France 5 days adds Cannes deep visit (Lérins Islands + La Croisette + Le Suquet) + Saint-Tropez (1h45 west, glamour) OR Saint-Paul-de-Vence (medieval village + Foundation Maeght modern art).
Five days hits the sweet spot for Nice — three days for the major districts, plus two days for nearby destinations that show a different side of the country. The pace stays relaxed, you get more variety in your photo album, and the day trips break up the urban intensity nicely.
5-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$350
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$830
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$2,000
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Promenade + Vieux Nice + Cours Saleya
Day 1 from 3-dayActivities
Meal Recommendations
Same as 3-day Day 1.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Monaco Day Trip
Day 2 from 3-dayActivities
Meal Recommendations
Same as 3-day Day 2.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Èze + Antibes/Cannes
Day 3 from 3-dayActivities
Meal Recommendations
Same as 3-day Day 3.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Cannes deep day (Lérins Islands + La Croisette + Le Suquet)
Cannes Film Festival home + island ferryActivities
- 09:00 Train SNCF Nice → Cannes (30 min) 30 min each way
Train every 30 min. €7 RT. Right side for coastal views.
Cost: €7 RT - 10:00 La Croisette walking + Palais des Festivals 2 hours
La Croisette 2km boulevard + Palais des Festivals (Cannes Film Festival home) + handprints of celebrity stars.
Cost: Free TIP: Touch Cannes star handprints at Palais des Festivals exterior. Walking from train station 10 min. - 12:00 Lunch at Cannes + Le Suquet (Old Town) 2 hours
Lunch in Cannes + walk Le Suquet (Old Town) for views over La Croisette + Bay.
Cost: €20-50 TIP: Reservation Fri-Sat. Card + cash. Le Suquet climb steep but rewarding. - 14:30 Lérins Islands ferry (Sainte-Marguerite Island) Half day
Ferry from Cannes harbor to Sainte-Marguerite Island (Iron Mask of Île Sainte-Marguerite fortress). 15-min crossing.
Cost: €15 RT ferry + €6 fortress TIP: Ferry every 30-60 min. Iron Mask fortress (Voltaire visited 1717) — small but historic. Sainte-Marguerite Island has free hiking + beaches. - 19:00 Return train + dinner Lou Pilha Leva 2 hours
Train back to Nice + dinner at Lou Pilha Leva or any Vieux Nice spot.
Cost: €10-30
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + Cours Saleya market
Nice · €5-15
Lunch
Cannes Le Suquet
Cannes · €20-50
Dinner
Lou Pilha Leva Vieux Nice
Vieux Nice · €10-30
Train SNCF Nice-Cannes 30 min each way + ferry to Lérins Islands.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Saint-Paul-de-Vence + Foundation Maeght + Farewell
Medieval village + modern artActivities
- 09:00 Bus 400 to Saint-Paul-de-Vence (45 min) 45 min each way
Bus 400 from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence — medieval cliff village + Foundation Maeght modern art museum.
Cost: €1.50 each way TIP: Bus 400 from Nice Vauban Gare Routière. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is small (1,000 residents) but iconic. - 10:30 Saint-Paul-de-Vence medieval village walking 2.5 hours
Medieval cliff village — Galerie Maeght (free Marc Chagall + Henri Matisse + Joan Miró) + cobblestone streets + cemetery (Chagall buried here).
Cost: Free village TIP: Marc Chagall + Yves Montand buried at Saint-Paul-de-Vence cemetery. Le Café de la Place is heritage 1930 café. Photogenic cobblestone streets. - 13:00 Lunch at La Colombe d'Or (Picasso + Matisse paid in artwork) 1.5 hours
1920s heritage restaurant where Picasso + Matisse paid for meals in artwork. Original paintings on walls. €60-120.
Cost: €60-120 TIP: Reservation 2-3 weeks ahead. Original Picasso + Matisse paintings on walls. Heritage Riviera experience. - 14:30 Foundation Maeght (modern art museum) 2 hours
Foundation Maeght — most-respected modern art museum in France. Calder + Miró + Giacometti + Chagall + Léger.
Cost: €18 TIP: Outdoor sculpture garden free with admission. Modern art lovers' pilgrimage. 15-min walk from Saint-Paul-de-Vence village. - 17:00 Bus back to Nice + farewell at La Storia 2.5 hours
Bus 400 back. Farewell dinner at La Storia (canonical Salade Niçoise).
Cost: €18-50 TIP: Reservation 1 day ahead.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + Cours Saleya
Nice · €5-15
Lunch
La Colombe d'Or (heritage with art)
Saint-Paul-de-Vence · €60-120
Picasso + Matisse paintings on walls.
Dinner
La Storia farewell
Vieux Nice · €18-50
Bus 400 Nice-Saint-Paul-de-Vence 45 min each way + walking village.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Book Nice Tours & Tickets
Packing Checklist
- ✓ All 3-day items
- ✓ Camera essential for Saint-Paul-de-Vence + Èze + Cannes celebrity star photos
- ✓ Lighter shoes for Lérins Islands hiking
- ✓ Smart-casual for La Colombe d'Or
Nice 5-Day Itinerary FAQ
Saint-Paul-de-Vence vs Saint-Tropez — which to visit? ▼
Are Lérins Islands worth the ferry? ▼
What's special about La Colombe d'Or? ▼
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Why you can trust 5-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.