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Bucket list trip:

Last updated: 20 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

Where to go and what to see in the Cote d’Azur to get the most from your trip – 9 days including Cannes, Monaco, Nice & Saint-Tropez from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.

Editor note – Dana has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our French Riviera destination guide. The itinerary assumes you’ll stay in one hotel in Nice.

Day 1 Nice

5

In the morning, get started with a guided tour through the Cours Saleya market and the colourful lanes of Vieux Nice (Old Nice).

Then enjoy a memorable lunch at Le Plongeoir, set on an outcrop overlooking the port.

In the afternoon, head up to Cimiez, one of Nice’s smartest districts, to visit the colour-drenched museums dedicated to Matisse and Marc Chagall.

In the evening book a meal at Le Chantecler in the fabled Negresco Hotel.

Cours Saleya Food and Flower Market

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
View looking down from above to the busy market of Cours Saleya in the centre of Nice City

Nice’s food and flower market, held along the pedestrianised Cours Saleya esplanade, is packed with all the vibrant, sensuous colours, flavours and scents of the south: lavender, marzipan, sugared almonds, spices, herbal teas, takeaway socca and pissaladiere snacks. Held Tuesday to Sunday, around 6.30am to 1.30pm.

Best for ages 18+

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Le Plongeoir

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

Le Plongeoir

Just under Nice’s Mont Boron, this spectacular restaurant looks like something out of a fantasy, topping a 6m rocky pillar in the sea with remarkable views. It’s pricey, a bit touristy, but unique (and cheaper at lunch).

Adult price: £35

Best for ages 13+

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Matisse Museum

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Exterior of grand, red-brick museum on a sunny day

A beautiful 17th-century Genoese mansion that now houses a museum dedicated to the art of Nice’s longtime resident, Henri Matisse.

Adult price: £8

Best for ages 18+

Marc Chagall National Museum

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Exterior of modern museum with bushes and grass lawn in front

This modern museum showcases Chagall’s joyful series of artworks inspired by the Bible – an explosion of colour and light. It’s the biggest public collection of works by one of the greatest 20th-century artists.

Adult price: £8

Best for ages 18+

Chantecler

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

Chantecler

Stunning after its recent restoration, the Negresco’s Chantecler restaurant is helmed by one of France’s top female chefs, Michelin-starred Virginie Basselot, whose cuisine deftly combines classic and contemporary. With its superb wines and service, dining here is an unforgettable experience.

Adult price: £70

Best for ages 18+

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Day 2 Nice

4

In the morning, visit Nice’s Museum of Contemporary Art, then have lunch at the wine bar bistro, La Part des Anges.

In the afternoon, hop on the train to Antibes to see the Picasso Museum, filled with works by the artist at his most joyful, then gape at the super yachts in the nearby port.

Back in Nice, dine at the intimate, Michelin-starred JAN (booking essential).

La Part des Anges

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

inside of a wine shop with shelves full of wine bottles

Chosen as the best wine cellar in France in 2020,  the ‘Angels’ Share’ specialises in natural wines and organic beers,  with great snacks at the wine bar; the bistro offers ten different wines daily by the glass to go with lunch.

Best for ages 18+

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Picasso Museum Antibes

Antibes, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Exterior of museum in a yellow stone castle on a sunny day with visitors approaching entrance

A delightful collection of Picasso’s works, brimming with joie de vivre – housed in the castle once used by the artist as a studio.

Adult price: £7

Best for ages 18+

JAN

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

JAN

Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen was the first South African chef to receive a Michelin star. Inspired by his grandmother’s cooking, he creates dazzling original dishes, but book early to have a chance to try them: there are only 24 seats.

Adult price: £70

Best for ages 18+

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Day 3 Nice

4

After breakfast, discover Nice’s fascinating history at the Massena Museum, then head to the charming village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just nearby.

Lunch at the legendary Colombe d’Or, then peruse the contemporary art at the luminous Maeght Foundation.

Back in Nice, relax on the beach or hit the fancy shops. In the evening join the queue for Nice’s best pizza at Les Amoureux, before checking out the live music scene at Le Shapko.

Massena Museum of Art & History

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

Close up of the exterior of museum with French flag flying

One of France’s most splendid Belle Epoque villas, donated to the city of Nice by the aristocratic Massena family, is now home to a compelling collection of art, furniture and artifacts that track Nice’s rich history.

