Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Nice & Villefranche 1 or 2-Day Pass

The Promenade des Anglais and the Baie des Anges

The Promenade des Anglais is the seafront avenue that defines Nice, running for several kilometres along the Baie des Anges beside a long pebble beach. It takes its name from the English visitors who paid for the first path here in the early nineteenth century, and today it is lined with grand hotels, cafes and belle-époque buildings.

On the open-top bus you can look out over the blue sea, the palm trees and the busy walkway of cyclists, joggers and walkers. A Nice hop-on hop-off bus tour is an easy first orientation to the city, and the top deck is the best seat for photographs. Sunny mornings are ideal, and on hot days sit on the side that shades you.

Place Garibaldi, the port and Old Town

Place Garibaldi is a handsome square in ochre and yellow, named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nice. It sits between the port and the Old Town and is a good place to hop off for cafes, boutiques and the lanes of Vieux-Nice, where markets, colourful facades and Italian-influenced food give the city its character.

Because the pass lets you hop on again, you can spend an hour here and rejoin later. If you want to know how to get around Nice as a visitor, this is one of the simplest methods, especially for people who do not want to work out tram and bus lines on arrival.

Villefranche-sur-Mer and the Bay

The route extends east to Villefranche-sur-Mer, a pastel-coloured fishing town on one of the deepest natural harbours on the Mediterranean. The bay is a favourite for sailing, and the village has a small waterfront, old stone streets and views back across the water.

If you are asking whether a day trip to Villefranche from Nice is worth it, the bus makes it easy: you can get off, stroll by the harbour, have lunch and continue. Check the stop list on board, since stops and timetable can change with the season.

Choosing a one-day or two-day pass

A one-day pass gives you a full day of travel and is ideal if you are in Nice for a short break or arriving by cruise. A two-day pass is better if you want to visit several places at a slower pace, for example a museum on the first day and the sea front on the second. The option we show first is the two-day pass.

Recorded commentary is available in eight languages through personal earphones, so families can each listen in their own language. Entry tickets to attractions are not included in the pass, so keep your budget for anything you plan to visit, and ask us if you want ideas for combining the bus with other Nice tours.