Is it possible to do Nice, Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo in 1 day?

[the_goat]

Hello everyone,

 

We are sailing on the Century out of Barcelona on a 12-day MED cruise starting on June 3rd. We will be porting in Villefranche at 10.30 and leaving the port at 20.00. This will be our first time to France (and we'd like to experience all we can) We'd like to get as much out of our stay (abeit limited).

 

We have to tender (I'm estimating that will take about 30 minutes). My plan is to take the #82 bus up to Col d’ Eze (Plateau de la Justice) and then hike to La Revere then walk the Sentier Botanique back down to Eze Village. (not sure how long this will take us).

 

We will most likely eat lunch in Eze. Are the restaurants open passed 13.00 (for lunch)? or Do they close down until dinner?

 

After lunch and a walking tour around Eze, I'd like to head to Monaco & Monte Carlo. Can we take a bus to both locations?

 

I'm not sure if we are trying to do too much considering we have to be back to the port in Nice (to catch the tender) by 19.00.

Is this intinerary possible to do DIY or are we better off looking for a organized tour?

 

Thanks in advance for your input...

[jdyrogrs]

I think that it would be better if you look for an organised tour as that would help you have everything in place and won't have to rush around without having the time to gorge at such a beautiful place. Though you have made pretty good plan but even a single step going wrong would mean a loss of a great deal so better opt for an organised one, moreover the tour organisers will help you plan for a better vacation. Hope that it helps.

[Susan-M]

You could probably DIY if you have all of your plans well organized, and everything goes according to plan, but I think it would be more enjoyable to focus on two, instead of three places, and have more time at each.

 

Are you planning to take the bus from VF to Nice and then #82 to Eze Plateau de la Justice? (#82 runs on the middle [higher] road through Villefranche, so it's not convenient to catch it in VF without hiking up.)

 

I'm not familiar with the hikes that you mention in Eze, but you could probably get some info on Tripadvisor. We did a hike in Turkey on our last cruise, and despite having very detailed info from Tripadvisor, managed to take the wrong path. It wasn't a problem since we had lots of time, but just mention this so that you factor in some extra time.

 

From Eze Village, you can take bus #112 to Monte Carlo. You can then walk to the Monaco Palace, or take one of the local buses there (#1 or #2). Bus #112 doesn't run that frequently, so it's important to have bus schedules with you.

 

You mention getting back to Nice for the ship ... is it moving from VF to Nice during the day?

 

I found that Rick Steves book, Provence and the French Riviera, was a good help in planning our port day in VF. (We were there from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. and went to Eze Village, Monte Carlo/Monaco and on return to VF, explored there for a while.)

[Mrs.Y]

Yes, I think it is doable. The only thing I am unsure about is the hike you mention as I am unfamiliar with this.

 

We were in Villefranche a few weeks ago. We took the bus to Nice and spent about 2 hours there. We then took the bus up to Eze and then on to Monaco.

 

We asked one of the taxi drivers waiting at the port about the cost of taking us on the same route & were quoted 24O euros for 6 passengers, with the tour lasting about 4 hours. We were tempted but opted to continue with our own plans to take public transport.

 

In the end, we travelled on our own for about 5 euros each!

 

Oh, and the tender should only take about 10 minutes if the seas are calm. Also consider saving a little time to walk around Villefranche --it is a really lovely little village with quaint streets, stores & restaurants/bakeries and a nice little beach.

[Tucker in Texas]

If you want to do an organized tour, we used Revelation Tours and covered all those locations. It was 600 euros for eight of us.

 

Tucker in Texas

[catllar]

To be hones, you'll get more from your experience if you limit yourselves to 1 or 2 places - you're in the Med - so chill. Lunch service is usually 12 till 2pm and not many places (except yukky snack bars) will take new orders much after 1.30. As one who lives here I'd go for Eze and Nice - don't try to ram in too much, take the time to enjoy. Have a lovely holiday Bon vacance!

[anniversay/grad trip]

Hello everyone,

 

We are sailing on the Century out of Barcelona on a 12-day MED cruise starting on June 3rd. We will be porting in Villefranche at 10.30 and leaving the port at 20.00. This will be our first time to France (and we'd like to experience all we can) We'd like to get as much out of our stay (abeit limited).

