Nice itinerary: Vieux Nice, the Promenade and Riviera day trips
Nice is the easiest base on the French Riviera. Trains and buses reach Monaco, Èze, Villefranche and Antibes in under an hour, so the trick is choosing which. This prompt has your todo.is agent plan Nice with a market morning in Vieux Nice, a museum afternoon in Cimiez, beach time and the best Riviera day trips for your dates.
The prompt
- Plan a Nice itinerary for [NUMBER OF DAYS] days, [TRAVEL DATES], for [WHO IS TRAVELLING]. Include Vieux Nice and the Cours Saleya market, Castle Hill for the view, the Promenade des Anglais, Port Lympia, and the Matisse and Chagall museums in Cimiez. Add day trips by train or bus to [DAY TRIPS] with journey times and stops. Tell me which beaches are public and which are private beach clubs, and where to swim if we prefer [BEACH TYPE]. Add local food each day: socca, pissaladière, salade niçoise, pan bagnat. Flag events on our dates (Carnival, Jazz Festival, Monaco Grand Prix). Our interests: [INTERESTS]. Email me a PDF. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "4". Two days for Nice itself, plus day trips.
- [TRAVEL DATES]: E.g. "15 to 19 May". The agent checks the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix weeks.
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "couple", "family with a toddler", "solo art lover".
- [DAY TRIPS]: E.g. "Monaco and Èze", "Antibes and Cannes", "Saint-Paul-de-Vence", "Villefranche-sur-Mer".
- [BEACH TYPE]: E.g. "sand instead of pebbles", "quiet coves", "a beach club with loungers".
- [INTERESTS]: E.g. "art, markets, swimming, hiking, nightlife".
Example result
- Nice in 4 days, couple
- Art, markets, swimming · May
- Where to stay
- • Vieux Nice / near the Promenade: walk to the beach, the market and dinner.
- • Jean Médecin / near the station: easier for trains, more modern streets.
- Day 1: Vieux Nice and Castle Hill
- • Morning: Cours Saleya flower and food market (antiques on Mondays instead).
- • Wander the old town lanes: Place Rossetti, the Palais Lascaris.
- • Lunch: socca, a hot chickpea pancake, from a street stall.
- • Afternoon: climb Castle Hill (or take the free lift) for the view over the Baie des Anges.
- • Evening: sunset walk on the Promenade des Anglais, dinner around Port Lympia.
- Day 2: Monaco and Èze
- • Morning: train to Monaco (about 20 minutes). The Prince's Palace, the old town on the Rock, the Oceanographic Museum.
- • Afternoon: bus up to Èze village, a medieval hilltop with an exotic garden.
- • Fit walkers can hike the Nietzsche Path down to Èze-sur-Mer station (about 1 hour, steep).
- Day 3: Cimiez art and the beach
- • Morning: bus to Cimiez. The Matisse Museum, the Roman ruins and the monastery gardens, then the Chagall Museum on the way down.
- • Afternoon: swim. Nice beaches are pebbles; public sections are free, private clubs rent loungers.
- • Evening: aperitivo in the old town, then pissaladière and local rosé.
- Day 4: Villefranche and Antibes
- • Morning: train to Villefranche-sur-Mer (about 10 minutes). Swim at its sandy bay.
- • Afternoon: on to Antibes: the old town, the Picasso Museum, the ramparts and the Provençal market.
- • Back to Nice in the evening.
- Getting around
- • Regional TER trains run along the coast often. Buses go to hill villages.
- • Tram line 2 links the airport to the centre.
- Good to know
- • Bring water shoes for the pebble beaches.
- • Big events fill hotels: Carnival (February), Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix (May).
- • Check museum days and hours on official sites.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and replace the brackets with your days, dates, group and day trips.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Your agent routes the day trips by train and bus and emails you a PDF with links.
- Ask for tweaks like "add a hike on Cap Ferrat", then reserve beach clubs or restaurants yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Use the coast train. It's faster than driving to Monaco, Villefranche and Antibes, and you avoid parking.
- Go to the Cours Saleya market early, before 10:00, for the best stalls and cooler air.
- If you want sand, ask for Villefranche, Antibes or Juan-les-Pins. Nice's own beaches are pebbles.
- Do Èze early or late in the day. Coach groups fill its lanes from late morning.
Nice itinerary: FAQ
- How many days do you need in Nice? Two days covers the old town, Castle Hill, the Promenade and the museums. Four days lets you add Monaco, Èze, Villefranche and Antibes.
- What is the best time to visit Nice? May, June and September are warm with fewer crowds than July and August. Winter is mild and quiet, with Carnival in February.
- Can you visit Monaco on a day trip from Nice? Yes. Regional trains reach Monaco in about 20 minutes, and you can combine it with Èze by bus.
- Is Nice good for beaches? The city beaches are pebbly but clean, with free and private sections. Sandy beaches are a short train ride away.
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