Day trips from Nice

We rented a car for 2 days to go east one day & west the other but I understand many towns are well connected by train. The medieval village of Eze & the spectacular views with blooming cacti in the Jardin Exotique were a highlight for us. We happened to miss all the tours buses which was a plus. Missed Monaco as the traffic jams & crowds the day after the Grand Prix were discouraging. Villefranche sur Mer, Cannes, Antibes are options. In Cannes, it was so nice sitting on loungers by the beach then eating lunch that we never made it to the old town. St.Paul de Vence was recommended to us as well. We quite enjoyed Nice as a base, it’s Promenade Anglais, Russian cathedral St.Nicholas, beautiful Place Messina & the old town area.

When we were in Nice for two weeks we did the following day trips: Antibes, CapFerrat,Villefranche, Monaco, St-Paul de Vence.
Least favorite: Monaco
Favorites: Antibes and Cap Ferrat

The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and Villa Kerylos, both on Cap Ferrat, are interesting. The former has nice gardens. There are also two good gardens in Menton. Menton has a very picturesque medieval quarter, but it tends to be swamped by tourists.

Seeing Eze with lunch at Chèvre d’or is spectacular! Other ideas are Cagnes Sur Mer, Antibes, St. Paul de Vence, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

I spent 5 nights in Nice, daytripped by train on separate days to Antibes, Villefranche and Menton. All were good, Villefranche was my favorite. I spent one full day in Nice, the Chagall Museum is terrific. I used the RS France guide, but I believe the Provence/Riviera guide has more info. I read about Monaco and decided to skip it.

I spent 3 nights in Saint-Paul de Vence with a car. It was a great place to stay (though tricky with a car) as I missed the hordes of tourists - left before they arrived and returned as the last were leaving. I enjoyed Eze, didn't go to a perfume factory, Vence as much, maybe more. You can probably get a bus from Nice.

I didn't take any tours, I used the RS guide for self-guided walking tours. I also used Lonely Planet Provence and the Cote d'Azur - mostly for restaurants and sight info.

You can indeed take a bus or the train to many destinations along the coast, and even inland, into the villages and smaller towns. If you do prefer a tour, you can also try a smaller group tour or a private tour/driver, as budget allows. What you choose may depend on your interests.

Cannes/Antibes are often done as a pair, on the train. Tour operators sometimes include this route with a visit to St. Paul de Vence. SPdV has another great museum, the Fondation Maeght. Nearby Vence also has the Matisse Chapel and a less touristed old town. The latter two are only reachable by the 400 bus from Nice (Parc Phoenix). Tours will sometimes also go on to Tourettes sur Loup, a beautiful village, and with private tours, on to Gourdon. The hills beyond are known for wild lavender from late June.

Another option are boat trips. There is a ferry from Cannes to St. Honorat island, where there is a monastery/winery. There are also coastal day cruises along the coast that depart from Nice.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is easily reached by bus or train, it's just two stops from Nice Ville. You can take the 15 bus directly to the Villa Ephrussi. (Note the bus numbers have all been scrambled in Nice, after the opening of the new tram line 2). You can also walk there, and the walk around Cap Ferrat is wonderful (though June may already be hot).

Eze is beautiful but tiny. Monaco is often combined on itineraries. Some may include La Turbie -- the view from the Trophee des Alpes ruins down on Monaco is nice (from the edge of the complex).