If you are in Nice on the French Riviera, then a trip to Monaco has to be on the cards, especially if you fancy yourself in a Bond movie at the famous Casino.
The question is, which is the best way to arrive in Monte-Carlo? Booking a Monaco tour from Nice seems quite daunting when you look at the range of tours on offer. The number of options and operators can sometimes seem quite overwhelming.
Not to worry. The hard work has been done for you already with a selection below of some of the highest-rated and best-reviewed excursions to Monaco from Nice.
Best Monaco Tours from Nice
Whatever your interests, whatever your budget, whether you are a seafarer or want to travel as if you were a time traveler with a mind for vintage that is not related to wine, there is a tour for you. Here are nine of the best trips you can take from Nice, each with its unique take on the experience that will make memories that will last a lifetime.
1. Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo
Take a private tour from Nice up into the eagle’s nest village of Eze with its glorious Riviera vistas, then ride down into Monaco, through Casino Square, and around the Grand Prix circuit before a visit to the old town. On the way, take a visit to the Fragonard Perfume Factory and come home with a selection of samples!
- The tour starts at the door to your hotel, as transfers are included in the cost of the excursion. At the end, you will be dropped off where you started. Very convenient!
- You can opt for a shared tour for €60 a head, no matter the age of the participant, and be self-guided when you stop at the Fragonard Perfume factory or in Monaco itself.
- Alternatively, you can book a private tour for just €450, which will give you a personal guide at both stops, ensuring you can do and see exactly what you want within the time allowed.
- This is a five-star activity that has received top reviews from travelers keen to enjoy the wonders of the locality with experienced hosts.
- The trip runs in the morning and the afternoon, so you can pick a slot to suit your itinerary.
2. Monaco and Monte Carlo with a Night Tour
At night, the glitterati comes out to play in the sparkling nighttime atmosphere of Monte-Carlo in Monaco. This exclusive group tour for €480 for up to eight people whisks you into the heart of the glamour of the principality.
- Get picked up from your hotel or other location of your choice and set off for an evening of adventure in the millionaire’s playground.
- Should you want to try your luck at the famous Casino, then gents will have to wear a jacket, as the dress code is quite formal. Don’t lose your shirt at the tables!
- Admission to attractions is not included, but your knowledgeable guide/driver will be able to show you some of the most spectacular and iconic sights, including the Grand Prix circuit and the brilliantly lit rock of the old town and Port Hercules, stuffed with its luxury yachts.
3. A Scenic 2-Hour Drive
This has got to be the most fun you can have in a three-wheel vehicle anyplace, anywhere, guaranteed. These unique, open-top, two-person buggies are unlike anything else you might have driven, but they’re easy, and they are fun in the sun.
- Despite their small size and restricted performance, you will still need to bring your driver’s license on the day to be able to participate. That’s the important part out of the way!
- A GPS guide is included along with an audio guide in English, French, Spanish, Italian, or German.
- It costs just €40 per person, but you can’t do this activity alone, so budget and plan accordingly. No odd numbers allowed!
- Ensure you don’t forget your sunscreen, and a hat is advisable, along with sunglasses to protect from the sparkling glare of the Riviera sunshine.
- The only downside is that if it is raining, the vehicles will not be available for hire. Also, the tour is not recommended if you are pregnant or have back issues.
- Charge your phone so you can enjoy your music while you sightsee.
- The fuel tank comes full up, and there is no mileage allowance, so go as far as you want within the hire time!
4. French Riviera Full-Day Tour
A great way to get to know some of the top tourist spots on the Riviera is by taking this full one-day tour in an air-conditioned vehicle. From the old town of Eze, through Monaco, return via Cannes, Antibes, and St Paul de Vence before being returned to your hotel.
- There are two terrific options with this tour. The first is a shared tour that starts from Nice and costs €95 per adult and €47 for a child up to the age of 12. The second is to book out the entire vehicle for a private tour for €450.
- The private tour also includes a guide for the tour at the Fragonard Perfume Factory and your time in Monaco.
- The tour will take you on a panoramic bird’s eye tour of the coast up into the corniche above the villas and capes that dot the Riviera.
- In Monaco, you will see the Casino, the Palace, and the Cathedral and drive the Grand Prix circuit through the principality.
- The return journey will take in Cannes and the famous Croisette studded with stars during the annual Film Festival.
