Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Èze Small-Group Half-Day Tour from Nice

Èze, the medieval village above the sea

Èze is a perched village on a rocky peak about 430 metres above the Mediterranean, between Nice and Monaco. Its stone houses, arched passages and steep cobbled lanes date from the Middle Ages, and the views over the coast from the top are some of the finest on the Côte d'Azur. Visitors often search for a day trip to Èze from Nice because it looks like an eagle's nest.

On the tour you have time to walk the lanes, look into small galleries and craft shops and enjoy the panorama. The village also has a well-known exotic garden at its summit, though entry to the garden is not part of this tour. Èze is best in the morning, before the lanes fill with visitors, and the route can include a stop at a local perfume house.

Monaco and the Old Town

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, only about two square kilometres, yet it packs in a palace, a cathedral, a harbour full of yachts and a famous casino. Monaco-Ville, the Old Town on the rock, is where the Prince's Palace stands, and it is the seat of the Grimaldi family, who have ruled here since the 13th century.

A Monaco day trip from Nice is easy because the border is only around 20 kilometres from the city. Your guide-driver shows you the Rock, the harbour at Port Hercule and the viewpoints that look across the principality. Because this is a shared tour, the guide-driver drives and gives commentary in the vehicle, while at stops you explore independently.

Monte-Carlo and the Casino Square

Monte-Carlo is the glamorous district on the hillside above the harbour. Its centrepiece is the Place du Casino, where the Belle Époque Monte-Carlo Casino, designed by Charles Garnier, who also designed the Paris Opéra, stands beside the Hôtel de Paris and the Café de Paris. Luxury cars often line the square.

Many travellers ask whether they can enter the casino. Access rules and dress codes apply, and the tour focuses on seeing the square and the district rather than gambling. You will see the harbour and the streets where the Monaco Grand Prix is held every May, a good chance for photos and to feel the atmosphere of one of the world's most famous circuits.

The coastal roads of the French Riviera

The route between Nice, Èze and Monaco follows the Corniches, the three winding coastal roads carved into the cliffs, with views of Cap Ferrat, Villefranche Bay and the Mediterranean. Even a quick tour gives you scenery that is hard to see on public transport.

The Nice Monaco excursion is short and efficient, about five hours with two departures, and pickup at your accommodation saves time. It is best in the morning, when the light is soft, though the afternoon departure is quieter in the villages during summer. Photo stops on the way let you capture the coastline, and the guide-driver points out where the wealthy villas of Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu lie along the shore.