10 Best Day Tours from Nice You Have to Experience in 2024

ByStephanie Rytting Posted on

Looking for the best day tours from Nice throughout the French Riviera? I’ve got you covered with 10 great options!

A row of buildings with lots of windows next to lots of row boats. There are lots of gray clouds in the sky covering the water.

Nice is one of my absolute favorite cities in France! The laidback vibes, the pretty buildings, the sea views and palm trees swaying make this a unique destination in France, with tons of things to see and do.

And as much as I love exploring the city of Nice, one of the best features of the city is how centrally located it is in the French Riviera and to Provence.

It is SO close to dozens of towns, wineries, mountainous regions, lakes, and of course, the Mediterranean, which all offer so many opportunities for incredible experiences outside of Nice.

There are dozens of places you can visit in the Provence/French Riviera region from Nice, so to help you narrow down your options, in this guide I’m sharing what I think are the best of the best day tour options.

These are all tours – meaning that you’ll go with a dedicated guide and driver, don’t have to worry about logistics, and get taken straight to the best places. Let’s jump right in!

No time to read the whole article? No worries – These are my top picks:

10 Unforgettable Day Tours From Nice

1. Best of the Riviera Whirlwind Tour

Gourdon

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 8 hours

This full day, action-packed, best of the Riviera tour introduces you to 6 different bucket list cities and villages on the French Riviera.

Enjoy visiting spots in France like Antibes, Cannes, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Eze, La Turbie and Monaco. You’ll have about an hour in most of these spots (with a longer stop to see more sites in Monaco), plus a few stops between the cities for a photo-op at great views.

Of course, hitting 6 cities in one day means that each stop is more of an overview than a long, lingering exploration of each city, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants to see and experience the variety that southern France has to offer.

I’ve visited all of these spots, and they are all different, yet all so charming in their own way.

Check prices and availability for this day trip here

2. Small Group Provence Vineyard Tours + Wine Tastings

Repeating rows of grapes next to a stone building for pressing the grapes.

Ratings: 4.93 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 8 hours

On this multi-stop day trip of Provencal wineries, you’ll travel in an air-conditioned van to visit 3 different and unique vineyards nearby Nice. You’ll tour the vineyards and cellar, learn about the whole process of wine production, then enjoy wine-tastings led by an expert sommelier.

You’ll get a long stop for lunch in a nearby quaint village in the middle of the day before continuing on your wine tour. The countryside and vineyards are all beautiful, with spectacular views.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

3. Small Group Tour to Monaco

A large glamorous castle-like building with palm trees and glowing lights.

Ratings: 4.89 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 3 to 4 hours

This small group excursion to Monaco with a walking tour is a great way to experience Monaco. With your guide, you’ll ride the train from Nice to Monaco (it’s a really beautiful ride), without the hassle of navigating tickets and the train station yourself.

In Monaco, you’ll get an in-depth guided tour of some of the most interesting spots in the city, with a lot of behind the scenes information and local tidbits. Enjoy visiting the casino, the Grand Prix, the harbor, the port, the opera, different gardens, the cathedral, the palace, old town, and more during this half day activity from Nice.

Your guide is engaging, interesting, and knowledgeable about the city and you’ll come away having seen and learned a lot!

Monaco is one of the most popular day trips from Nice by train or by other transportation, as you can visit an entirely different country with very little effort!

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

4. Charming French Villages + Monaco City Tour

Eze

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 7 hours

In this tour of French villages and Monaco, you get the best of both worlds: small, adorable villages to explore, plus time in the glitzy and glamorous big city of Monaco.

To start this day trip, you’ll visit the village of Eze, a charming hilltop village with stone buildings and streets, and incredible views that overlooks the sea.

Then you’ll head to La Turbie, another hilltop village. This village is unique in that it sits above Monaco, giving some truly amazing views over the city.

Finally, you’ll head down into Monaco, visiting sites such as the Prince’s Palace, Old Town, the Justice Palace, the cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum, the Grand Prix, and ending with a visit to the Monte Carlo Casino.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

5. Private Catamaran Cruise Near Nice

A beautiful rock half moon open cave with teal-blue water and a small white sailboat floating in the water.

Ratings: 4.92 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This one hour, private cruise in a solar-powered boat, cruises along the coast of France, passing by several quaint villages and expansive villas. What’s more peaceful and romantic than watching the sunset while on the Mediterranean?

You’ll set sail from the Beaulieu-sur-Mer port, a little suburb that’s just outside of Nice. From there, it’s on to cruising along the sea. Since this is a private activity, it’s just you – no one else to disturb or disrupt you (including the boat – since it’s solar-powered, it’s very quiet).

Dangle your feet in the water and watch the French countryside pass by – Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in particular is a gorgeous place to see, but the entire coastline is charming and beautiful.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

6. Half Day Private Boat Tour on the Cote d’Azur

This is an aerial shot of a small speedboat cruising through the waters of the Mediterranean, with two people lounging in the front of the boat.

Ratings: 5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 3.5 hours

For those of you that want more time on the water, this half day boat excursion, for just your own party is just the ticket. From just outside of Nicee you’ll sail towards Monaco, riding along the coast and admiring all the beautiful villas and the pretty coastline of France.

