Itinerary Nice France: The Complete Guide for 1 to 4 Days (2026)

However long you’ve got in Nice, you can build a proper trip around it. I’ve spent time in Nice myself and used it as my base for day trips out to Monaco and Menton, so this itinerary Nice France guide covers everything from a quick one-day visit up to a full four days, including how to use Nice as your base for the rest of the French Riviera.

Pick the number of days you actually have and jump to that section, or read the whole thing if you’re still figuring out the right itinerary Nice France plan for your trip.

Itinerary Nice, France: Quick Overview

1 day: Nice itself — Old Town, Castle Hill, the promenade, a sunset tour to close it out
2 days: Day 1 in Nice, day 2 out to Monaco and Menton, by train or guided tour
3 days: Day 1 and 2 the same, day 3 adds Èze and Villefranche-sur-Mer
4 days: Day 1 to 3 the same, day 4 is your choice — Antibes and Cannes, a food tour in Nice, or a full day trip out to the Verdon Gorge

Itinerary Nice, France

Practical Information

Arriving in Nice

Nice has its own international airport, so you’re not looking at a long transfer to get started. From the airport you’ve got a few options into the city:

Tram — cheapest, runs straight into the center, just a bit slower
Taxi — quicker, but you’ll pay more for it
Private transfer — book it in advance so it’s sorted before you even land

→ Book a private Nice airport transfer here

Where to stay in Nice

For this Itinerary Nice, France, you should defnitely stay somewhere central, close enough to walk to the Old Town and close enough to the station for whichever day trips you’ve got planned.

Here are 4 great accommodations for Nice depending on your budget:

• Backpacker: SLO Hostel Nice 
• Budget: Best Western Alba
• Mid-Range: Best Western Plus Hotel Brice Garden Nice
• Luxury: Hotel Le Negresco

→ Check hotels in Nice here

Staying Connected in France

Having data working the second you land makes everything easier, especially when you’re juggling train times between different villages. I always get an eSIM before I fly.

→ Get a Yesim eSIM for France here

Getting Travel Insurance for France

France is a safe country overall, but delayed trains, lost luggage and unexpected medical bills can happen anywhere, especially when you’re moving between places every day. I never travel without it.

→ Check SafetyWing travel insurance here

Itinerary Nice, France

Now for the actual itinerary, broken down by however many days you’ve got. Each day builds on the one before it, so if you’ve only got one day, read that section. If you’ve got four, the whole thing applies.

1 Day in Nice

If you’ve only got one day, stick to Nice itself and don’t try to squeeze in a day trip on top — you’ll just end up rushing everywhere and enjoying none of it.

Spend the morning in the Old Town, working your way up to Castle Hill for the best view in the city. Grab lunch somewhere in the Old Town and try socca while you’re at it — it’s a Nice specialty worth going out of your way for. In the afternoon, walk the Promenade des Anglais and spend some time on the beach if the weather’s good.

For the evening, skip the generic “watch the sunset from the promenade” advice and either walk up Castle Hill for a free sunset view, or book an actual sunset tour — there are usually boat options with wine and snacks, a simpler boat option, or a sunset tour through the hills in a historic Land Rover with wine tasting.

→ Find Nice Sunset Tours here

I wrote a full guide for 1 day in Nice with a more detailed itinerary to help you have the best day exploring Nice and not miss on any of the classics and things to do.

→ 1 Day in Nice: The Perfect Itinerary

2 Day Nice Itinerary

Two days is where things get interesting, because it’s enough time to actually leave Nice and see what the rest of the Riviera looks like. And let me tell you, when you plan a trip to Nice you have to actually travel around the French Riviera because that is the absolute highlight of the region

Day 1

For the first day in Nice follow the itinerary written above or check my blog post 1 day in Nice: the perfect itinerary, where I tell you everything you should be doing on your first day in Nice and all the classics you can’t miss.

Day 2

For your second day in Nice it is time to get out of the city and head into some of the best villages in the French Riviera. Here are the two ways you can plan this day:

Option 1: Independent Day Trip

Morning – Monaco

Traveling the French Riviera is really easy as all villages along the coast are conencted by train and bus and it is really easy to do it on your own.

To get from Nice to Monaco the easiest way is to take the train from Nice to Monaco. The journey takes just 40 minutes and the tickest cost 8€. Keep in mind the trains get pretty busy since everyone is using the trains to explore the villages of the French Riviera.

→ Check for timetables and tickets for the train from Nice to Monaco

Afternoon – Menton

After spending your morning exploring Monaco and adding a new country to your bucketlist, your next stop is only a 10 minute train ride.

Tickets for the train ride from Monaco to Menton cost 5€ and I really think you are gonna fall in love with Menton the same way I did.

→ Check for timetables and tickets for the train from Monaco to Menton

Menton is more quiet than Nice and Monaco, it’s more colorful, beautiful ocean views, and even if you go with no plan but to walk the pretty streets you will have a great afternoon.

I wrote several guides about Menton so that you can get inspired and know what to expect if you decide to visit this French Riviera village:

→ Day Trip to Menton from Nice: The Perfect Itinerary (2026)
→ Nice to Menton: Best Ways to Get There (Train, Bus, Car & Day Trip Guide) (2026)
→ 25 Best Things to Do in Menton, France (2026 Guide)

Option 2: Take a Guided Tour

Nice is a great base to explore the French Riviera not only because you can easily travel between the villages, but also because there is a huge offer of amazing guided tours that combine several villages in one day.

So, if you want to pack more villages in a day and don’t want to deal with the logistics and just want to enjoy your day, booking a guide tour is a great option for a guaranteed amazing second and last day in Nice.

