With millions of visitors heading to France this summer for the Olympic Games, the number of visitors to the French Riviera is expected to reach record numbers. With that in mind, we thought we should put together a list of some of the best day tours in and around the magnificent, easily-walkable, and vibrant coastal city of Nice. If you’re familiar with Nice and think we missed out on something worth seeing, drop us a line and let us know.

If you like this info, check out our The Best of Paris: Destinations blog post, which provides a rundown of some of the best tours of iconic Parisian locations other than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

Note: The Learn more/ Buy tickets links at the end of each description take you to a Viator tourism site where you can book a tour of the relevant attraction. OnTheGoSolo.com makes a small commission off of every booking, so by purchasing tickets in this way, you’re helping to keep our site up and running. Thanks!

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In no particular order, here is our list of the Best of Nice: Day Tours:

Driving Tours | Walking Tours | Segway-Scooter Tours | Boat Tours | Food/Wine Tours

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 Driving Tours

The Best of the French Riviera

9-hour tour, starting from $107.87

Spend an entire day in a group of no more than 8 people exploring some of the most charming, historic, and picturesque towns along the French Riviera. This tour includes the following stops:

• Antibes: A charming coastal town known for its historic old town, large marina filled with some of the largest mega-yachts in the world, and the Picasso Museum. While there, you will have time to explore its famous covered outdoor market that sells all varieties of local foods.
• Eze: A medieval hilltop village offering stunning views of the Cote d’Azur, narrow cobblestone streets, exotic gardens, and a rich artistic heritage.
• Saint-Paul de Vence: An enchanting fortified village famed for its art galleries, cobbled streets, and panoramic views of the French countryside.
• Cannes: A glamorous city renowned for its international film festival, luxury shops, sandy beaches, and the elegant La Croisette promenade.
• Monaco: A glittering principality known for its lavish Monte Carlo Casino, the Monaco Grand Prix, opulent yachts, and the royal Grimaldi family.
• Villefranche-sur-Mer: A picturesque seaside town with colorful buildings, a deep natural harbor, sandy beaches, and a historic old town.

Learn more/Buy tickets

Côtes de Provence Winery Visits & Tastings

Approximately 8 hours from $156.91

The Côtes de Provence wine region is famous for its rosé wine and magnificent scenery. On this tour, enjoy a more intimate tasting experience, traveling in a small group of no more than eight people. Enjoy wine tasting at three different wineries, including a Cru classé winery; sample some of the finest Rosés from Provence but also powerful and well-balanced reds, aromatic and lively whites. You’ll also get to explore behind the scenes at the wineries, from the winemaking and aging rooms to the bottling lines. Your guide will explain to you about the soil, the climate, the grape varieties, the famous “terroir,” and the method of picking, pruning, green harvesting the grapes. After the first two winery visits, the tour will stop for lunch (at your own expense) in a traditional Provencal village, before continuing on to the third and final winery. Learn more/Buy tickets

 

🚶Walking Tours

Walking Tour of the Old Town and the Colline du Château

2 1/2-hour tours, starting from $38.30

Take a guided walking tour of the wonderful, picturesque and colorful sites of Nice, with its magnificent architecture, narrow cobble-stone streets, outdoor restaurants, bustling squares, ancient churches, and unique public art. As you walk along, your guide will tell you about the beautiful Place Massena, the many city gardens and green spaces, the pedestrian zones teeming with life, the Cours Saleya marketplace, and the Promenade des Anglais that runs along the beachfront. You’ll also get a chance to enjoy the beauty of the park at the top of Castle Hill and take in the breathtaking panoramic views of the city from its lookout points. Learn more/Buy tickets

Nice Old Town, Place Massena, & Promenade des Anglais Walking Tour

2-hour tours, starting from $24.01

Join this informative and engaging walking tour around the Old Town area of Nice and see for yourself why this beautiful city is considered the jewel of the French Riviera. Your experienced locals guides will provide you with insider tips on the best things to do, “can’t miss” places to see, and most popular places to go out. Along the way, you’ll get to see and hear about Place Massena, Nice Opera House, the Maison Auer Sweet Shop, the Cours Saleya Flower Market, Place Rossetti, the Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate, and the Promenade des Anglais. At the end of the tour, you’ll get a chance to enjoy a 360 panoramic view of Nice from the Colline du Château (Castle Hill). Learn more/Buy tickets

 

🚴‍♂️ Bicycle Tours

Nice Essentials Guided Electric Bike Tour

3-hour tours, starting from $70.95

Discover all the best routes and key tourist highlights on this comprehensive small-group Nice bike tour, the perfect introduction for first-time visitors. Explore the Old Town, the city’s elaborate Green Corridor built on top of the former riverbed, the ancient port, Castle Hill, and the waterfront Promenade des Anglais. Along the way, enjoy a tasting plate of local delicacies. Learn more/Buy tickets

1 hour 40-minute tours, starting from $87.32

This hop-on hop-off electric bike taxi tour allows you to experience Nice in a pollution-free way. It’s ideal for those who prefer to let someone else do the legwork while taking in the charm of Old Town’s narrow, old streets, the grandeur of the famous Promenade des English, the charm of the flower market, and the natural beauty and magnificent views from Castle Hill. Between your local English-speaking guide and the provided multilingual audio guide, you’ll be given a wealth of information about the different monuments and historical sites in the city and will be provided with recommendations for the best restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, cafes, and shopping venues. As an added bonus, the bike taxi is WiFi-enabled, so you can post your videos and photos as you go. Learn more/Buy tickets

