Nice-5-day-itinerary

Five days is the sweet spot where Nice stops feeling like a checklist and starts feeling like a base camp, two days in the city itself, three excursions branching out along the coast.

Getting In

Tram Line 2 runs the airport to Jean-Medecin route in about 30 minutes for 1.70 EUR, direction Port Lympia, not the Centre Administratif branch. A flat-rate taxi costs 32 EUR for up to four passengers with luggage; state that price up front, since some drivers quietly run the meter to 45 or 50 EUR instead. Uber sidesteps the issue entirely. Guard your bag at the Grand Arenas tram stop, a known pickpocket spot during the ticket-machine crowd.

Day 1: Old Town And Promenade

Settle in, then head to Cours Saleya for the morning market, flowers and produce Tuesday through Sunday, antiques on Mondays. Try socca at Chez Theresa’s stall or Chez Pipo on rue Bavastro, wood-fired since 1923, 5 to 8 EUR. Skip lunch at the terrace restaurants directly on the square; they charge for the location and the food shows it, so walk a street or two back instead.

Spend the afternoon wandering Vieux Nice, pastel facades and narrow alleys that reward slow walking. Toward evening, stroll the Promenade des Anglais, seven free kilometers, and claim a blue chair if you find one open. Remember these are pebble beaches, not sand, so water shoes beat flip-flops.

Dinner at Lou Balico or Acchiardo in Vieux Nice gets you proper Nicois cooking, daube, stuffed vegetables, mains around 15 to 25 EUR. If salade nicoise is on offer, the authentic version skips cooked potatoes and green beans entirely, just raw vegetables, tuna or anchovies, egg, and olives.

Day 2: Castle Hill And Museums

Climb Castle Hill early, before the day heats up. No standing castle remains up there, torn down in 1706, but the free panoramic view over the Baie des Anges is the single best value hour in the city. The free public elevator at the east end of quai des Etats-Unis saves the legs if the stairs don’t appeal.

Afterward, tackle the museums if you’re an art person. Matisse and Chagall occupy two separate buildings near Cimiez, not one merged site and not downtown, a mistake plenty of itineraries make. Matisse’s museum sits in a 17th-century villa, open 10am to 6pm, closed Tuesdays, via bus 5, 16, or 18. The Chagall museum on avenue Docteur Menard, also closed Tuesdays, costs 12 EUR during exhibitions or 10 EUR without, free the first Sunday of every month. Skip the museums for an afternoon at Port Lympia instead if art isn’t the priority; the harbor with its colorful facades and Corsica ferry is its own reward.

Day 3: Villefranche And Eze

Take the train to Villefranche-sur-Mer, seven minutes and 2 to 3 EUR, and walk the edge of one of the deepest natural harbors on this coast. From there, continue by train to Eze-sur-Mer, about 15 minutes further, then climb the steep path or take bus 83 up to the perched village of Eze; the train stops at sea level and doesn’t reach the hilltop on its own. Do this leg in the morning or during cooler months, since a midday summer ascent is genuinely miserable rather than scenic. Return to Nice for dinner somewhere in Vieux Nice you haven’t tried yet.

Day 4: Monaco

The train to Monaco and Monte-Carlo takes 20 to 25 minutes and costs 4 to 6 EUR, an easy day trip into a different country entirely. Wander the old town, take in the harbor views, and if casinos interest you, the exterior of the Casino de Monte-Carlo alone is worth a look even if you never play a hand. Lunch prices here run noticeably higher than in Nice, so eat before you go or budget accordingly. Back in Nice by evening, treat yourself to a nicer dinner than usual; five days in, you’ve earned it.

Day 5: Slow Morning, Then Antibes Or Home

If your flight is late, spend the morning back at Cours Saleya with a slower coffee, or take one more short trip to Antibes, 20 to 25 minutes away for 5 to 6 EUR, home to the Picasso Museum and its own lively Marche Provencal. If your flight is early, use the morning to revisit whichever spot from the previous four days you liked best; repeat visits tend to be more satisfying than cramming in something new on a tired last day. Budget the same 32 EUR flat-rate taxi conversation for the ride back to the airport, and don’t let a driver talk you into anything higher on your way out any more than on your way in.

Where To Sleep For Five Nights

Old Town hotels keep the market and best restaurants within walking distance, at the cost of smaller rooms and summer noise. A room on or near the Promenade buys the classic sea view for a higher nightly rate. For a stay this long, an aparthotel near Jean-Medecin with a kitchen is worth considering, since five days of every meal out adds up fast.

Practical Notes

French is official, English is common in tourist areas, and the Euro is the currency; cards are widely accepted but keep cash for markets and small cafes. The calmest, most swimmable window is May through June or September into October. July and August bring serious heat, packed pebble beaches, and hotel prices that punish last-minute booking, so plan ahead if those are your only available dates. Five days is plenty of time, so don’t be afraid to leave a gap in the schedule; the best afternoon of the whole trip might be the one you didn’t plan.