Provence hosts classical music shows that attract many fans. Additionally the narrow, charming cobblestone streets fill with jazz music from live bands playing in cozy places.

• <Where to eat>

• Visit Old Aix - for its gorgeous architecture, charming markets, unexpected historical flourishes.

  • Take a stroll on the Cours Mirabeau. This wide avenue resembles a tunnel of plane trees punctuated with fountains and lined with cafés, terraces and elegant private mansions with iron-wrought balconies.

• If you’re visiting in July, The Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence is an annual international music festival which takes place each summer. Devoted mainly to opera, it also includes concerts of orchestral, vocal and solo instrumental music. It has been labeled ‘Best festival of the year’ by the International Opera Awards.

• Overnight: Aix-en-Provence, (2 nights) <accommodations>

• Driving time:

  • Nice —> Aix-en-Provence, 2 hrs.

DAY 9

• Depart from Marseille airport to another European destination or return home. Au revoir!

• Driving time: Aix-en-Provence —> Marseille airport, 30 minutes.

🌤️ Climate

• Historical Weather data:

• During the month of May, June, September and October you will experience good weather with temps between 20° Celsius (68°F) and 25° Celsius (77°F).

• October through March have a higher chance of precipitation.

• The warmest months are July and August with an average maximum temperature of 27°C (80°F).

• The coldest months are December through February with an average maximum temperature of 13°C (55°F).

• Sunrise/ Sunset times.

• Beach water temperature.