One of the most popular and beautiful tourist destinations is the well-known French Riviera, famous as a favorite place for celebrities and people with high financial potential, with its beautiful landscapes and exclusive resorts.

Cote d'Azur, or French Riviera, is the second most visited tourist destination in France, after Paris, and stretches on the south-eastern part of France, between Menton and Saint Tropez. As objectives to visit we mention here monaco, Niche, cannes, Eze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Chin, Antibes, Saint Tropez.

In this article we come up with an idea of 3-day itinerary on the French Riviera, through which you can cover some of the most beautiful places on the famous French Riviera.

Where to stay

Nice is considered the unofficial capital of the Côte d'Azur, so we chose this city as the starting point for all the other destinations on the Coast. Nice is located approximately in the middle of the Côte d'Azur, thus facilitating the visit of the other cities and resorts, where we could easily reach by train.

We chose the accommodation in a hotel near the train station, from where it was very easy for us to leave early in the morning by train to other localities: Hotel Villa Berlioz.

Our recommendation is to choose a hotel as close as possible to the train station or the central area, in order to be as flexible as possible when it comes to traveling to other cities in the region.

How do you move?

The entire area of the Cote d'Azur has a very well developed public transport system, and at very affordable prices, both for trains, buses and trams.

By bus

• In Nice, the price of a trip by bus or tram costs 1.5 euros, the trip lasts 75 minutes, during which you can change several means of transport, until you reach your final destination
• There are also subscriptions for several trips, which we recommend
  • A ticket for 10 trips, at a price of 10 euros - this is not nominal, so several travelers can use the same ticket at the same time
  • A subscription with unlimited trips for 5 euros / 24 hours, or 10 euros / 48 hours - this type of ticket is nominal, for one person
• If you want to leave Nice for other nearby villages/cities, such as Villefranche-sur-Mer, you can use the same tickets, for 1.5 euros each way
• Tickets can be bought from the vending machines in the stations, directly from the driver (note that you cannot buy subscriptions from the driver), or directly from the Nice Ticket application, which we recommend, for simplicity and comfort

With train

• There are very frequent trains from Nice to the entire Côte d'Azur, every 30 minutes during the day
• Some ticket prices:
  • Nice – Monte Carlo return 8.4 euros
  • Nice – Eze 2.9 euros
  • Nice - Cannes 7 euros
• You can find the train tickets at the jukeboxes. But, if this is not possible, as it was in our case, when we could not buy tickets from Eze because the machine did not work, there is the SNCF Connect application where you can buy tickets online

Activities and tourist attractions on the French Riviera

Itinerary by days

We left home with a program already set for days, so that we can visit as many of the desired tourist attractions as possible. The French Riviera offers a multitude of activities and beautiful destinations, for which 3 days may not be enough. That's why, on this trip, we tried to check the objectives that we wanted to see the most, and we will leave the others for the next visit to the area.

Day 1 – Nice

We arrived in Nice quite early, the plane landed at 7 am, so we had a whole day to enjoy the city. Precisely because the flight was early, and the hours of sleep were few, that's why we preferred the first day to be a more leisurely one, where we walked through the city of Nice and enjoyed everything it had to offer.

From the airport, we took tram 2, which brought us close to the accommodation and the train station. Precisely because we knew we would arrive early, we preferred to book an accommodation where we could leave our luggage until check-in time.

After leaving the luggage, we took a walk towards the city center, where we enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of this city on the Mediterranean Sea. Nice is the 5th largest city in France, and I can say that it is one of the cities that conquered me with its elegance, beauty, cleanliness and the romantic vibe it offered us.

Center Nice

We started on Jean Medecin street, a pedestrian street full of shops, which connects the central station to the city center. At the end of the street, we find the famous the "Fontaine du Soleil" fountain, Promenade de Paillon and Massena Square, considered the central point of the city.

Next to it, it can be found the old center of the city, with pedestrian streets where you can find a lot of terraces and shops. Predominantly, you'll find restaurants with Italian specialties here, so if you're craving pasta and pizza, you'll definitely find it here. Nice belonged to Italy until the 19th century, that's why you will notice many Italian influences in this area. The prices at the restaurants are relatively decent, considering the reputation of this area: a meal can be found somewhere between 13-20 euros.

