Nice to Monaco 3-Hour Boat Tour with Villefranche & Swim Stop

The Port of Nice and the coast road by sea

Your trip starts at Quai Entrecasteaux in the Port of Nice, the old harbour known as Port Lympia, dug in the 18th century at the foot of Castle Hill and lined with ochre, red and yellow facades. After a five-minute safety briefing the skipper steers out past the lighthouse and turns east, following the rocky Mont Boron headland where pine trees run down to the water.

Seeing the Riviera from the sea is the best answer to the question of how to get from Nice to Monaco with views: the coast road hides much of the shoreline, while the boat runs close to coves and cliffs that you cannot reach on foot. Expect sea spray and a lively ride on an open boat, and bring sunglasses and a light jacket outside the summer months.

Villefranche-sur-Mer, a fishing village on a deep natural harbour

The first stop is Villefranche-sur-Mer, a village of pastel houses wrapped around one of the deepest natural anchorages in the Mediterranean, where large ships and naval fleets have long sheltered. You go ashore for about 45 minutes, enough to walk along the waterfront, see the small fishing harbour of La Darse and the massive 16th-century Citadel of Saint-Elme, now a public space with free museums.

Climb a few steps into the old town to find the Rue Obscure, a covered medieval street running under the houses, and the little fishermen's Chapel of Saint-Pierre on the quay. Many people ask whether Villefranche-sur-Mer is worth visiting: on a Villefranche-sur-Mer boat tour like this one you see it at its best, arriving by sea as sailors always have, then strolling its lanes before the crowds of the afternoon.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the swimming stop

Back on board, the boat rounds the wooded peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, one of the most exclusive addresses on the Riviera, where grand Belle Époque villas and gardens hide among Aleppo pines above pale limestone rocks. A coastal path circles the cape, but from the water you see the shoreline the walkers cannot.

The skipper anchors for about 20 minutes in a sheltered spot where the water turns emerald and turquoise over a sandy and rocky seabed. Masks are provided, so you can snorkel among small fish or simply float and enjoy the scenery. The swim stop depends on sea conditions and water temperature; in spring and autumn the water is cooler, while from June to September it is at its most inviting.

Beaulieu-sur-Mer and the cliffs of Èze

East of the cape the boat passes Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a resort that flourished in the late 19th century thanks to a mild climate sheltered by high cliffs. Its waterfront is lined with elegant villas, including the Greek-style Villa Kérylos built on a rocky point in the early 1900s, and the sheltered stretch called Petite Afrique is known for being one of the warmest corners of the coast.

Next come the dramatic limestone walls below Èze, where a medieval village perches like an eagle's nest more than 400 metres above the sea. From the boat you look up at the village and the slopes falling straight into deep blue water, a view that explains why this stretch is called one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.

Port Hercule and the Principality of Monaco

The highlight of this Nice to Monaco boat trip is the arrival in Port Hercule, the main harbour of Monaco, set in a natural amphitheatre between the Rock and the slopes of Monte Carlo. The boat slows down among rows of large yachts while the skipper points out the old palace and the cathedral on the Rock and the Oceanographic Museum built into the cliff above the sea.

You have a photo stop of about 15 minutes on the water. The tour does not go ashore in Monaco; if you wish to land and stay, this must be arranged in advance, port taxes apply and your return to Nice is at your own expense. Then the boat heads back west along the coast for a scenic ride to the Port of Nice.