 

We have to tender (I'm estimating that will take about 30 minutes). My plan is to take the #82 bus up to Col d’ Eze (Plateau de la Justice) and then hike to La Revere then walk the Sentier Botanique back down to Eze Village. (not sure how long this will take us).

 

We will most likely eat lunch in Eze. Are the restaurants open passed 13.00 (for lunch)? or Do they close down until dinner?

 

After lunch and a walking tour around Eze, I'd like to head to Monaco & Monte Carlo. Can we take a bus to both locations?

 

I'm not sure if we are trying to do too much considering we have to be back to the port in Nice (to catch the tender) by 19.00.

Is this intinerary possible to do DIY or are we better off looking for a organized tour?

 

Thanks in advance for your input...

 

We are on the same cruise, and having done many of the ports we will be visiting, I can tell you that in a one day port we went to all the places you mentioned (I love Eze but it is strenuous all uphill)...but, we did it with an organized tour as we are doing this time around. We booked with Prestige Tours (Catherine) and she is wonderful. Not sure if she has any drivers available this late but, she is charging us 250 euros for a 5 hour tour (which leaves us time to explore Villefranche on our own)...Maybe we'll see you on board? Did you check out the roll call to see if there is anyone looking to hook up? We are going to St Paul De Vence this time around, but enjoy Eze I loved it. At the bottom there are little cafes that were open the whole time we were there, but if you are looking for something more upscale (as most of the restaurants are further up) they may have set lunch hours. But, we found that midday meals are usually later than we are used to in North America. Feel free to ask any questions you may have in regard to the other ports. The only ones we haven't been to as yet are Mykanos and Turkey.

[TLCOhio]

Agree that by trying to do "ALL THREE", especially by public transit, can be challenging. You might visit and buzz through these locations, but will you enjoy it that much? My key question is . . . what and how do you want to “ENJOY" and "EXPERIENCE" things in France, etc? Rush-rush and gulp it down like soda pop or beer . . . OR . . . sip and savor the moment like fine wine, doing people watching, sensing an enjoyment of life and the humanity, the architecture, history and charm? There are also many other coastal and Provence areas beyond these cities consider. These "name places" such as Nice and Monaco can get very congested during the peak tourist times. Are they worth it? Below are a few visual previews on those many options that are too many to be enjoyed during just one port stop there. Don't think you can effectively do it "ALL" in just one day.

 

For Eze, here are my detailed notes, including a couple of websites to check for more details. The old village of Eze, along the coast between Nice and Monaco, hangs up in the mountains above the water and crowds. It's wonderful to visit. Great, great views! Totally charming! Have lunch or dinner there at one of the two great eating places and feel like you're sitting on the edge of paradise! We ate at the Château Eza. Its website: http://www.chateauezarestaurant.com. At 1,407 feet above the Mediterranean, Eze offers commanding views of cliffs, sea, sprawling estates and off-shore islands. The village's narrow streets or more really paths among the buildings lead to the Jardin Exotique It is a maze of paths flanked by mammoth flowering plants and spiky cactuses. For about $3, you can walk up to the best view on the French Riviera. On a clear day, you can see Corsica! It does not get much better than Eze. Their tourism office:

http://www.eze-riviera.com

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

The charming mountain top village of Eze is nearby and offers great view along the coast:

 

 

 

This picture shows more of the gardens at the top of Eze that offers great views along the coast:

 

 

 

Along the scenic southern French coast west of Cannes:

 

 

 

Here is a view of Monaco with famed hotel and part of the Casino with the scenic mountains also shown:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the fun at a market day in Provence:

 

[crewmom24]

Is it hard to get to Eze if you have some issues like a healing ankle fracture, an 88 yo grandmother who gets around pretty well, and a dad with some back problems?

[Susan-M]

Is it hard to get to Eze if you have some issues like a healing ankle fracture, an 88 yo grandmother who gets around pretty well, and a dad with some back problems?

 

I wouldn't recommend using public transportation to get there based on the circumstances that you describe. Or, you are going with a private driver, and wondering about the walk from the parking lot up to the village?

[TLCOhio]

I wouldn't recommend using public transportation to get there based on the circumstances that you describe. Or, you are going with a private driver, and wondering about the walk from the parking lot up to the village?