- Then, it is on to Antibes, one of the oldest cities in this part of the Mediterranean, founded by Greek merchants after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
- After nine or ten hours of touring the sights, the operator will return you to your hotel, ready for supper!
5. Coastline Cruise to Monaco
For an all-action half-day on the water, this cruise is second to none, with a skipper who knows the best places to dive and admire the undersea world and the best secret coves where almost nobody goes, especially as they are inaccessible from the shore.
- Dive right into the wild underwater life of the Mediterranean from this semi-rigid motor launch direct from the port of Nice.
- The boat leaves at 10 a.m., so it’s a great way to build an appetite for lunch! Then, it departs in the afternoon at 2 p.m. for the afternoon shift.
- Prices are €65 per person of any age, but it is not a recommended tour for those with younger children, pregnant people, or those with mobility issues.
- Water is provided so you won’t dehydrate, but don’t forget your snorkel or other underwater gear!
6. Full-Day Best of the Riviera
A popular way to see the best of the Riviera is by air-conditioned vehicle with a professional guide, and if you are an early bird, this tour will get you going directly after breakfast with a hotel pickup from 8:15 in the morning.
- The French version of Hollywood’s Beverly Hills is in Cannes. See the wild and incredible villas stacked with the rich, the famous, and those who wait in the wings to take their places!
- Stop off in Antibes and walk along the walled fortifications to take in the view of the marina and the Bay of Angels.
- Your guide will take you to all the must-see spots between Nice and Monaco, including Eze, Casino Square, the Palace, and the ports full of luxury yachts.
- The full tour costs €158 for adults and €73 for kids up to the age of 11, Alternatively, you can book out the entire tour for a private day out for €974.
- Meals are not included in the price, however, your guide can recommend where to eat from the wealth of restaurants and auberges en route.
7. Cannes, Antibes & St Paul
Do you want to see where Picasso made his art? What about Bonnard or Braque? Yes, they all came South to the Riviera from Paris for the same quality of light that still dazzles us today. This tour can pick you up from either Nice, Monaco, or Villefranche to provide extra flexibility for your sightseeing day out.
- It is billed as a half-day tour, but you will be out and about for at least seven and a half hours, so be prepared!
- The tour starts in old Antibes close by the house where Picasso lived for the later part of his life. The story goes that he used to go out and mingle with the tourists on guided tours with a camera around his neck! What a rogue!
- In Cannes, you can mount the steps of the Festival Palace Hotel where movie stars from around the world have worked the red carpet for decades.
- After this dash of serious glamor, the tour travels on to the ancient medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence where the early impressionists revolutionized art in Europe.
- Bonnard, Braque, Dufy, and Matisse left an artistic legacy in a village that is filled with artists and makers to this day. Take time to explore and enjoy the galleries and boutiques.
- The tour is €89 for adults and €44.50 for children up to the age of 12, and there is an additional surcharge for pickup from Monaco and Villefranche.
8. A Private Tour in a Vintage Car
I’m not sure there is a more iconic vehicle to tour the French Riviera. This elegant creamy-white 1950s Citroën Traction Avant exudes class and the mode of a bygone age. Book a private tour for up to four people for €450 and be transported back in time.
- This tour is also fully customizable with a range of destination options from the Fragonard Factory to the Tourrettes sur Loup sweet factory and every place in between. If there is something in particular that you want to see or a place you would like to visit, do not hesitate to ask the operator.
- At booking, there is a comments section where your preferences can be entered, whether you want a beach tour or a ride into the hills to see the medieval villages.
- As the vehicle is so old, it is, in fact, over seventy years old, it does not have air conditioning or any facilities to take baby seats, and you will have to hand wind the windows too!
- Tours leave from 10 am and 2 pm at a pickup point to be agreed upon, either at your accommodation or another mutually convenient location.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users.
9. Monaco Night Tour With Dinner
Start the evening watching the sun go down over Monaco from the high corniche. The lights come on, and the sparkle and glitter of the second-smallest independent country in the world fires up, enticing you in.
- Roll into Monte-Carlo in a group of up to eight people on this private tour that starts at €600. Have dinner on the beach, a three-course meal with coffee included, but bring your own wine, and remember to communicate any dietary requirements ahead of time.
- A public tour, shared with other tourists and without dinner is available for €94 per person. Check the availability of tours carefully to avoid disappointment.
- Try your luck at the Casino’s tables, where you can bet €2000 a time, or, if you are a serious high-roller, book out a private room where the sky is the limit!
