Private Monaco, Monte Carlo and Nice Tour from Cannes (6 Hours)

Nice and the Bay of Angels

Leaving Cannes, your driver-guide takes the coast road or the motorway to Nice, about 45 minutes away. The first stop is a panoramic viewpoint over the Bay of Angels, where the Promenade des Anglais curves for about 7 km along the pebble beaches, lined with palm trees and grand Belle Époque façades. From Castle Hill or the heights of Mont Boron, the view takes in the whole city, the old port and the turquoise sea.

Your guide explains how Nice grew from an ancient Greek trading post into the capital of the Riviera, and points out the colourful lanes of the old town and the famous flower market of the Cours Saleya. On a private Nice tour from Cannes you decide how long to stay: some travellers prefer quick photo stops, others a short stroll along the promenade.

The corniche road and Villefranche-sur-Mer

Between Nice and Monaco, three corniche roads are carved into the mountainside at different heights, and this is one of the most beautiful drives in Europe. Your driver-guide chooses the route with the best views, looking down on the deep natural harbour of Villefranche-sur-Mer, its pastel houses and its 16th-century citadel, and on the green peninsula of Cap Ferrat with its luxurious villas.

Photo stops are easy in a private vehicle: just ask your guide to pull over at the viewpoints. The road then continues above Beaulieu-sur-Mer and the cliffs of Cap d'Ail, giving you the first glimpses of Monaco tucked between the mountains and the sea. This stretch is the reason many travellers choose a private tour rather than the train.

Monaco-Ville on the Rock

Monaco is a sovereign principality of about 2 square kilometres, and its old town, Monaco-Ville, stands on a rocky headland about 60 metres above the sea. Here you find the Prince's Palace, a former Genoese fortress from the 13th century, where the changing of the guard takes place every day just before noon, a highlight to plan your timing around.

Your guide leads you through the clean, quiet lanes to Monaco Cathedral, built in white stone in the late 19th century, and to the cliff-top gardens with their views over Port Hercule and Fontvieille. The Oceanographic Museum, opened in 1910 and built straight into the cliff, is close by; entry tickets are not included but can be added on the day if you wish. Is Monaco worth visiting? For the views and the atmosphere alone, absolutely.

Monte-Carlo

Across the harbour lies Monte-Carlo, the most glamorous district of Monaco. Its centre is a grand Belle Époque square surrounded by palm gardens, luxury boutiques, elegant cafés and the ornate opera house, where travellers gather to admire the façades and the rare cars parked outside. Your guide tells the story of how this rocky hillside became one of the most famous addresses in the world in the 19th century.

From Monte-Carlo, a short drive or stroll leads to the Japanese Garden and the seafront of Larvotto, a peaceful contrast to the busy centre. With your own driver waiting nearby, you can spend as much or as little time here as you like, and there is no need to search for parking in Monaco's narrow streets.

Port Hercule and the Grand Prix circuit

Monaco's main harbour, Port Hercule, is lined with superyachts and overlooked by the Rock on one side and Monte-Carlo on the other. Every year the streets around it become the famous Grand Prix street circuit, and your driver can follow part of the route, including the tight hairpin bend and the tunnel by the sea.

After this last highlight, your driver-guide takes you back to Cannes along the coast or the motorway, about an hour's drive, arriving at your hotel or the cruise pier about six hours after pickup. The best time to visit Monaco and Nice is spring or autumn, when the weather is mild and the streets are calmer; in summer, an early start gives cooler hours and lighter traffic.