Photo by Constantin on Unsplash
Five days with Nice as the base: the old town, the hill and the seafront, then the coast by train and bus to Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Eze, to Monaco, and to Antibes and Cannes. Slow starts, long evenings and room for one big night out.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: warm, sunny days with little rain score highest (the air stands in for the sea, which is not included). Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
A slow day in the heart of Nice. A market square, the lanes of the old town, a hill with a view, and the long seafront walk as the light goes.
The long market square at the edge of the old town, with flower and produce stalls under the awnings and café terraces along the sides. Walk it end to end.
Go when Morning, when the stalls are set out.
Local tip Walk it once to look, then come back in the evening, when the same square is lined with café tables.
The old town of Nice, a maze of narrow lanes with ochre and pink houses, small squares and shuttered windows. Wander with no plan and look into the doorways.
Go when Late morning, then again after dark.
Local tip Get lost on purpose. The lanes are short, and every one leads back to a square or the sea.
Socca is the thin chickpea pancake of Nice, baked crisp in a wood oven and served in torn pieces with plenty of black pepper. A cheap, quick lunch in the old town.
Local tip Eat it hot and standing, straight from the oven, with a cold drink.
A green hill at the east end of the bay with paths, a waterfall and a viewpoint over the old town roofs, the bay and the harbour. There is no castle left, only the view.
Go when Late afternoon, about an hour before sunset (about 8:48 PM).
Local tip Take the path up, not the lift, so the view opens slowly, and stay for the light on the bay.
Daube is the slow-cooked beef stew of Nice, dark with red wine and herbs, often served with pasta. Look for it on a menu in the old town.
Local tip Order it for the table and share a plate of green salad on the side.
The wide seafront road of Nice, with a broad walkway beside the pebble beach and the blue chairs facing the water. Walk it as the sun goes down.
Go when Around sunset (about 8:48 PM), then on into the evening.
Local tip Take a blue chair at the water, with a glass of rosé if you like, and walk the length of it with your shoes in your hand.
The pink wine of Provence is the drink of the coast. Take a glass at a seafront table or on a chair by the water, with a bowl of olives.
Local tip Order a small carafe to share and make it last the sunset.
A day for the two famous museums on the hill, a domed church from another country, and a big open square to end on.
A museum in a red villa on the hill of Cimiez, about the painter who lived and worked in Nice. Paper cut-outs, drawings and paintings, in a park of old olive trees.
Go when Late morning, once the day has started.
Local tip The park around it is as good as the rooms. Sit under an olive tree before you go in.
A calm museum of large blue and red paintings on biblical themes by Marc Chagall, in a garden. Sit by the pool and look at the stained glass.
Go when Midday, right after the Matisse museum.
Local tip The hall of stained glass is small and still. Give it a few quiet minutes.
A thick flatbread topped with slow-cooked onions, olives and anchovies, a classic of Nice. Look for a slice from a bakery in the old town or near the museums.
Local tip Ask for a slice to go and eat it in the garden of the museum.
A church with five green onion domes among the apartment blocks, built by the Russian community that once wintered in Nice. Step in to see the painted icons.
Go when Afternoon, then ride or walk back toward the center.
Local tip Dress for a church and take your time with the icons. The gardens outside are a good place to sit.
The main square of Nice, a wide open space paved in a checkerboard of dark and light, with fountains and tall sculptures on poles. A good place to start an evening.
Go when Early evening, as the lights come on.
Local tip Cross it on foot, then head into the old town for a table. The square is the meeting point for half the city.
The salad of Nice, built from tomatoes, tuna, eggs, olives and raw vegetables, and traditionally without cooked potatoes or beans. Order it on a terrace in the old town.
Local tip Ask for it in the style of Nice, then share a plate of stuffed vegetables to follow.
The coast east of Nice by train and bus: a harbour town of old stone, a garden villa on a point, and a village high above the sea. Check the timetables the evening before.
A small harbour town in a deep bay, with a steep old street under a stone vault and bright houses facing the water. Sit by the quay and watch the boats.
Go when Morning, before the quay fills.
Local tip Walk the covered street under the old houses, then sit on the quay with a coffee.
A rich orange soup of rock fish, served with bread, grated cheese and a garlic sauce. A table on the quay at Villefranche is a classic spot to eat it.
Local tip Share a bowl if you plan to eat again at dinner.
A pink villa on the narrow Cap Ferrat peninsula, with themed gardens, fountains and a view of the sea on both sides. Walk the gardens first and the rooms afterward.
Go when Afternoon, with time for the gardens.
Local tip Do the gardens in the order the paths lead you, and keep the rooms of the villa for the hottest hour.
A village of stone lanes perched on a rock high above the sea. Climb to the top, where a garden of cactus looks out over the coast, and stay for the sunset.
