Monaco and Èze in One Day from Nice or Cannes: Train, Bus or Guided Tour

Monaco and Èze fit comfortably into one day from Nice, and into a long one from Cannes. From Nice, the train reaches Monaco in about 25 minutes and the Zou! 602 bus links Nice, Èze village and Monaco, so you can do the whole loop on your own for well under €20. From Cannes, Monaco is just over an hour by train, and Èze needs a change in Nice — which is why many visitors from Cannes take a tour. Small-group half-day tours from Nice start at around €95 per person.

This guide covers how to get there, the order that works best, what to see in each place, opening times worth planning around, and when a tour is worth the money.

In winter, swap the order: the garden at the top of Èze closes at 16:30 from November to March, so go to Èze first and finish in Monaco.

Direct TER trains run from Cannes to Monaco-Monte-Carlo in about 1 hour 5 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes. The neatest loop is: train to Monaco in the morning, the 602 bus from Monaco up to Èze in the afternoon, the same bus on to Nice, then the train back to Cannes (30–40 minutes). It works, but it is a long day with three changes.

That is why tours are more common from Cannes. Most are private: full-day tours covering Antibes, Èze, Monaco and Nice start at around €650 per vehicle. See tours in Cannes.

The old town sits on a rocky headland above the harbour. The changing of the guard takes place outside the Prince’s Palace every day at 11:55; arrive ten minutes early for a spot. The palace’s State Apartments are open to visitors from late March to mid-October (30 March to 15 October in 2026). Nearby are the cathedral, where Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III are buried, and the Oceanographic Museum, built into the cliff edge, with its aquarium and roof terrace.

Below the Rock, Port Hercule is lined with superyachts. Much of the Formula 1 circuit runs on ordinary streets around it, so you can walk sections of the track — the harbour front, the tunnel exit, the hairpin below the Fairmont hotel — on your way up to Monte-Carlo.

Casino Square brings together the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the Hôtel de Paris and the Café de Paris. The Casino is open for sightseeing visits in the morning, from 10:00 to 13:00 (last entry 12:15), for about €19; gaming starts at 14:00, is for over-18s only and requires a passport or national ID card. Dress smartly if you go in the evening.

Walk east along the seafront to the free Japanese Garden and Larvotto beach, Monaco’s public beach. Monaco is very vertical, but public lifts and escalators link the levels free of charge, and local CAM buses cover the main districts.

Èze is a medieval village wrapped around a rock more than 400 metres above the sea. Its lanes are car-free, stepped and steep, lined with galleries and small shops. At the top, the Jardin d’Èze — cacti and succulents among the ruins of the old castle — has one of the widest views on the Riviera, over Cap Ferrat and far along the coast.

The garden is open every day; entry costs about €10, and it closes at 16:30 from November to March and later in spring and summer. At the foot of the village, by the bus stop, the Fragonard and Galimard perfume factories run short free visits. Allow 2–3 hours in total, and wear shoes with grip.

On your own, the day costs little more than train and bus fares and you choose the order. A tour saves the bus connections, the queue for the 602 in summer and the climb from the bus stops, and often adds viewpoints you can’t reach by public transport, such as La Turbie above Monaco. Typical prices from Nice:

Prices are set by the operators and change with the season. Compare current options in tours in Nice; walking tours and F1 circuit tours once you are there are in tours in Monaco.

The coast between Nice and Monaco — Villefranche bay, Cap Ferrat, the cliffs below Èze — is at its best from the water. Private boat tours from Nice to Monaco take about 2.5 hours and start at around €450 per boat. See boat rental in Monaco and our yacht routes from Nice to Monaco.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable: the palace is open, Èze’s lanes are cooler and the buses less crowded. In July and August, start early and carry water — Èze has little shade. Avoid the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in late spring unless you are going for the race: parts of the town are closed off, the palace shuts on some days and prices jump. Winter is quiet and pleasant, though the palace apartments are closed.

Half a day covers the Rock, the harbour and Casino Square. Add a couple of hours for the Oceanographic Museum or the palace apartments.

From April to October, Monaco first: you catch the Casino’s morning visits and the 11:55 guard change, and reach Èze after the tour groups. From November to March, Èze first, because its garden closes at 16:30.

There are no border checks between France and Monaco, but carry a passport or national ID card — the Casino’s gaming rooms ask for one.

Yes, for the view from the garden alone. It is small and busy at midday, so a couple of hours in the late afternoon or early morning is ideal.

Planning more trips along the coast? See our guides to day trips from Nice and day trips from Cannes.