DAY TRIPS

Day trips

Nice, Èze, Monaco, Menton and back before aperitivo? Mèfi: watch out. That is not a day trip. It is a delivery route in disguise.

Villefranche bay and Cap-Ferrat from above

Pick a direction

From Nice

Nice to Menton by train

Villefranche or Monaco, then Menton. Two stops are enough. The Riviera is not a TikTok challenge.

Plan the day West

Antibes and Cannes

Close on the map, very different in mood. There is no reason to pretend otherwise.

Compare From Cannes

Lérins Islands

Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat: two islands, two moods, fifteen to twenty minutes by boat.

Plan the day East of Nice

Walk Cap-Ferrat

Three coastal walks, from an easy promenade to the full cape loop.

Plan the day West

Corniche d’Or

Thirty kilometres of turquoise sea and red rock between Théoule and Saint-Raphaël.

Plan the day Inland · from Cannes

Grasse and perfume

Make your own perfume in a historic house. Worth it if perfume is the reason; from Nice, give it the day.

Plan the day

ACTIVITIES WE WOULD ACTUALLY BOOK

When paying someone else to handle the logistics makes sense.

Most Riviera days do not need an organised tour. These are the cases where handing over the logistics can stop the holiday turning into a string of connections.

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EAST · NO CAR

Èze + Monaco + Monte-Carlo

Mametas verdict. A sensible use of an organised excursion: two very different stops without spending the day solving the logistics.

For. A short first trip, no car, with Èze and Monaco high on the list.

The catch. You trade freedom for efficiency. If you like lingering two hours longer in Èze, keep the day in your own hands.

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WEST · OVERVIEW

Cannes + Antibes + Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Mametas verdict. We usually tell you to do less. Here, the point is to let somebody else handle the connections if you insist on seeing all three.

For. A short trip, a first look west, and no desire to drive.

The catch. Three places in one day are still three samples. Efficiency is not the same thing as Mediterranean slowness.

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Cap-Ferrat and the Riviera coastline from above

SEA · EASY

Nice + Villefranche Bay by boat

Mametas verdict. An hour on the water can add more to the day than another hour on a bus. Short format, a different view of the coast, then back to your own plans.

For. Anyone who wants a proper sea interlude without surrendering half the day.

The catch. This is a sightseeing cruise. Keep the expectations the same size as the format.

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SEA · DEDICATED DAY

Saint-Tropez from Nice, by boat

Mametas verdict. From Nice without a car, the boat is the version of a Saint-Tropez day trip we can defend most easily. At least the coast becomes part of the journey.

For. Travellers who really want Saint-Tropez and are willing to give it the whole day.

The catch. Saint-Tropez is not next door to Nice just because the map looks small. Make it the day.

Check availability on GetYourGuide ↗︎