 

🛴 Segway & E-Scooter Tours

Nice City Segway Sightseeing Tour

2-hour tours, starting from $38.20

See the best of the French Riviera on a small group Segway tour of Nice. Pick between a time-saving Discovery Tour, or upgrade for a more extensive Grand Tour. Either way, you can see more of the sights in less time aboard your Segway, including the Promenade des Anglais, the Old Town, the Marché aux Fleurs flower market, the gardens and panoramic view from the Colline du Château (Castle Hill), and more. Learn about Nice’s rich heritage from your expert guide as you go. Learn more/Buy tickets

Nice Essentials Tour By Electric Scooter

1 1/2-hour tours, starting from $38.20

After a quick introduction, you will begin your tour on the beautiful cycle paths offered by the city of Nice, along the Albert 1er (Albert Premiere) gardens and the natural green corridor running through the heart of the city on top of the former riverbed. As you pass, you will admire Place Massena, the heart of the city, and then get to discover the lively and colorful Old Town area with its narrow, ancient streets. The circuit then takes to the magnificent Place Garibaldi and on to Nice Port with its small colorful boats. From there, you’ll head up to the top of the Colline du Château (Castle Hill), a beautiful park with breathtaking views of the French Riviera. Finally, your tour will end with a passage on the famous Promenade des Anglais, a 5-mile-long stretch of beach running from the foot of Castle Hill to the airport. Learn more/Buy tickets

 

🛥️ Boat Tours

Guided Boat Tour from Nice to Monaco with Breakfast on the Sea

3-hour tours, starting from $92.61

Embark from Nice port on this captivating Mediterranean journey and immediately head towards the Principality of Monaco, where opulent mega-yachts grace the waters, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. After taking that all in, you’ll enjoy a delicious breakfast on board and then visit the enchanting waterside Mala caves in Eze. Following this, we’ll head towards Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat where you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in the clear Mediterranean waters while discovering the captivating underwater flora and fauna in the area. From there, we’ll head to the picturesque Villefranche Harbor, renowned for its quaint beauty set against some of the French Riviera’s most stunning landscapes. The voyage ends with a return to the bustling port of Nice where you’ll be able to admire the colorful fishing fleet comprised of small wooden boats lovingly maintained by generations of local fishermen. Learn more/Buy tickets

Guided Boat Tour from Nice to Mala Caves with Stop in Villefranche

3-hour tours, starting from $81.71 per person

NOTE: The official title of this tour is “Half-Day Guided Boat Tour….” but it’s really only three hours long, so although we think it sounds like an amazing way to see the Riviera up-close-and-personal, we wanted to make sure you realized the actual length of the tour before deciding to book it.

From Nice Port, you will embark in a comfortable semi-rigid boat with a seasoned local captain who will ensure your safety and guide you to some of the most magical places on the French Riviera. On the first part of the tour, you will sail towards to the Mala cave, near the creek of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. A real jewel of nature, the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is known for its preserved and authentic environment. You can stop and jump into the inviting waters and swim and snorkel using the gear provided by your captain. On reaching Villefranche, you’ll be able to disembark for 45 minutes to discover its port and its historic, quaint village of a thousand colors. We then return to the port in Nice to end your tour. Learn more/Buy tickets

 

🥐 Food/Wine Tours

Nice Evening Food Tour

3-hour tours, starting from $103.50

Skip the tourist dishes when you’re in Nice, and discover the traditional food of the city instead. With this evening food tour, you’ll try dishes chosen and prepared by locals in locations around Vieux Nice and the Promenade des Anglais. Even better, numbers are capped at just 10 per tour, for a more intimate small-group experience. Learn about the culture and history of Nice though its food while exploring the city in the evening when fewer tourists are around, With this culinary introduction to Nice, you’ll likely find restaurants and eateries that you’ll want to revisit on your own while getting insider tips and recommendations for regional dishes to try. Learn more/Buy tickets

Local Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice

3-hour tours, starting from $106.69

Learn how to prepare French Mediterranean dishes using local ingredients in the home of a local culinary enthusiast, then sit down with your host and fellow chefs to enjoy your creations together. Your host will be on hand to give you tips about cooking while providing insights into the city of Nice, itself. Although the menu for the night will depend on the seasonal availability of ingredients, the host’s sample menu consists of a starter of homemade white pizza with truffle oil, followed by a main dish of ravioli with butternut squash. That’s followed by a dessert of homemade tiramisu featuring fruits from the host’s own garden. And as is the French tradition, the meal might wrap up with something like a homemade regional liqueur. Learn more/Buy tickets

Wine Tasting Tour in Nice City Center

2-hour tours, starting from $74.08

Join this small-group wine-tasting experience and discover the world of French wine while in Nice. From the sun-kissed vineyards of Provence to the rolling hills of Champagne, French wine regions are as diverse as they are beautiful and this class will teach you about the geography, history, wine styles, and grape varieties that are unique to each region. Along the way, you’ll learn about each region’s wine history, production processes, and best varietals. Best of all, you’ll be able to sample a selection of 7-8 fine wines, including white, red, and sparkling, as you gain an appreciation of the complexity and diversity of what France has to offer. Learn more/Buy tickets