Go when Late afternoon, at sunset (about 8:48 PM).
Local tip The climb is steep and the lanes are narrow, so wear flat shoes, and plan your way back down to the coast before dark.
Stuffed vegetables, usually tomatoes, courgettes and onions filled with a herby meat mixture and baked soft. A simple dinner dish of the coast.
Local tip Order a plate to share and ask for bread to mop up the juices.
A late start, the rock with the palace, the harbour and a museum by the sea, then an unhurried evening at the casino square. Leave the next morning free.
The palace of the ruling family on the old rock of Monaco. Walk the square in front of it, look down at the harbour and wander the quiet lanes of the old town.
Go when Late morning, once the lanes are open.
Local tip Walk to the edge of the rock for the view of the harbour, then wander the old town behind the palace.
The main harbour of Monaco, full of yachts below a wall of apartment towers. A flat, easy walk around the quay, with views back up to the rock.
Go when Midday, as a flat walk after the rock.
Local tip Walk the quay and look at the boats. It is free to enjoy, and the best view of the harbour is back from the water.
Barbajuan is the fried pastry of Monaco, a crisp pocket stuffed with chard and cheese. Eat a few at a small café near the harbour.
Local tip Order a plate to share, since they are rich, and add a green salad.
An old stone museum built into the cliff over the sea, with aquariums, skeletons and ocean exhibits. A good indoor stop for the warm middle of the day.
Go when Afternoon, in the heat of the day.
Local tip Go up to the roof for a view over the sea, then come back down to the aquariums.
Small ravioli filled with chard or slow-cooked meat, the pasta of Nice. A comforting dinner before a long evening.
Local tip Eat early and light, and leave the evening open for a walk.
The square in Monte-Carlo in front of the great casino building, with gardens, fountains and a grand café terrace on one side. Come after dark, when the facades are lit.
Go when After dark, when the building and the gardens are lit.
Local tip You can enjoy the square without going inside. Stroll the gardens, sit on a terrace, and keep the morning after free.
A last day by train to the west. A walled old town with a market and a Picasso museum, then a famous seafront and a hill of old lanes in Cannes.
A covered market in the old town of Antibes, with stalls of olives, cheese, flowers and vegetables. Arrive in the morning and buy a small picnic.
Go when Morning, when the stalls are full.
Local tip Buy olives, cheese and bread, then take them to a bench on the ramparts.
A small museum in a castle on the sea wall of Antibes, where the painter worked for a season. Paintings, drawings and ceramics, with a terrace over the water.
Go when Midday, with a pause on the terrace.
Local tip Walk out onto the terrace by the sea. The sculptures stand against the water.
The old stone walls along the sea at Antibes. Walk the path under them, with the bay and the snowy mountains on the horizon on a clear day.
Go when Afternoon, when the stone is warm.
Local tip Follow the path beside the walls on the sea side, then loop back through the old town.
A picnic from the market: green and black olives, a jar of tapenade, a round of fougasse bread and a piece of local cheese. Eat it on a bench by the walls.
Local tip Buy it at the market and ask for a small knife and napkin.
The palm-lined seafront boulevard of Cannes, with grand hotels, sandy beaches and a wide pavement for strolling. Walk a stretch in the late afternoon.
Go when Late afternoon, then into the evening.
Local tip Walk it on the sea side. The wide pavement is made for a slow stroll and a stop for an ice cream.
The old hill of Cannes, with steep lanes, a stone tower and a square at the top. Climb for the view over the bay at dusk, then come down to the harbour.
Go when Dusk, around sunset (about 8:48 PM).
Local tip Climb the steep lanes slowly, look back over the bay from the top, and come down to the harbour for dinner.
Panisses are fried chickpea sticks, crisp outside and soft inside, a favorite of the coast. Pair them with a plate of grilled fish by the old harbour in Cannes.
Local tip Share the panisses as a starter and ask what fish came in that day.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, June to September are the best months for a beach trip to Nice. This plan is built for late May, which is a good month. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 5 days in Nice, planned for late May. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 2.0 to 13.1 kilometers between its stops, and 34.7 kilometers in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
8 days in Provence, slow and by carAbout 180 km awayAn easy add-on
7 days in Chamonix and the Mont Blanc valleyAbout 250 km away
5 days in LyonAbout 300 km awayOther guides with a page about Nice. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageNice, the free travel guideLonely PlanetNice travel guideRick StevesNice travel guideTime OutThings to do in NiceThe GuardianNice travel featuresPhoto by Melvyn Swingler on Unsplash · Photo: Tubantia, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Patrice Semeria on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Nikolai Karaneschev, CC BY 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Clemensfranz, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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