 

Agree with Susan that the pavements all over Europe can be beautiful, historic and challenging. With "a healing ankle fracture", you need to be careful. PLUS, pick your shoes carefully. Fashion is nice for fancy dining places and the opera, but go for comfort and safety, first and foremost, as you navigate these various surfaces.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[Tucker in Texas]

I wouldn't recommend using public transportation to get there based on the circumstances that you describe. Or, you are going with a private driver, and wondering about the walk from the parking lot up to the village?

 

Our driver drove us to the top but we had to walk back down to the parking lot. He said that if it is really crowded, then they won't let him drive up but, fortunately, we were late in the day and it wasn't crowded.

 

Tucker in Texas

[John Bull]

Is it possible to do Nice, Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo in 1 day?

 

Sorry, I've got nothing sensible to add to this thread.

 

But could you all please stop using the phrase "Nice & Eze"

'Cause Nice & Eze gets me singing, every time. :D

 

Frank ;)

[Susan-M]

Is it possible to do Nice, Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo in 1 day?

 

Sorry, I've got nothing sensible to add to this thread.

 

But could you all please stop using the phrase "Nice & Eze"

'Cause Nice & Eze gets me singing, every time. :D

 

Frank ;)

 

LOL .... the pronunciations are "niece" and "ez", so it must make for an interesting tune.;)

[Leslie Chapmam]

I would recommend that you hire a private company. Last year we used Michel Legrand with Revelation Tours. He was great. We did Nice, Monoco, Monte Carlo, Eze and St. Paul de Vence. It was an ambitious itinerary. We didn't have long to stay in Nice but that was OK with me. Also, we had to grab a quick lunch. My two favorite places were Eze and St. Paul de Vence. You can relax when you have a driver to take you everywhere and Michel's commentary is entertaining. Just a recommendation.

[Yvie]

We did the mediterranean cruise two years ago. Our ship tendered into Cannes. We also hired Michel of Revelation Tours and he was fabulous, best tour of our cruise. Our itinerary was also very ambitious. That was the hardest part of planning our cruise, trying to figure out what was realistic to fit into each port stop. When I get back from any trip I take with a planned itinerary, I make notes of what we were actually able to do vs what we though we would be able to do. Posted below are my notes.

 

We were down near the aft tender station by 6:45 a.m. We were asked to wait on deck 2. The ship was cleared by 7:15 a.m. and they were ready to offload people on ships tours. Someone from the crew came up and said we could get on the first tender along with the ships tours. We were on the dock by 7:45 a.m. and met up with our guide Michel of Revelation Tours in the parking lot.

 

We headed to Monte Carlo first, stopping briefly in La Turbie at a scenic overlook. We arrived at the casino in Monte Carlo around 9 a.m. We took pictures of the casino and gardens and walked all the way around the casino by the waterfront. By 9:30 a.m. we were on our way to the next stop, Monaco, by way of the Grand Prix circuit.

 

We arrived in Monaco shortly before 10 a.m.. We first visited the cathedral where Princess Grace was married and is buried, the cathedral of Notre- Dame-de-I’Immaculee-Conception. We then walked to the left along the wall to the Place du Palais, the square where the prince’s palace is located. We took photos of the palace and the views overlooking the port and Monte Carlo. We stopped briefly to buy a couple of postcards, then headed down the street back towards the cathedral. We stopped for a restroom break in the garden at the foot of the cathedral and were on our way by 10:40 a.m.. We had no time to visit the palace, rose garden, or Napoleon Collection. We also weren’t there for the changing of the guard.

 

Our next stop was Eze, where we arrived around 11 a.m. We were in Eze for about 45 minutes, enough time to climb to the cactus garden at the top for the spectacular views. We then walked through some of the streets, but had no time to stop in any shops or to walk through the whole village.

 

We next stopped at the Rothschild Villa where we had an hour to tour the villa and gardens. It took about 15 minutes to tour the villa, more of a museum than a residence. We spent most of our time in the gardens and scenic viewpoints overlooking the sea. We left around 1 p.m. and drove through Nice on our way to Saint-Paul de Vence. We drove down the road next to the water, driving past the Promenade des Anglais. We saw the hospital with blue mirrored glass windows where Angelina Jolie had just given birth. We didn’t stop in Nice, and made our way to Saint-Paul de Vence, arriving about 1:45 p.m..