→ Find the Best Tours from Nice here
→ 2 Day Nice Itinerary: Nice Plus a French Riviera Day Trip

3 Days in Nice Itinerary

If you ask me, I think three days in Nice is the perfect amount of time because that is exactly what I did. This guide I am giving you is exactly what I did when I traveled to Nice, adding some options so that you can adapt it to what works best for you.
If you are spending 3 days in Nice then do follow the previous two days and for this third day let me tell you the best options you have.

Day 3 in Nice

For this third day in Nice in this itinerary Nice, France, here’s what you can do.

Option 1: Take a day trip to 2 new villages independently

Morning: Èze

If you haven’t heard of Èze you are about to discover a fairytale village that you can’t leave the French Riviera without visiting.

Now there is a train that takes you to Èze, but not really. Èze is on top of a hill, so technically you can take the train but from there you will have to take a bus which is a bit of a hassle. The easiest option here is to take the direct bus from Nice to Èze instead. The buses you are looking for are number 82 and 112, both direct routes and with a 30 minute journey to this dream village.

Èze is a small medieval village built into the hillside, and it’s genuinely worth the extra effort to get there — the main draw is the Jardin Exotique at the top, a botanical garden with one of the best panoramic views on the whole coast, plus narrow stone streets and small artisan shops.

Option 2: Take a guided tour to Èze

If taking a bus and figuring out logistics aren’t what you are looking for on your vacation, no worries because once again you have several guided tour options that will take you to Èze hassle free.

→ Find tours to Èze here

Afternoon: Villefranche-sur-Mer

Since this is your last day I didn’t really want to pack it with too much to do as I know jumping from village to village and always seeing new places can get tiring quickly.

So after exploring Èze you can return to Nice, have a calm lunch, have a few hours to just walk around. By the end of the afternoon, take a quick 7 minutes train ride to Villefranche-sur-Mer, a really cute coastal town that is so close to Nice you can’t leave without seeing it.

→ Book your train to Villefranche-sur-Mer here

4 days Itinerary in Nice France

Now lets say you are really lucky and for this Nice, France Itinerary you actually have 4 days to visit. What else is there to do?

Option 1: Antibes and Cannes

Both are easy day trip options from Nice, roughly 20-40 minutes away by train depending which you go to first.

Antibes has an Old Town with ramparts, a Picasso Museum and a covered market worth wandering through.

Cannes is known for La Croisette, the famous seafront promenade, plus the Old Town area of Le Suquet if you want something quieter than the main strip. You can do this by train yourself or book a guided tour covering both.

→ Check trains for Antibes & Cannes

Option 2: Stay in Nice and do a food tour

If you are feeling like spending your last day in Nice, why not take a local food tour or try some french wine?

→ Find food tours in Nice here

Option 3: Verdon Gorge

Sometimes called Europe’s answer to the Grand Canyon, this is inland rather than along the coast, so it’s not really doable independently unless you’re renting a car. A guided day tour is the easiest way to see it — turquoise water, dramatic cliffs, and a completely different landscape from the rest of your trip.

→ Find Verdon Gorge tours here

Best Day Trips from Nice

Beyond what’s already covered in this itinerary, Nice is genuinely one of the best bases in France for day trips. Some of the highlights:

• Monaco
• Menton
• Èze
• Villefranche-sur-Mer
• Antibes
• Cannes
• Verdon Gorge
• Saint-Paul-de-Vence

I’ve put together a full list with more detail on each one if you want to plan further ahead:

→ Day Trips from Nice: 10 Amazing Places You Can Easily Visit

FAQs

How many days do I need for this Itinerary Nice, France?

It depends what you want out of the trip. One day covers Nice itself, but if you want a fuller itinerary Nice France style with real Riviera day trips, I’d aim for at least 3 days, and 4 if you can manage it.

Is Nice a good base for day trips?

Yes. It’s well connected by train to Monaco, Menton, Èze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes and Cannes, and there are guided tours available if you’d rather not handle the logistics yourself.

Do I need a car for an Itinerary Nice, France?

No, not for most of this. Everything covered here is reachable by train or through a guided tour, apart from the Verdon Gorge, which is easier with a car or a tour.

Should I do day trips independently from Nice or book a tour?

If you like planning your own timing and don’t mind figuring out train schedules, do it yourself — it’s cheaper and genuinely easy in this part of France. If you’d rather not deal with logistics, a guided tour takes all of that off your hands.

Final Thoughts: Itinerary Nice, France

However many days you’ve got, Nice gives you a solid trip either way. This itinerary Nice France breakdown covers the classics for one day, and every extra day after that opens up more of the Riviera — Monaco and Menton, then Èze and Villefranche-sur-Mer, then Antibes, Cannes or the Verdon Gorge if you keep going.

If you’re still deciding how long to stay, I’d genuinely push for more days over fewer. Nice itself is great, but the real reason to come to this part of France is everything sitting just a short train ride away from it.

Read my other Nice Guides

Is Nice Safe for Solo Female Travellers?

Day Trips from Nice: 10 Amazing Places You can Easily Visit 

Is Nice Worth visiting? My Honest Review (2026)

Nice, France Solo Travel: A Practical Guide (2026)

How Many Days in Nice do you Need? My Honest Recommendation (2026)

1 Day in Nice: The Perfect Itinerary (2026)

2 Day Nice Itinerary: Nice Plus a French Riviera Day Trip (2026)

25 Best Things to Do in Nice France (2026)

Nice France Guide (2026): Everything You Need to Know Before You Go