Promenade des Anglais

If you go towards the sea, you reach Promenade des Anglais, the famous cliff in Nice, which has a length of almost 7 km. You can choose here to walk on the beach, or even swim in the sea. The beach is rocky, but the color of the water is gorgeous. We're just on the Cote d'Azur, right? If you choose the walk, don't miss it Le Negresco hotel, hotel that represents the image of the city of Nice and that you will find on all the souvenirs. An interesting aspect is that the hotel was founded by a Romanian, Henri Negresco.

Colline du Chateau

At the end of the promenade is found Colline du Chateau, the hill from which you can admire the magnificent view of the coast and the city of Nice. To get to the top, you will have to climb some steps, but you will not regret it, the panorama is absolutely gorgeous. On the opposite side of the cliff you will see the port of Lympia, with its luxurious boats.

For more details about Nice, I recommend you read the article this.

Day 2 – Monaco

The next day we dedicated it entirely to visiting the principality of Monaco, with its famous Monte Carlo district.

About Monaco

Monaco is the second smallest country in Europe, after the Vatican, and with the highest density: with an area of only 2 square km, it has a population of almost 38,000 inhabitants.

Monaco is a principality, being a constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II as head of state. The official language is French, and the single currency is the euro.

Monaco is considered a tax haven, and is where rich people gather, thanks to low corporate taxes. It is considered the most expensive residential market in the world, where the price of a studio can start from one million euros. Also, to rent an apartment, you must prove that you have at least 500,000 euros in a bank account in Monaco.

The country is famous primarily because of the Monte Carl casinooh, one of the most famous casinos in the world. Interestingly, the locals are forbidden to play at the casino, so as not to lose their money there. At one point, the casino represented the only source of external income for the country, thanks to the rich people who came and lost their money at the casino.

How do you get to Monaco?

I arrived in Monaco by train from Nice in the morning. The trip took about 30 minutes, and the return ticket cost 8.5 euros. Another option to get to Monaco is by bus 100, which departs from the port of Lympia. The trip costs 1.5 euros and takes a little longer, about 50 minutes, but offers you some beautiful landscapes along the coast.

Tourist attractions Monaco, Monte Carlo

Once we arrived at the station, we started walking in the small principality. From the beginning, we were charmed by this city, an atypical city, the likes of which we have never seen anywhere else. Everywhere you will be amazed by the luxury and opulence specific to this country: a multitude of yachts, expensive cars and shops of various luxury brands. The country is extremely clean and everything seems very well set up. The apartment blocks are quite cramped, however, and sometimes you wonder why a house in such a block costs so much. But Monaco has its own charm, and the city is totally different from anything you've seen so far.

The city is built in steps, like some rocks, and to get from one level to another you can take the public elevators. It should be mentioned that, in the beginning, until we understood the city, we got lost a few times among the streets. Google Maps helps in this case, but beware of the internet! If you enter the local network, you will pay a lot on the internet, as Monaco is not part of the EEA roaming area. In these conditions, either download the offline map in advance, or make sure you stay connected to the French mobile phone network. And as a small detail, a big plus for this country are the public toilets: everywhere they are free and very clean.

Monte Carlo Casino

From the train station I quickly arrived at Monte Carlo Casino, the number 1 attraction of the principality of Monaco. It is possible to visit its interior, and the price of a ticket is 17 euros, with which you can enter the casino as many times as you want that day. The games start at 2 p.m., so we, entering first thing in the morning, could admire the empty casino. It is one of the most luxurious casinos in the world, and we recommend visiting it. The shock is the difference between the landscape of opulence that the inside of the building offers, the well-known gaming tables from casinos (such as the poker or roulette tables) and the classic electronic gambling machines, or "pacanelles", in classic terms.

Because we wanted to feel the atmosphere in the casino and when the players gather, we entered the casino during the evening as well. The minimum amount with which you can enter a game table is 20 euros, and for electronic devices you can start from a few euros. So, if you want an experience and a memorable memory, in which you can brag that you played at the famous Monte Carlo casino, you don't need a large amount of money.