There’s time to jump off the back of the boat and swim or snorkel in the Mediterranean waters. Because it’s just your party, there’s a lot of flexibility about what you can do based on your personal preferences.

This boat excursion lasts about four hours and is good for a small group of people!

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

7. Train Experience Through the Alps

A curving train track hits on an archway above the ground, curving through a fforest, with just a hint of mountain in the background.

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 8 to 12 hours

This train experience through the Alps is perfect for anyone wanting a unique experience, off the beaten path.

Meet your guide at the Nice train station, where together you’ll board the train and travel through scenic countryside, canyons, and viaducts, along the ancient “salt road” of France.

You’ll stop at two quaint, charming villages, Saorge and Tende, and a monastery. Throughout these villages, your fun and interesting guides will take you through town, showing you all the cool and interesting spots as you explore together.

The mountain views are incredible and the medieval villages make you feel like you’ve stepped back 500 years. Note that you will be walking quite a bit on this tour!

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

8. Private Provence Vineyard Tours and Wine Tastings

In this picture, you are standing in a vineyard, surrounded by rows of grape viens. In the distance, the sun is just barely rising over the hills on the horizon.

Ratings: 4.94 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 8 hours

This private Provence Wine Tasting tour is perfect either for anyone wanting a private, intimate experience, or if you have a somewhat larger group of people that want to go together.

On this excursion, you’ll tour and taste your way through three different vineyards, learn about winemaking and its history in France, and indulge in 15 different wines throughout the day.

The estates that you’ll visit are delightfully historic and beautiful, and have been making wines in the region for hundreds and hundreds of years. You’ll have plenty of time to take your time and savor the wine, the setting, and the experience.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

9. Gorge du Verdon Full Day Excursion

The deep turqouise water of the river in the Gorge du Verdon goes through the middle of the picture, with a few paddleboats in the water. Tall, sheer, white limestone cliffs line the sides of the river, with bushes and trees growing from the rocks. This is an incredible destination to visit from Nice.

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 9 hours

This tour of the Gorge du Verdon takes you to a gorgeous spot in the Provence Alps. This is the biggest canyon in France, with a turquoise river running through it and a lovely waterfall nearby.

On this tour, you’ll be driven up through the winding roads into the mountains of Provence, stopping at several panoramic spots near the Gorge du Verdon. Enjoy stops at two adorable villages in the area: Castellane, and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

Then, head to Lac Sainte Croix, which is where the canyon river empties into. Here you can swim or rent a canoe or paddleboat and venture up into the canyon, before heading back to town.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

10. Snorkeling in the Bay at Villefranche

A girl in a swimsuit is wearing a snorkle mask and is face down in the waters of the Mediterranean, swimming and enjoying the sealife.

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Tour Time: 2 hours

This snorkeling tour near Villefranche is a great part-day tour outside of Nice.

On this tour, you’ll meet at the port in Nice, hop on a boat, and take a 20 minute cruise along the beautiful coast of France, over to a marine protected bay by Cap Jean Ferrat, near Villefranche.

Here, you’ll have the opportunity to snorkel in the Mediterranean waters (all snorkel gear is provided).

You’ll have about an hour to swim and snorkel, and then head back to Nice. With the boat cruise on both ends of the trip, you almost get a 2-for-1 deal on this tour!

Note that you do have to be 11 and be able to swim without a life jacket to go on this tour.

Check Rates and Availability For This Tour Here

Other Practical Information for Visiting Nice

How Many Days Do You Need in Nice

I would plan for 2 days to sightsee in the city, and then another 1-3 days at least for daytime trips in the countryside around Nice. There’s so much to see in the area!

How Do You Get to Nice?

Nice has an international airport (NCE airport code) and is also very well-connected to the rest of France and Europe by train. It is very easy to arrive in Nice with either of these options.

Where Should I Stay in Nice?

I have a full post with an in-depth breakdown of where to stay in Nice for different types of travelers, and best hotels in each of these neighborhoods (including some of the best hotels in Nice with pools)

However, if you want just my top TOP recommendations, these are my favorite hotels in Nice:

The Difference Between Provence and the French Riviera

While there’s no official boundary, the French Riviera is the term used for the section of coastal France from around Toulon or Saint-Tropez, all the way east to the Italian border. It includes cities like Nice, Cannes, Antibes, and Grasse, and is also known as the “Cote d’Azur.”

Provence is the official term for the region in southern France, and encompasses a large area that includes the “French Riviera.” Provence includes cities such as Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and Avignon, as well as cities like Nice, Saint Tropez, Cannes, and others.

The Wrap Up

Nice is one of my favorite locations in France, not just because of its own charms, but because of how well it serves as a central hub for exploring the region. With so much to experience, I’m sure you’ll find the right excursion for you! Enjoy!

Stephanie is obsessed with everything having to do with France, and she's visited the country 10 times (including a 3 month stint when she lived in Paris). She draws on her extensive knowledge of the country to bring you detailed and helpful guides, from the perspective of a fellow traveler.