Nice nearby trips

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Nearby trips

With an excellent train service from Nice, you can reach top attractions to the west such as Antibes and Cannes or eastwards such as Èze, Monaco and Menton.

Inland, there's a magical train ride to Digne or you can drive to excellent ski resorts in just over an hour from Nice Airport.

Antibes

An easy train ride or drive from Nice, Antibes and nearby Juan-les-Pins, boast 48 beaches plus the Picasso Museum that is one of four great museums in Europe dedicated to his work. The artist spent many summers in the resort and painted many works here.

For those that enjoy yacht harbours, Port Vauban in Antibes is said to be the largest in Europe with more than 2,000 moorings. Over a thousand more boats are docked in other Antibes marinas. There's a very pleasant stroll along the massive town ramparts to the archeological Museum, returning back through the quaint streets of Antibes.

Cannes

Cannes is the quintessential Riviera resort with an elegant seafront - the Boulevard de la Croisette - lined with palm trees, gardens, luxury hotels and boasting a fine sandy beach.

To the east of the port is the Festival and Conference Centre, with the resort's casino. The Cannes International Film Festival has attracted stars, and many others to be found posing on the beach at Festival time, since it was first launched, inauspiciously, on 1st September 1939 - the day the Second World War broke out in Europe.

Eze

Just11km from Nice, Èze is a medieval village perched on a narrow rocky peak with panoramic views of the coast and the Mediterranean. The fortified village is still dominated by the ruins of its castle while the castle grounds are home to the famous Jardin Exotique.

The village is a popular tourist trip from all the Riviera resorts so don't expect to enjoy the atmosphere on your own. It gets packed and has souvenir shops galore to satisfy the crowds. Frederic Nietzsche spent many summers here and the path connecting the village with the beach carries his name.

Monaco

Fifteen minutes by train from Nice is Monaco, surely one of the most glamorous destinations in the world. At less than a square mile, there are few places on earth with so much to see in such a small area.

The Royal Palace, with the changing of the guard; the fairy-tale legend of the late-Prince Rainier and Princess Grace; the Monaco Grand Prix around the principality's narrow streets; its world famous Casino; the Monte-Carlo Rally; the magnificent setting of the Rocher de Monaco; the harbour packed with exclusive yachts; world-class museums - they all add up to a memorable trip.

To read more about Monaco, visit our sister site: TravelSavvy Monaco.

Menton

Menton, on the border with Italy, is the warmest resort on the Riviera and is backed by terraced slopes. It's famous for its lemons and is a popular yet stylish resort with a well preserved old town, The port is still used by local fishermen and there are extensive gardens to view. You can even take a stroll across into Italy.

The Mountains

Take the Chemin de Fer de Provence single track railway which runs from the centre of Nice (a different station to the SNCF railway station) right up the Var River valley and high into the mountains. There are four trains-a-day on the 150km route, or two hour run, to Digne.

Built between 1890 and 1911, it’s an engineering marvel with bridges and tunnels galore as you crisscross the river and slither up narrow gorges with fabulous scenery virtually the whole way.

You can get off at the wayside halts to enjoy a day’s hiking and exploration. But if you opt to ride the whole route, it will be a train journey you will remember for many a year.

Fancy skiing or mountain hiking? Drive from Nice airport up the Var Valley (follow Digne signs) up into the Alps. Swing off right on the D28 through the dramatic Gorge du Cian – the road is an amazing feat of engineering – to the twin resorts of Beuil les Launes (alt. 1460 – 2100m) and Valberg (alt 1610 – 2100m).

Both are superb bases for summer hiking, ranging from pleasant strolls to arduous sporting expeditions in glorious Alpine scenery along well marked trails.

Other winter sports resorts include Isola (alt. 2000 – 2900m); Greolieres (alt. 1400 – 1800m); La Colmiane (alt. 1500 – 1800m) and at 65km the nearest skiing resort to Nice; and Auron at 1600 – 2450m).