Adult price: £12

Best for ages 18+

Saint Paul de Vence

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

View down a pretty narrow street filled with boutique shops

This character-filled, medieval village is one of the oldest in the South of France, and arguably the loveliest of all the ‘perched’ villages. It’s long been a haven for famous actors, film stars, and artists (including Picasso, Matisse and Chagall). The Maeght Foundation and several other top-notch modern and contemporary art museums are located here.

Best for ages 18+

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Maeght Foundation

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Modernist building with a courtyard in front flanked by trees

An architectural jewel, this museum between Nice and Antibes is filled with world-class modern and contemporary art, inside and out.

Adult price: £14

Best for ages 18+

Les Amoureux

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

Les Amoureux

Nice was part of Italy until 1860, so perhaps it’s not surprising that friendly, unpretentious spot makes perhaps the best pizza in France. No website, no reservations, no phone; just join the queue at 46 Boulevard Stalingrad.

Adult price: £8

Best for ages 13+

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Day 4 Nice

3

In the morning take a taxi or train to visit the fabulous Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens. It only takes six minutes from Nice to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Afterwards, have a Riviera-style lunch and sunbathe at the Paloma Beach Club.

In the late afternoon, make the spectacular walk around Cap-Ferrat before returning to Nice for a delicious French-Italian dinner at La Cucina.

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Stunning pink villa with lavish gardens including an ornamental pond in front

A remarkable fantasy villa, complete with exquisite exotic gardens, built in 1912 by the flamboyant art collector Baroness Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild to house her fabulous collection of 18th-century art and furniture.

Adult price: £13

Best for ages 18+

Paloma Beach

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cote d'Azur, France

View of a pretty curve of beach with a beach club, surrounded by cliffs with trees and villas

Sheltered from the wind, this shingle beach in a beautiful, wooded cove is a laid-back favourite of both locals and celebrities. Views across to the Alps are sublime. It’s part public, but best to splurge on a lounger at the delightful Paloma Beach Club – a local institution with an excellent restaurant.

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Walk around Cap Ferrat

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat lighthouse sitting on cliffs above the path

A 4.8km circular coastal walk around the glittering coast of the Riviera’s most exclusive ‘cap’ – a favourite of jet-setting billionaires.

Best for ages 18+

Duration: 2-3 hours

Day 5 Nice [Sunday only]

1

If it’s a Sunday, book a day’s outing in the mountains on the narrow-gauge steam railway, the Train des Pignes, catching the corresponding train that departs from Nice CP station at 9.20am; take a picnic or have lunch in one of the villages.

Back in Nice, enjoy seasonal ingredients on the weekly changing menu at La P’tite Cocotte in Vieux Nice – one of the few restaurants open on Sunday evenings. Be sure to book.

Train des Pignes narrow-gauge railway

Nice, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Small railway platform in a valley with a red train

A spectacular train ride on a narrow-gauge railway through scenic French countryside, that you can ride from Nice on the Cote d’Azur to Annot in Haute Provence.

Adult price: £22

Best for ages 4+

Duration: 1 day

Day 6 Monaco

5

Get up early and take the half-hour train to Monaco. Start at the fascinating Oceanographic Museum, then walk up to the Royal Palace by 11.55am for the changing of the guard.

Head over to Monte Carlo for a fabulous lunch on the terraces of the Café de Paris before popping into the famous Casino – and have a flutter if you have the cash to splash.

Stroll down the marina for some serious people and yacht-watching, before heading back to Nice.

For dinner, enjoy Nice’s tastiest traditional fare at La Merenda, then go for a late-night drink at the lively Bay Side wine bar.

Monaco Oceanographic Museum

Monaco, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Exterior of grand, ocean-front museum perched directly on a cliff

Founded in 1906 by Prince Albert I, Monaco’s Musee Oceanographique is one of the oldest scientific marine institutes anywhere. Spectacular aquariums and treasures from ocean voyages, located in a remarkable wedding-cake building cascading over cliffs.

Adult price: £12

Best for ages 4+

Prince’s Palace of Monaco

Monaco , Cote d'Azur, France

Grand, cream-coloured palace's front entrance courtyard on a sunny day

Set scenically on a cliff, the palace home of the Monaco monarchy has opulent state apartments, family portraits and unrivalled views over the yacht-packed marina.

Adult price: £7

Best for ages 13+

Cafe de Paris Monte-Carlo

Monaco, Cote d'Azur, France

Exterior of the green roofed, Belle Epoque cafe de paris with terrace in front

The famous Belle Epoque café, with its lovely outdoor terrace, is the place for a rendez-vous (and people watching) in Monaco. In a prime central location, go for lunch, dinner or a well-deserved cocktail. After some ‘Dutch courage’, try your luck at one of Monaco’s famous casinos nearby.

