Nice Shore Excursions: Private Days from the Port of Nice
Docking in Nice puts you right in the city, at the foot of Castle Hill. Riviera Come True meets you at the ship with a local French guide and a luxury 8-seater van reserved for your party alone, for Nice’s Old Town and seafront or for Eze, Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Monaco along the coast. Every tour is fully customized to you: it is your day, and everything is possible. Your day is designed personally around your wishes. For cruise guests, we will always do what it takes to bring you back to your ship at least one hour before departure or the last tender.
Nice port at a glance
| Port | The Port of Nice, also called Port Lympia, at the foot of Castle Hill. |
|---|---|
| Dock or tender | Smaller ships, up to about 190 meters, dock in the port. Larger ships calling at Nice usually anchor at Villefranche and tender. |
| Where we meet you | At the terminal in Nice, or at the Villefranche tender landing if your ship anchors there. |
| Getting back | At least one hour before departure or the last tender. |
| Classic day | Nice, Eze and Monaco. |
| Your guide | A local French guide with more than 15 years of experience. Our guides speak English, French, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic and Chinese. |
| Staying in Nice? | Private tours of Nice and the French Riviera start from your hotel or villa. |
Docking in Nice? Send us your date, your ship or where you are staying, and your group size. We reply personally in under 24 hours.
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Where does your ship arrive in Nice?
The Port of Nice was built in the 18th century at the foot of Castle Hill, in the heart of the city. It takes ferries, yachts and smaller cruise ships, up to about 190 meters long. If your ship docks there, you step ashore within walking distance of the Old Town, and your guide meets you at the terminal.
Larger ships listed as calling at Nice usually anchor in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer and bring passengers ashore by tender. Tell us your ship’s name and we will meet you at the right landing. For tender calls, see Villefranche shore excursions.
What can we see on a Nice shore excursion?
- Castle Hill: the park and viewpoints directly above the port, with the whole Bay of Angels below.
- The Old Town: its baroque churches, narrow lanes and the Cours Saleya flower and food market.
- The Promenade des Anglais: the seafront that made Nice famous.
- Cimiez: the quiet hill above the city, home to the Matisse Museum, the Roman ruins and the monastery gardens.
- Eze and Monaco: the perched village and the Principality, east along the Corniche roads.
- Villefranche and Cap Ferrat: the bay and the peninsula just east of the port.
Nice shore excursion ideas
- Nice, Eze and Monaco. The city in the morning, then the Middle Corniche to Eze and on to Monte-Carlo.
- Nice in depth. Castle Hill, the Old Town and the market on foot, then Cimiez and the Promenade by van.
- The coast and the cape. Villefranche and Cap Ferrat along the Lower Corniche, with time for the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
- Art and villages. The Matisse Museum, then Saint-Paul-de-Vence and a long lunch in the hills.
The secret spots of Nice
Nice rewards local knowledge. Your guide knows which market stalls have been there for decades, where to taste socca properly, which church interiors deserve five minutes and which viewpoints on Castle Hill stay quiet when the main terrace is crowded.
Staying in Nice?
This page is for cruise guests. If you are staying in a hotel or private villa, see private tours of Nice and the French Riviera: we collect you at your door and design the day around you.
Why choose a private Nice shore excursion?
- Local experts. Exclusively local French guides with more than 15 years of experience, never seasonal drivers from abroad.
- Your party alone. Our luxury 8-seater van with Wi-Fi, water and air conditioning, or on foot as a walking tour. Another car is possible on request.
- No wasted minutes. No stop-and-go, no tourist traps and no commission stops, and no perfume or chocolate factory or olive mill unless you ask for one.
- Proven. More than 300 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, and discretion is part of everything we do.
See why travelers choose Riviera Come True and how a private excursion compares with the ship’s tour.
Nice shore excursion questions
Do cruise ships dock in Nice?
Smaller ships dock at the Port of Nice, also called Port Lympia, which takes vessels up to about 190 meters. Larger ships calling at Nice usually anchor in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer and tender.
Is my ship docking in Nice or Villefranche?
Check your cruise documents: ships that dock in Nice use Port Lympia, while larger ships listed as Nice usually anchor at Villefranche. Send us your ship’s name and we will confirm.
Will we be back aboard on time in Nice?
Yes. Port Lympia sits right in the city, and for cruise guests we will always do what it takes to bring you back to your ship at least one hour before departure or the last tender. We have never made a guest miss their ship.
What can we see from the port of Nice?
Castle Hill rises right above the port, and the Old Town, the Cours Saleya market and the Promenade des Anglais are minutes away. Eze, Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Monaco are easy to add.
Can we explore Nice on foot?
Yes. The Old Town, the market and Castle Hill are best seen walking, so many guests begin with a walking tour with their guide before the van takes them along the coast.
Can we see Eze and Monaco from Nice?
Yes. Eze and Monaco lie east of Nice along the Corniche roads, and Nice, Eze and Monaco is a classic full private day.
Related tours and guides
- Private tours of Nice and the French Riviera (from your hotel or villa)
- Best things to do in Nice in one day
- Eze, Monaco and Monte-Carlo half-day tour
- Art tour: in the footsteps of Matisse, Chagall and Picasso
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence guide
Private shore excursions from every port on the Riviera and in Provence
- Villefranche-sur-Mer shore excursions
- Monaco shore excursions
- Cannes shore excursions
- Antibes shore excursions
- Saint-Tropez shore excursions
- Marseille shore excursions
- Toulon shore excursions
All ports at a glance: private shore excursions on the French Riviera and in Provence.
Plan your private day from Nice
Tours are by enquiry only. Email info@rivieracometrue.com, call or WhatsApp +33 7 88 88 88 01, or send us your enquiry online. Tell us your date, your ship or where you are staying, your group size and what you love, and we will reply in under 24 hours with an itinerary designed personally for your party.