Use Nice as a single base for this five-day itinerary, with regional trains for the main coastal outings. The sequence alternates longer excursions with time in the city, leaving room for beach weather and changing energy levels. It assumes five full days; if arrival and departure fall within that period, remove an outing instead of compressing everything.
Before you travel
Choose accommodation with a practical route to Nice-Ville or another station useful for your plans. Check train stopping patterns and buy the correct ticket category. A city tram ticket is not automatically valid on regional trains.
Look up museum closures and weather before fixing the order. Days two, four and five can move around; day three provides breathing room after the first excursion. Avoid booking a distant, non-refundable dinner immediately after an outing dependent on train connections.
Day 1: find your bearings in Nice
Start in the old town and around Cours Saleya, exploring the lanes without trying to cover every church and shop. Have a simple lunch built around local food, such as socca or pan bagnat, checking ingredients where necessary.
In the afternoon, visit Castle Hill for the views if the climb suits your group. Otherwise, follow the waterfront and continue towards the port on a route appropriate to your mobility. Leave the hottest hours for a café break or an indoor visit.
Keep the evening local. An unhurried dinner and a short promenade walk make a better first day than adding a train excursion before you know the city.
Day 2: Antibes, art and a beach
Take a westbound regional train to Antibes. Walk towards the harbour and old town, then explore the market streets according to the day’s trading arrangements. Choose between a Picasso Museum visit and a longer outdoor morning; doing both is possible if neither becomes a hurried obligation.
Eat lunch in town before deciding how much beach time you want. La Gravette is convenient for a short pause near the old centre, while other beaches require a longer walk. Do not add a complete Cap d’Antibes circuit to a museum-and-swimming day.
Return to Nice before everyone is exhausted. Check the station route while still in town, especially if you finish at a different beach from where you began.
Day 3: a slower Nice day
Choose an art museum or another cultural visit for the morning, checking its location and opening hours first. Nice’s museums are not all beside the old town, so plan the journey rather than assuming a short stroll between them.
After lunch, leave the afternoon for the promenade, a beach or browsing around the port and Garibaldi. This flexible day is useful if weather disrupted an earlier plan. It also lets travellers with different interests split up without managing a complicated reunion elsewhere on the coast.
Reserve dinner only if you have a particular restaurant in mind. Otherwise, choose a neighbourhood and read menus before sitting down.
Day 4: Menton, with an optional Monaco stop
Travel east to Menton for a day centred on its old streets and waterfront. Walk uphill only as far as suits your group, then return towards the sea for lunch and a slower afternoon. This is enough for a full outing without collecting extra destinations.
If Monaco strongly interests you, shorten Menton and stop there on the return, checking your ticket’s validity for separate journeys. Monaco’s station has different exits and the city has several levels; allow time for the walk to the district you want.
Choose a focused Monaco visit rather than trying to cover both the old town and every Monte Carlo sight in a small remaining gap. Skip the extra stop if the day already feels complete.
Day 5: Cannes or a weather-led alternative
Take a westbound train to Cannes. Explore the market area and Le Suquet, then descend towards the harbour and Croisette. Lunch and a beach afternoon provide a different rhythm from Nice, particularly if sand is part of the appeal.
Check major event dates before committing: the city can feel very different during festivals and conferences. If Cannes is not a priority, substitute Villefranche-sur-Mer for a shorter coastal outing and keep the final evening relaxed.
Èze is another option, but it is not simply a train-stop visit. The coastal station is below the village, requiring a bus connection or a steep walk. See the Nice day-trip guide before making that substitution.
Make the route your own
Families can replace one museum with more beach time and keep just one destination per excursion day. If you prefer art to swimming, use the flexible afternoons for longer collections visits. For a beach-centred holiday, consider Antibes or Cannes as a base instead.
Whatever the variation, check the last practical return train before leaving and keep meals close to the day’s main area. The coast is well connected, but a holiday still improves when you spend more time in places than moving between them.