After the casino, we started towards Port Hercules, where you can find a lot of luxury boats. It also starts from the port the famous Formula 1 circuit.

Formula 1 Grand Prix

Another thing that Monaco is famous for is the Formula 1 Grand Prix which takes place in this city annually, starting with the year 1929. The Monaco Circuit needs six weeks to be set up and another three weeks to be dismantled. The circuit is considered one of the most difficult Formula 1 circuits, being incredibly narrow and tight through its tunnel, and having tight turns.

The Princely Palace of Monaco

After the port, I went up to The Princely Palace of Monaco, this being the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. If you arrive by 11:55, you can admire the changing of the guards. Around the palace, you will find numerous terraces and souvenir shops. You can also admire the famous landscapes of Monaco: towards the Hercule port, in the north, and towards the De Fontvielle port, in the south.

Close to the Princely Palace you can find the cathedral of Monaco, where old leaders of the principality are buried, as well as the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

In Monaco, food prices are a little higher than in Nice, so if you want to have lunch at a restaurant, be prepared to pay around 50 euros for a meal.

In the evening, I took the train and started back to Nice.

Day 3 – Eze and Cannes

The next day we divided it and visited two locations we wanted to reach: the village of Eze, with its exotic garden, and the famous city of Cannes.

Eze

Eze is a small medieval village located on a ridge, between Nice and Monaco. Being located at a height, it offers an impressive view of the entire Côte d'Azur, and the architecture of the houses and the streets of the medieval village will make you feel that you have entered another century.

To get to the medieval village of Eze is a little more complicated, because you depend on the local buses, which run quite rarely (about once every 1-2 hours). This is if you don't want to go up and down to the village, on Nietzche's famous path. But the route is not exactly an easy one, the climb takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, so be properly equipped if you want this option.

We left in the morning by train from Nice to Eze station. I took the train at 9:30, and at 10:10 I took bus 83 from Eze station up to the medieval village. The trip by train cost almost 3 euros, and by bus 1.5 euros. Another possibility to reach the village is by bus 82 directly from Nice, but here it also depends on where you start from the city. For us, leaving directly from the station, the train option was the most convenient.

Le Jardin Exotique

Arriving in Eze, we walked along the beautiful streets of the medieval village and visited the exotic garden Le Jardin Exotique. Cacti, exotic plants, paths through the trees, extraordinary views and panoramas of the Côte d'Azur is what this garden offers. The price of a ticket is 6 euros / person.

After visiting the garden, we returned to the village, where we had lunch until we waited for the return bus, from 1 p.m.

cannes

Arriving back at the train station in Eze, I took the train to Cannes. An Eze – Cannes ticket cost 9.2 euros and the journey took about an hour.

Cannes is among the most famous resorts on the Côte d'Azur and is famous for the biggest film festival it hosts. It has a spectacular beach, with very fine white sand and a gorgeous blue sea. You can't help but be fascinated by the beach in Cannes!

Cannes is a dynamic, energizing city, with a multitude of terraces and restaurants visited by tourists. Besides these, you can't help but notice the 5-star hotels, the exclusive beaches, the boulevards with luxury shops, the expensive cars or the yachts in the port. All this gives Cannes an elegant and extravagant air.

During the few hours spent in Cannes, I visited the famous boulevard La Croisette from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Festival Palace, the port, the central area with shops and terraces and the old town of Le Suquet, from where we admired the view over the city of Cannes.

In the evening, we returned by train to Nice. The price of a Cannes - Nice train ticket was 7 euros.

Tips & Tricks:

If you have little time at your disposal, but you want to visit as many locations as possible, maybe you should consider a such a trip, where you have the opportunity to see Monaco, Eze, Cannes and Antibes in one day.

Conclusion

If you want a short getaway in a weekend, or a longer vacation, of several days, the Côte d'Azur can be such a destination, being very offering, with different destinations and locations to visit. For us, traveling for only 3 days, this was the route we chose, wanting to see mainly Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes and Eze. If we had more days at our disposal, we would certainly have reached the following places: Saint-Tropez, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer or Menton. But we will take advantage of the fact that we did not manage to see them all now, to return once more, soon, to the Côte d'Azur.