Nice in 2 days: day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 4 of 6 free; paid: Chagall Museum, Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:30 to 17:55 each day
- Start and finish
- Promenade des Anglais → Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
- On foot
- ≈ 0 min in total
- Transport
- 4 rides, ≈ 1 h 21 min
- Lunch
- around 10:45
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- April to October; the Villa Ephrussi gardens are best in spring.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Nice09:30–16:41 · 3 places · 7 h 10 min
Promenade des Anglais
· 1 h 15 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 22 min · transport or taxi
Vieux-Nice
· 3 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Chagall Museum
· 1 h 15 min · Ticket
Day 2 · Nice09:30–17:55 · 3 places · 8 h 30 min
Beaulieu-sur-Mer
· 2 h 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Villefranche-sur-Mer
· 2 h 30 min · Free
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
· 1 h 45 min · Villa and gardens ticket
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
4 of 6 are free; 2 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Promenade des Anglais | 50 | 1 h 15 min | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Vieux-Nice | 38 | 3 h | Free |
| 3 | Chagall Museum | 36 | 1 h 15 min | Ticket |
| 4 | Beaulieu-sur-Mer | 37 | 2 h 30 min | Free |
| 5 | Villefranche-sur-Mer | 46 | 2 h 30 min | Free |
| 6 | Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild | 36 | 1 h 45 min | Villa and gardens ticket |
| Total | 12 h 20 min | 4 of 6 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Promenade des Anglais. The seafront along the Baie des Anges: blue chairs, palms, a pebble beach and sunsets over the sea. Free.
- 2
Vieux-Nice. The old town of ochre houses, the Cours Saleya market, Sainte-Réparate cathedral and socca. Free; the market runs in the mornings.
- 3
Chagall Museum. The national Chagall museum: 17 Biblical Message paintings, blue stained glass and a garden. Ticket; closed Tuesday.
Day 2
- 4
Beaulieu-sur-Mer. A Belle Époque resort with the Greek-style Villa Kérylos on a headland, a marina and calm beaches. Villa by ticket.
- 5
Villefranche-sur-Mer. A town on a deep bay: colourful houses, a tunnel street, the Cocteau chapel and a beach. Free; 10 minutes by train.
- 6
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Baroness de Rothschild's pink villa on the Cap Ferrat isthmus: nine gardens and musical fountains. Ticket.
Who this route is for
- A weekend in Nice
- A first trip to the Riviera
- Couples and friends
- Antibes and Cagnes are in the 3-day itinerary
- Swimming: an evening on Villefranche's beach
April to October; the Villa Ephrussi gardens are best in spring.
Nice itinerary for 2 days
Day one is on foot in the centre: old town, hill, Chagall and Promenade. Day two takes the TER train east: 10 minutes to Villefranche, 15 to Beaulieu. Buy tickets from the station machines or the app.
The Villa Ephrussi sits on the hill between Villefranche and Beaulieu: a 20–25-minute uphill walk from Beaulieu station or a few minutes by bus. Its musical fountains play every 20 minutes.
Remove any stop with ✕ or reorder it with ≡, and add another nearby: the timings update.
Day two: Villefranche and two villas
In the morning, Villefranche: the old town, the vaulted Rue Obscure and the waterfront where yachts lie at anchor. Then the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: the pink palace, the French garden and pool, and the Japanese and Spanish corners.
After lunch, head down to Beaulieu and the Villa Kérylos, a copy of an ancient Greek house on a headland. In the evening, swim at Beaulieu or go back to Villefranche for the sunset.
More to see
With a third day, visit Antibes and its Picasso Museum and Cagnes-sur-Mer with Renoir's house. The clifftop village of Èze is 30 minutes by bus.
How to do it right
- Take the TER train along the coast.
- Villa fountains every 20 minutes.
- Water shoes for pebbly beaches.
- France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Buy TER train and tram tickets from machines or the app; pay for museums and villas on site or on their official websites.
Questions
What should I see in Nice in 2 days?
Vieux-Nice, the Chagall Museum and the Promenade, then Villefranche, the Villa Ephrussi and the Villa Kérylos.
Are two days in Nice enough?
For the city and the east coast, yes; Antibes, Èze and Menton need more days.
How do I get to the Villa Ephrussi from Nice?
By train to Beaulieu and on foot, or by bus to Cap Ferrat.
How do I get around on this itinerary?
On foot in the centre and by TER train along the coast.
How do I pay in Nice?
France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Buy TER train and tram tickets from machines or the app; pay for museums and villas on site or on their official websites.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- UNESCO: Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera (no. 1635)
