3 days in Nice itinerary: The perfect long weekend guide

If you’re planning a short break on the Côte d’Azur, Nice is the perfect base. With its colourful Old Town, Mediterranean beaches and easy day trips along the French Riviera, you can fit a lot into just a few days without feeling rushed.  From walks along the promenade, exploring the Old Town, sunset views from Castle Hill, and day trips to nearby Èze and Monaco, there’s plenty to enjoy, especially if you follow this 3 days in Nice itinerary.

We spent a long weekend here and loved how walkable the city is.  Most of the best things to do in Nice are close together, and the public transport makes exploring the French Riviera incredibly easy.

If you’ve only got three days in Nice and want to make the most of your time, this itinerary will help you plan the perfect weekend.  Our 3‑day Nice itinerary gives you a great introduction to the city’s main attractions and sights and includes two of the most popular Nice day trips.

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If you’re a first-time visitor to Nice, I’d recommend staying somewhere central like Vieux Nice or along the Promenade des Anglais.

We stayed at the Hotel Suisse, fantastically located at the end of Promenade des Anglais, giving us amazing views from our room and easy access to the Old Town and top sights in Nice.  The breakfast was excellent too, setting us up for a busy day of sightseeing!

If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, Le Negresco is the most iconic hotel in town.

• Day 1:  Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, Wander the Old Town, Climb Castle Hill
• Day 2:  Day trip to Monaco
• Day 3:  Visit Èze, hit the beach

Kick off your 3 days in Nice itinerary with a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, the palm-tree-lined seafront promenade.  Originally built for wealthy English visitors escaping the winter cold, it stretches for 7km along the coastline in Nice and is always a hub of activity, with walkers, cyclists, and beach lovers.

Afterwards, spend the morning exploring Vieux Nice, the colourful Old Town and one of the most charming places to visit in Nice.  We loved wandering the labyrinth of narrow lanes, stopping for drinks and ice-cream whenever we needed a break.

If you prefer to walk with a guide, you could do a guided walking tour of Nice, which would show you all the historic sights in one go.

Make sure you visit Cours Saleya Market, the main outdoor market selling flowers, fruits, and Provençal specialities.

From the market, stroll over to Nice Cathedral on Place Rossetti.  Pop inside for a quick look, as the interiors are stunning.  We also stopped for a beer on Place Rossetti, which was absolutely buzzing and perfect for people-watching.

Although the famous Fenocchio’s ice cream shop is right outside, the queue was constant, so we found a quieter gelato spot just up the street.

Luckily, there’s plenty of restaurants in Vieux Nice, with little tables spilling out on to the streets, so you always have the option to stop.

From Vieux Nice, take a stroll through Jardin Albert 1er, one of the oldest public gardens in the city.  It’s a shady place to relax and watch the fountains burst into action, always a hit with the kids.

Then, continue to Place Masséna, with its striking red buildings, checkerboard paving, and modern art installations.  From here, it’s a short walk back to the Promenade des Anglais.

On your third day of your weekend in Nice, I’d recommend visiting to Èze Village, a stunning medieval hilltop village.  You can get there easily by bus or take a guided tour.

After lunch, make your way up to Castle Hill (Colline du Château), one of the top Nice attractions.  You can take the free lift or walk, which is what we did.

Despite the name, there’s no castle anymore (Louis XIV destroyed it in 1706), but the hilltop park offers some of the best panoramic views over the Old Town, port, and bay.  Follow the paths around until you find the large waterfall cascade which is a lovely spot to cool off.

Or, you could save your visit for the evening for some of the best sunset views in Nice.

Afterwards, cross the road to the #ILoveNice sign, an iconic viewpoint and popular selfie spot.  From here, follow the coastline round to Port Lympia, Nice’s main harbour.  There’s plenty of boats to admire and several cafés and restaurants near the waterfront.

In the evening, we had dinner in the Old Town, then walked back along the Promenade des Anglais to our hotel.

Day two of our Nice itinerary is all about fast cars, yachts, and casinos.  Yes, a day trip to Monaco, the playground of the rich and famous.

Luckily for us, you don’t need to be a billionaire to visit.  A day trip to Monaco is one of the most popular Nice day trips, and it’s incredibly easy by train.

Start by taking the train from Nice‑Ville to Monaco–Monte‑Carlo.  We took the bus to the station on the way out, but it’s walking distance from the Old Town depending on where you’re staying.

The journey only takes about 20-30 minutes.  We’d read lots of advice about sitting on the sea‑view side, but the train was so packed it was standing‑room only!  If you want to see the coastline from a different angle, you can also take the return ferry from Nice to Monaco.

Once you get to Monaco, most places are withing walking distance, but it is quite hilly.  If you prefer, you could see the sights from the top of the hop-on-hop-off bus.