We agreed to meet Michel at 3:15 p.m. to return to the port. We entered the village through the Gate of Vence and picked up a map from the tourist information office on the right. We then walked down the Rue Grande to the Gate of Nice and the panoramic viewpoint near the cemetery. We looked for somewhere to grab lunch, but couldn’t find anything that would be quick where we could sit down. We walked back the way we came and stopped at the grande fountain. From there we made our way to Les Trois Etoiles at 7 Place de la Marie. The shop had large glass vats of fruit liqueurs, including strawberry, blueberry, pear, fig, as well as olive oils. We bought some of the olive oil and wild strawberry liqueur and headed back towards the entrance to get something to eat. Right near the entrance there was a bar/restaurant with terrace seating across form it, but the tables were filled. We walked across from that to a take-out place and got paninis to go, they were very good. Afterwards we got some gelato at a place next to the restaurant and terrace near the entrance. I had the lemon meringue and it was the best gelato I’ve ever had, including what we ate in Italy. We took a few pictures, then it was time to go back to the van. We left Saint Paul around 3:20-3:30 p.m. to head back to the ship. We ran into very heavy traffic on the way back, and made it to the port at 4:15 p.m., 15 minutes before the last tender back to the ship. The ship was scheduled to leave at 5 p.m. but didn’t leave until 6 p.m. because several ship tour buses were late getting back to port.

 

Our tour was a "whirlwind tour" but we were very happy with it. We were traveling with other family members who were unlikely to make another trip to Europe, so we wanted to fit in as much as we could. My two favorite places were also Eze and St Paul de Vence, I would have loved to have spent more time there. I hope this helps others with their planning. There is a lot of driving in between stops. This would take much longer without a private driver, so you need to factor that in. I will definitely use Revelation Tours when we make it back someday. Enjoy the south of France, it is gorgeous.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We went to all these places plus St. Paul de Vence in April; however we used Private Shore Trips for an approximately 8 hr. tour. It was 540E for 8 people. We enjoyed our day a lot and the tour company was excellent, even coming back for a late couple--unfortunately us!

 

Everything except St. Paul de Vence is quite close together and is certainly doable using public transportation, but you will have to be organized and know your options. We talked to people back on board who did just that.

 

My only caveat is your planning on only 30 minutes to tender in. Probably this will work out fine for you, but it's not always that quick. We were late for our tour because , first of all, we followed the ship's announcements saying not to line up until ready to go ashore--don't listen, get on the first tender you can. Secondly, tenders were slow and late due to a medical evacuation. We lined up over an hour early and still missed our tour by 45 minutes.

 

Also, if you are planning on lots of walking/hiking, such as the path to Eze, you will need much more time.

 

If (when) I go back I will probably skip Nice, or just drive through, and spend more time in Eze, Villefranche and other hill towns like St. Paul de Vence.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Also, to the person going with a healing ankle and an 88 year old--the walking at Eze and other places was challenging; it would be very, very easy to make a misstep, fall, trip, etc. It's definitely not walking friendly; steep, rough and rocky walkways, lots of steps, etc.

[texancruzer]

Well, we are a couple who did the "dreaded ship tour" :eek: and had a perfectly wonderful fun day !!! :D

 

We did Nice first (got to see the French president up close - real close !), then Eze, then Monaco (the rock) and then down to Monte Carlo. We had free time to explore etc. in each place and the price included a really good lunch in Eze. White Horse Restaurant. Best of all - we didnt have to worry about train or bus schedules or getting left.

 

Might add..... we don't normally do ships tours but did this one for reasons I will not go into. We had a super day (a long day) but a super day.

 

Just food for thought.

[CaroleLee]

If you want to do an organized tour, we used Revelation Tours and covered all those locations. It was 600 euros for eight of us.

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Hi Tucker

 

Doing my research. Can you pls outline what you saw/did with Revaltion Tours. Did you design the itinerary or was it their's fixed tour on a pvt basis?

 

Thanks

Carole

[AnnieB925]

We, too, did the frowned upon ship tour and had a great time in all 3 places. We walked to the very highest point in Eze. We walked all over Monaco and Monte Carlo. It was a nice "excursion"....from someone who rarely does the ship's excursions. This was a gift to my husband from his company (nice, huh?) so we loaded up the charges with excursions!:) And who knew we'd actually enjoy them as much as we did, given how much "dissing" they get on these boards!!! (me included!)