Best for ages 18+

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Monte Carlo Casino

Monaco, Cote d'Azur, France

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Bucket List Experience
Entrance to famous Casino Monte Carlo, Monaco on a sunny day

The world’s most famous and prestigious casino – in one of the world’s casino capitals – oozes glamour, history, and class.

Best for ages 18+

Exotic Garden of Monaco

Monaco, Cote d'Azur, France

Path through a garden with giant plants and cacti on each side

If it all gets too much, head to the stunning 75-year-old Jardin Exotique, with its surreal collection of cacti, a stalactite Observatory Cave inhabited 250,000 years ago, and an anthropology museum. Open Tuesday to Saturday. Guided tours on Saturdya by appointment.

Adult price: £6

Best for ages 8+

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Day 7 Cannes

1

In the morning, catch the train to Cannes. There, start on the hill of Le Suquet in the picturesque old town, with lovely views over the bay from the 11th-century chateau, home to the art and history Museum of World Explorations.

Have a light seafood lunch at La Mome Plage, a glamorous private beach club, then spend the afternoon with the cool kids on the golden sands.

Show off your tan at dinner at the iconic, Michelin-starred La Palme d’Or in the Hotel Martinez.

Museum of World Explorations

Cannes, Cote d'Azur, France

View of medieval Castre Castle. External view of a castle looking up the stone walls. Castre Museum was set up in former Castre Castle, built in 11th century and once inhabited by the Lerins priests

In a medieval castle with superb views over  La Croisette, rare items from the Himalayas, Arctic, Pre-Colombian America and the Pacific islands, along with the ancient Mediterranean artefacts, musical instruments from around the world and historic paintings of the Riviera.

Adult price: £5

Best for ages 18+

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Day 8 Cannes

2

In the morning, head to the wonderful Forville Market, and pick up ingredients for a picnic. Then catch the boat to Ile Saint-Honorat – visit the abbey and buy a bottle of its wine for your picnic.

In the late afternoon back in Cannes, stop by the Palais des Festivals to check out the movie stars’ handprints, before ogling the boutiques along the palm-lined La Croisette and Rue d’Antibes.

In the evening dine on delicious creative cuisine on the terrace of La Table du Chef.

Ile Saint-Honorat

Cannes, Cote d'Azur, France

Small forested island with a tiny town in a blue sea

If you want to escape the crowds, cross the water to this peaceful island, the second largest of the Lerins. There’s a 3rd-century abbey, where St Patrick once studied; there are lovely walks, swims and the monks’ wine to purchase. See the ferry website for departures and tickets.

Adult price: £15

Best for ages 18+

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La Croisette Promenade

Cannes, Cote d'Azur, France

Coastal promenade at Cannes, with port on one side and luxury shops on other

Cannes’ iconic seafront promenande. Join the locals by shopping the luxury boutiques, then stopping for a drink and people-watching at one of the many canopied cafés.

Best for ages 18+

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Day 9 Saint-Tropez

2

From Cannes (or Nice), take the morning boat to chic Saint-Tropez; from Cannes you’ll have a good five hours to explore the town and see the Post-Impressionist masterpieces in the Museum of the Annunciation.

Catch the bus or take a taxi to Pampelonne Beach, the Cote d’Azur’s most glamorous beach, for lunch and serious A-lister people spotting.

Back in Cannes, have dinner at L’Assiette Provencale, famous for its delicious fish soup. Later, join in the action and fun atmosphere at La Belle Epoque bar.

Museum of the Annunciation

Saint-Tropez, Cote d'Azur, France

External facade of a small pink coloured church

This pretty 16th-century chapel turned gallery has one of France’s top collections of post-Impressionist art. See paintings by Matisse, Derain, Braque, Vlaminck, Bonnard, Utrillo, Roualt and Vuilllard. Open daily, except Tuesday.

Adult price: £5

Best for ages 18+

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Pampelonne Beach

Saint-Tropez, Cote d'Azur, France

Aerial view of long, white-sand beach

The Cote d’Azur’s most famous and atmospheric beach, with public sands and private clubs for every taste. The sea here is a lovely turquoise. Among the beach clubs, 55 is for serious star-spotting, Les Jumeaux is for families, Moorea and Aqua Club are laid-back, and Nikki Beach is for blingy party types.

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