Start your tour of Monaco with a visit to the Prince’s Palace, perched high above the harbour.  Try to arrive before 11.55am to catch the daily changing of the guards.  We got there just in time and there was already a big crowd waiting.

However, the views from up here are fantastic and the old streets around the palace are lovely to explore.  Furthermore, there are some really budget‑friendly cafés nearby if you want an early lunch.

Afterwards, take a very short walk to Monaco Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée), a magnificent Romanesque-Byzantine building.  Inside, it’s beautiful and you can see the tombs of many former sovereigns, including Prince Rainer III and Princess Grace Kelly.   Admission is free.

If you’re visiting Monaco with kids, you could  also stop at the Oceanographic Museum, which has over 6,000 specimens and lots of interactive exhibitions.

Then head down the hill towards the marina, where you’ll reach the famous Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit.  By pure luck, it happened to be the Formula E race weekend, so we got to see the pit stops set up and teams getting ready, a real treat for my Formula-1-mad husband.

We walked the Formula-1 track, went through the famous tunnel, saw the hairpin bends, and stopped for lunch by the harbour, a brilliant spot for people-watching and yacht-spotting.

After lunch, walk up to the Monte‑Carlo Casino, one of Monaco’s most iconic landmarks.

Even if you don’t fancy a flutter, you can go inside for free and see the lavish entrance hall.  The square outside is worth a visit for the architecture and the supercars parked out front.

You could stop for a drink at the Casino Café de Paris.

Head back to Nice by train and enjoy a relaxed evening meal in the Old Town.

On your third day of your weekend in Nice, we recommend you pay a visit to Èze Village, a stunning medieval hilltop village.  You can get there easily by bus or take a guided tour.

Once you arrive, wander through the cobbled lanes, browse the little shops, and climb up to the Jardin Exotique, the exotic gardens at the very top. You’ll see some extremely huge cacti and the views are absolutely incredible.

Top tip: Buy your garden tickets at the machine at the entrance to Èze, which will save you queuing at the top.

After exploring, stop for lunch at one of the cafés overlooking the coast. We ate at L’Antre Potes, enjoying a beer in the garden.

I’d highly recommend going early, as it gets busy later in the day.  As we left, coach loads of tourists were arriving, and it would have definitely changed the experience.

If you’re feeling energetic, walk down the Nietzsche Path to Èze‑sur‑Mer.  The path is steep and rocky in places, but ok if you’re reasonably fit and the route is shady so you won’t feel the heat.

The trail leads to the station and the beach at Èze‑sur‑Mer, so you can spend the afternoon here or can get the train back to the beaches in Nice.  Either way, it’s a lovely way to spend your final day on the French Riviera.

Many of the beaches are free, but expect pebbles, so they are not the most comfortable.  However, there are plenty of private beach clubs, where you’ll get a sunbed, parasol, and access to a bar.

In the evening you can choose another of the many restaurants in the Old Town.  We stopped at Le Bistro du Fromager, a cosy bistro serving a selection of French cheeses and wine.

If you don’t want to do two day trips, you could spend more time at the beach or look at some of the art galleries in Nice.  One of the top museums is the Matisse Museum, set in a beautiful 17th‑century villa and dedicated to the life and work of Henri Matisse.  Just a short walk away is the Musée Marc Chagall.

Another top choice for museums in Nice is the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC), near the Old Town.

With so much to see, you might prefer to take a guided tour in Nice

• Mala Caves, Villefranche & Snorkelling Boat Tour
• French Riviera in One Day
• Half-day trip to Nice, Eze & Monaco
• Full day trip to the Gorges of Verdon and Fields of Lavender

Fly into Nice Airport, one of the best-connected airports in Europe.  Then take tram line 2 to Port Lympia.  It only takes about 20 minutes and brings you right in the centre of Nice.  We used this and it was such a cheap and convenient way to travel.

Alternatively, taxis are also available outside the terminal.

• Luxury Accommodation:  Hotel le Negresco is an elegant, 5-star spa hotel in the centre of Nice
• Mid-range Accommodation:  Boscolo Hotel & Spa is a Belle Époque-style hotel with an indoor swimming pool
• Budget Accommodation:   Hotel Busby is a clean, comfortable hotel in a central location

We stayed in Hotel Suisse, at the end of the Promenade des Anglais.  It has an excellent location and the buffet breakfast was superb!

Yes, it’s easy to get to and easy to get around.  It has a beautiful Old Town and is located on the beach.  Plus, Nice is a fantastic base for visiting other villages and towns along the Côte d’Azur.

Three days in Nice is perfect for seeing the main sights and enjoying a couple of day trips along the French Riviera.  If you have longer, you can easily add Antibes, Cannes, or Villefranche-sur-Mer.

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