One Day in Nice's Port Neighborhood: Cafés, Shopping & a Boat to Monaco

Spend one full day in Nice's port neighborhood — cafés, boutique shopping, a proper French lunch, and a two-hour boat ride along the coast to Monaco and back: the South of France at its best! This is our real day out on the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera), packed with insider stops most visitors miss.

We start the morning with coffee at Nice’s Place Garibaldi, then shop our way toward the harbor. After lunch at Bistrot du Port, we board the Trans Côte d'Azur ferry for the ride to Monaco — a scenic trip past hidden beaches and a few very famous houses (yes, including Elton John's). On the way back, the boat hugs the coast even closer, with commentary on everything from Èze Village to Cap Ferrat. We close the day with an apéritif at Le Plongeoir back in Nice, right at the water's edge.

Looking for a French Riviera travel guide, South of France vacation ideas, or the best things to do in Nice, France? This Côte d'Azur day trip covers the Nice port district, a Monaco travel guide's worth of Monte Carlo views from the water, and one of the best boat trips on the French Riviera — perfect for planning your own Nice to Monaco itinerary, South of France road trip, or Mediterranean summer vacation.