Best Day Trips from Nice

Reviewed by TheOneToGo Editorial · Updated June 13, 2026

Nice makes it very easy to stay put. The sea is right there, Vieux Nice can eat half a day, and the trains remove most of the planning. Still, the best day trips from Nice are worth leaving for: Monaco for money and oddness, Menton for color, Grasse for perfume, Èze for the high-coast view, and Antibes when you want a town that feels less staged.

For the simple coastal trips, use TER trains from Nice-Ville, Nice-Riquier, or Nice Saint-Augustin, depending on where you are staying and which direction you are going. The line east toward Monaco and Menton and the line west toward Antibes and Cannes run often, but schedules still shift by date, strikes, and season.

I would not cram three Riviera towns into one day unless you enjoy changing platforms more than being somewhere. Pick one main stop, leave after breakfast, and give yourself a sane return window. Summer traffic and late dinner trains are not the moment to improvise.

1. 1

   Menton

   about 35 to 40 minutes by train

   Menton is the one I would choose with only one spare day. It has the sea, old lanes, painted facades, gardens, and a slower border-town mood that Nice does not quite have. It is prettier than Monaco and less pleased with itself than Cannes.

   Getting there: Take a direct TER from Nice-Ville or Nice-Riquier to Menton. Some trains continue to Menton Garavan, which can work well for the old town and the Italian-border side. Check the same-day return times before dinner, since the late pattern is not something to guess at.

   Best for: Color, wandering, gardens, and a relaxed full-day trip.

   

2. 2

   Èze Village

   about 30 to 45 minutes by bus, or train plus a steep uphill link

   Èze is touristy, and I would not pretend otherwise. The setting still earns the effort. The village sits high above the coast, and the point is the height, the stone lanes, and the drop toward the sea. Go early or late. Midday can feel like a slow queue in expensive sandals.

   Getting there: Take bus 82 or 602 from the Nice Vauban area toward Èze Village, then check the current timetable for the return because service is thinner than the trains. The TER stop called Èze is down at Èze-sur-Mer, not in the hill village, so only use the train if you are ready for the Nietzsche path, a local bus, or a taxi up.

   Best for: Views, stone lanes, short walks, and first-time Riviera visitors.

   

3. 3

   Monaco

   about 20 to 25 minutes by train

   Monaco is not my favorite place on the coast, but it is worth seeing once. The strangeness is the appeal: spotless streets, cliffside lifts, yachts, casino façades, and a palace district that feels more arranged than lived in. Fascinating, yes. Lovable, no.

   Getting there: Take a direct TER from Nice-Ville, Nice-Riquier, or another eastbound Nice station to Monaco-Monte-Carlo. From the station, use the public lifts and signed walking routes. Monaco is small on the map, but the height changes make it less simple on foot than it first looks.

   Best for: Architecture, people-watching, casino façades, and a very easy half-day or full day.

   

4. 4

   Antibes

   about 20 to 30 minutes by train

   Antibes is the best westbound choice if you want a real town rather than a checklist. The old town still has daily-life texture, the ramparts give you sea views without fuss, and the Picasso Museum gives the day a useful indoor anchor if the weather turns. I would take it over Cannes for a calmer, better-balanced day.

   Getting there: Take a direct TER from Nice-Ville or Nice Saint-Augustin to Antibes. The station is walkable to the old town and port. Do not build the day around taxis unless you have a specific reason, since the train is the cleanest option here.

   Best for: Old town wandering, art, food stops, and a less glossy Riviera day.

   

5. 5

   Cannes

   about 30 to 40 minutes by train

   Cannes is easy to mock, and some of that is fair. The Croisette is polished, expensive, and very aware of itself. Still, Le Suquet, the market area, and the boats to the Îles de Lérins make it better than the red-carpet cliché. Go for contrast, not soul.

   Getting there: Take a direct TER from Nice-Ville or Nice Saint-Augustin to Cannes. From the station, walk toward the old port, Le Suquet, and the Croisette. If you want Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat, check the ferry timetable first. Same-day island trips are normal, but sailings vary by island, season, and weather.

   Best for: Film history, dressed-up seafront walks, markets, and island add-ons.

   

6. 6

   Grasse

   about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes by train

   Grasse is the inland pick. It is not as instantly pretty as Menton or Èze, which is part of why I like it in the right mood. The old town is uneven, lived-in, and a bit rough around the edges, while the perfume museums and workshops give the day a clear reason to exist. It is best when you want a break from the coast.

   Getting there: Take a TER from Nice to Grasse, often on the Cannes line. Some services are direct and others can require a change, so check the exact departure. From Grasse station, continue uphill by local bus, taxi, or a steep walk into the old town. Plan that last climb before you arrive.

   Best for: Perfume, inland atmosphere, museums, and a less beach-focused day.

   

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