 

Well, we are a couple who did the "dreaded ship tour" :eek: and had a perfectly wonderful fun day !!! :D

 

We did Nice first (got to see the French president up close - real close !), then Eze, then Monaco (the rock) and then down to Monte Carlo. We had free time to explore etc. in each place and the price included a really good lunch in Eze. White Horse Restaurant. Best of all - we didnt have to worry about train or bus schedules or getting left.

 

Might add..... we don't normally do ships tours but did this one for reasons I will not go into. We had a super day (a long day) but a super day.

 

Just food for thought.

[Hlitner]

Had to smile reading the OP. My short answer would be, is it possible to do New York City, Atlantic City, Wildwood and Cape May in a day? Or my wife just asked is it possible to do the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion in a day? Of course the answer to all the questions is yes. This is just another case of the "If its Tuesday it Must be Belgium" syndrome. Ok...enough of my philosophy (which is simply to slow down and enjoy the roses). Yes, it is possible to do Nice, Eze and MC in a day. In fact, it is quite easy as long as you are happy to say you were in all 3 places and do not care about really seeing the places. You can start by going from Villefranche to either Monte Carlo or Nice via the local bus or train. You then can take the local bus from either Nice or MC to Eze and later take another bus from Eze to either Nice or MC and finally take the train or bus from Nice or MC back to Villefranche. So you see, its easy. Just like driving from New Jersey over to New York, then down to Atlantic City, Wildwood, Cape May, and back to your starting point in New Jersey (we say this since the OP is from NJ).

 

Hank

[texancruzer]

Had to smile reading the OP. My short answer would be, is it possible to do New York City, Atlantic City, Wildwood and Cape May in a day? Or my wife just asked is it possible to do the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion in a day? Of course the answer to all the questions is yes. This is just another case of the "If its Tuesday it Must be Belgium" syndrome. Ok...enough of my philosophy (which is simply to slow down and enjoy the roses). Yes, it is possible to do Nice, Eze and MC in a day. In fact, it is quite easy as long as you are happy to say you were in all 3 places and do not care about really seeing the places. You can start by going from Villefranche to either Monte Carlo or Nice via the local bus or train. You then can take the local bus from either Nice or MC to Eze and later take another bus from Eze to either Nice or MC and finally take the train or bus from Nice or MC back to Villefranche. So you see, its easy. Just like driving from New Jersey over to New York, then down to Atlantic City, Wildwood, Cape May, and back to your starting point in New Jersey (we say this since the OP is from NJ).

 

Hank

 

I agree with Hank.....if you want in-depth coverage then don't try to hit them all.

 

But if you just want the highlights - yes it can be done and well.

 

We went to Nice from Villefranche, had a coffee at an outdoor cafe, strolled the boulevard, saw the President and the market, then walked back to the bus. They also took us on a "scenic tour" of Nice and then to Eze. We had plenty of time to climb up the top, stopping in numerous shops (lots of goodies :D) and then back down for a wonderful lunch. Then to Monaco (the rock) where we saw the palace, the cathedral with graves of Princess Grace etc. and then a quick stroll thru the gardens and then we did a quick visit to the Jacques Cousteau Oceanagraphic Museum. Then to Monte Carlo - stopped in a couple of high end stores, then to the Cafe de Paris for a coffee and crepe and some serious people watching. Walked around the casino area for pics and then back to the bus.

 

We saw alot. We did not run but we didnt dawdle either. I really enjoyed my day. Did I get in-depth details - nope. But I did get a good overall feel for the area to make a decision if I would like to return to explore more or not. That is our philosophy - there are just too many places to visit to try and get in-depth with each and every one. Some I will return to - some I won't.

[AnnieB925]

I'd like to add another perspective: in general cruises give you just a taste of each port. If you like what you see, it just might be worth a trip over the pond for a land vacation. We enjoy both, but to really get the feel for an area, there is no substitue to staying for several days, renting a car and touring. That's why we love to travel to Europe and explore. To us cruising is simply relaxing and a no-hassle way to get in some R&R.

 

Cruises and cruise excursions are an enjoyable experience, but they are what they are: a tasting, a sample, a day of fun here, then there:)

[jjcruise2]

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