NICE, FRANCE

Description: Natural beauty, vibrant architecture and incredible food is why this Côte d'Azur gem has captured the hearts of so many for centuries — and makes Nice the perfect long weekend destination for those wanting to escape reality and leap into a French-Italian paradise. Calling all dreamers, this trip is for you.

Destinations:

Day 1 - Nice, Monaco

Day 2 - Antibes

Day 3 - Villefranche-sur-Mer

Where to stay: This Airbnb is small but functional, and perfectly located in the old town.

When to go: All year round. We visited in mid-May.

THE ITINERARY:

THE DETAILS:

DAY 1

Nice, Monaco

1. Start your morning off with a trip to the Farmer's Market. Grab the best seasonal fruits and veg available — in late may, we bought cherries, strawberries & peaches. Many stands also have pastries and sweet morning treats on offer.

2. Later, orient yourself around Nice on this walking tour. Take a peek inside the 17th century baroque-styled Nice Cathedral — or Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice — the oldest and most ornate church in Nice. Then follow the route upwards towards the Cimetière du Château, and Cimetière Israélite — The two sites which house the graves of many notable figures, such as Alfred Van Cleef and Gaston Leroux. The Cimetière Israélite has a small memorial dedicated to victims of the holocaust. Finally, follow the path that leads to the Colline du Chateau, a lovely park that offers the best views of both the town and the sea.

3. Walk down the hill heading north, towards the train station (Nice Riquier), stopping for lunch first at Badaboom, an incredible vegan restaurant with salads & sandwiches that should not be missed.

4. Take the Train to Monaco from Nice Riquir (trains generally run every 30 mins).

5. Monaco is high elevation and not the most walkable of towns. Stick to the key sites on this walking route to see many of the highlights and avoid getting lost. Tour Prince Rainer III’s collection of vintage cars. View the stands and starting point for the Formula Monaco Grand Prix. Place a bet at the Monte Carlo Casino (or hit up those slot machines in The Salle des Amériques). Note that if you're interested in touring the casino, rearrange this itinerary so that you're there in the morning (tours are from 10AM - 1PM).

6. Head back to Nice after a long day of site-seeing. Indulge in some incredible french & italian fusion at Le Bar des Oiseaux.

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DAY 2

Antibes

Antibes is home to Musee Picasso and Musee Renoir — both must-sees for lovers of modern, impressionist & surrealist art. If you prefer to stay in Nice today, scrap this itinerary and visit these two museums instead — the Marc Chagall National Museum, and the Musee Matisse. You will not be disappointed!

1. Start your morning with a quick breakfast from Multari vieux nice and coffees from Cafés Indien.

2. Walk towards the train station (Nice-Ville) and head west, hopping off at Antibes, an adorable coastal village about 20 minutes away.

3. Your first stop is the Musee Picasso, the stunning Grimaldi castle turned museum where the artist briefly lived and worked in 1946. Art in context generally evokes the most powerful of responses — and Musee Picasso is no exception.

4. After your visit, stop for lunch in the old town at Le Comptoir de La Tourraque.

5. Rent a bike and ride on to your next destination, Musee Renoir. The estate is where the artist lived in the last decade of his life, and today houses several of his paintings and sculptures, and much of the original furniture and decorations from that time. Note the the museum is closed during lunch and reopens at 2PM. It is closed on Tuesdays. If you don't want to ride the last 50ms uphill on your bike, park it at the Parc de la Villette and pick it up when you return.

6. Take your time riding back to Antibes along the coast, stopping at some beautiful beach along the way. We recommend Plage Du Cros.

7. Return your bike and take the train back to Nice.

8. Enjoy dinner and drinks by the water at Di Piu.

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DAY 3

Villefranche-sur-Mer

1. Your morning starts early, so make sure to have hearty breakfast at your airbnb before you leave for this unmissable paddleboarding experience.

2. You'll meet your guide in Nice before driving to the beach in the absolutely stunning Villafranche-sur-Mer. Bring shoes you can wear in the water, a towel, water, sunscreen & snacks.

3. The waters here are typically very calm, so a couple of hours floating around the bay is the perfect way to admire the coastline, get some sunshine and exercise.

4. After your experience, if you're lucky, you can grab some really outstanding panini from the Green Mama Food Truck, which is often located in the parking lot of Plage Villefranche-sur-mer.

5. Make your way back to Nice, to rest on the beach after your morning excursion. Cocoon is a nice option for relaxing during the day, chairs cost ~€15 pp.

6. Close out your trip with an Italian dinner at La Favola.

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