More about: Day Trips from Cannes
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region has captivated great painters and artists, and celebrities flock annually to Europe's most famous film festival, the Cannes Film Festival. However, the city and its surroundings also stand out for its architecture, beaches, caves, castles and picturesque villages. In this publication you will find a ranking of the best excursions from Cannes.
Are you ready to discover the best of the French Riviera? Find out their prices, services included, advantages, disadvantages and itineraries for you to visit the outlying cities of Cannes at the best price.
1. Excursion to Monaco and Eze from Cannes
If you want to make the most of your stay in Cannes, this type of excursion to Monaco and Eze is ideal for you. Not only will you get to see some of the most iconic sites in the French south, but you can choose the time to explore with half-day or full-day excursions.
In Eze, a charming craggy village with beautiful sea views, you can stroll through narrow streets adorned like gardens with exotic vegetation and enjoy some of its views from the steep steps. The village is crowned by the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and an esplanade that today serves as a balcony overlooking the sea. You can even visit Fragonard, one of France's most famous perfume factories!
Next, head to glamorous Monaco where you can attend the changing of the guard ceremony at the Prince's Palace, visit the Palace of Justice (where Princess Grace Kelly was married), see the Oceanographic Museum or check out its F1 circuit. This is the pinnacle of glamour and the good life in the French south, so places of interest are the order of the day.
Details of interest
- Price: from 70 € per person.
- Duration: 5 - 9 hours.
- Schedule: morning and afternoon.
- What the tour may include: professional guide service in your language. Transfer to and from your accommodation.
- Means of transportation: air-conditioned minivan.
- Pros: it is a complete tour for small groups, with full and half day options through the streets of Eze and Monaco where the international "jet set" meets in the south of France. The ability to listen to commentary, stories and historical details in English adds value to the tour.
- Cons: Lunch is not included, nor are entrance fees to the palaces, museums, Formula 1 circuit, etc.
2. Excursion to Vence, Monaco, La Turbie and Eze from Cannes
When you're ready to take your vacation to the next level, it's time to visit the French Riviera. This type of full-day excursion usually goes from Cannes to the most beautiful places in the region. Including its most iconic monument, the Prince's Palace of Monaco.
During your excursion, you will contemplate the yachts at the Antibes billionaires' dock and stroll at your own pace along St-Paul-de-Vence, then arrive at the Croisette boulevard. Then, you walk through Eze, one of France's rugged villages. The Riviera is a place of beauty, elegance and luxury, a place where style is king and glamour is queen and with this kind of road trip they make sure you remember "carpe diem" as the watchword of the ride.
But wait! There's still more. You also visit La Turbie in depth. And let's not forget Monaco, one of the crown jewels where you can admire the Formula 1 circuit from a distance, or take part in the next race when you buy your tickets. Get to know all the details of the Monte Carlo Casino, the most opulent in Europe, with its lavish gardens. Visit the Oceanographic Museum (including its outstanding aquarium) and at the end of the tour, you will be taken back to your accommodation.
Details of interest
- Price: from 130 € per person.
- Duration: 8 - 9 hours.
- Schedule: morning.
- What the tour may include: professional guide service in your language. Transportation service to and from your accommodation.
- Means of transportation: air-conditioned minivan.
- Pros: It is a small group tour, often with no more than 8 people. You are taken around the main attractions of the Côte d'Azur with views of the Mediterranean in the background, while listening to the commentary of a guide in Spanish.
- Cons: lunch is not included, as well as entrance fees to various palaces, Formula 1 circuit and in general most of the points of interest.
3. Excursion from Cannes to Nice, Monaco, La Turbie and Eze
Embark on an adventure on the glamorous French Riviera with a visit to Eze, a medieval hilltop village, as well as a guided tour of Monaco and Monte Carlo, but not before passing through the summer paradise of the French Riviera: Nice.
During your minibus tour, after picking you up at your accommodation, you explore the surroundings of the Principality of Monaco, the fashionable destination, with enough time to visit even the Casino of Monte Carlo. The atmosphere is opulent, impossible to go unnoticed.
The next destination is Eze, a medieval village perched on top of a hill where you have 360° views of the Riviera. You can take the opportunity to buy your perfume at the Fragonard factory, just before visiting the "terrace" of Monaco, in La Turbie. In this village, the Trophy of the Alps, also known as the Trophy of Augustus, has been stealing the spotlight since 7 B.C.
To end the tour in style, admire the gardens of the Ritz Paris Hotel, built in 1864, a classic French icon. Or visit the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
Details of interest
- Price: from 119 €.
- Duration: 7 hours.
- Schedule: morning.
- What the tour may include: transfer service to and from your accommodation. Professional guide service.
- Means of transport: minibus.
- Pros: you walk through the main sites of the capital of the French Riviera, Monte Carlo, Monaco, Eze and La Turbie. Groups are small, usually up to 8 people.
- Cons: Guide service is often only offered in English and French. No food, drinks or entrance fees to any of the palaces and museums are included.
4. Private excursion to Antibes and Saint Paul de Vence from Cannes (for small groups)
Get off the beaten path in Cannes and customize your experience with your friends and family with this private small group tour of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
Since you can choose your destinations and duration at each stop, itineraries are tailored to your preferences. However, you often start on the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes just before heading to Juan les Pins. This lively beach community is packed with stores, coves, bars and restaurants, and that's just what's on land! And with a bit of luck, you'll also see some luxury yachts beached.
The Provençal market also has its own particular charm. The next destination is Saint Paul de Vence, which has an incredible history with art: it was the home of Marc Chagall for many years! You can explore its medieval streets and admire the treasures hidden in every corner.
Next, you will be driven to Antibes to visit its Picasso Museum of Antibes and if you are an art lover, your excursion will not be complete without a walk through the Maeght Foundation or Fondation Maeght, a modern art museum where you will find works by Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall and llsworth Kelly to Joan Miro and more. At the end of the day you will have visited some of the most beautiful cities of the French Riviera.
Details of interest
- Price: from 486 € for groups of maximum 7 people.
- Duration: 4 hours.
- Schedule: morning.
- What the tour may include: shuttle service from your accommodation to the port of Cannes and back. Boat trip to and from Antibes and Saint Paul de Vence. Professional guide service in your language (with your reservation you must notify that you require English speaking guides and they will be available). Bottled water.
- Means of transportation: minibus and small boat.
- Pros: the tour is exclusively for your group which guarantees personalized attention and comfort during your tour.
- Cons: Entrance fees to the palaces, museums and sites of interest visited are not included, nor are meals or drinks. The guide's language is often English or French, but for a supplement, a guide in Spanish will lead the tour.
5. Tour to Valbonne and Grasse from Cannes
This could well be called a wine and perfume tour because they are the main attractions of this excursion to Valbonne and Grasse from Cannes. However, behind the exquisite fragrances and wine tourism there is much more to discover.
First we have Valbonne, an ancient village built as a grid with a monastery of the abbey of Valbonne, whose architecture has had such an impact that it is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your visit you will have plenty of time to explore this historic area known for its wine cellars, taverns, castles and the vineyards of French Provence, where you will enjoy a wine tasting including the Château de Bellet, a renowned French appellation in its city of origin.
Next stop is Grasse, the French perfume capital. This has been the birthplace of some of the world's most famous perfumers for centuries.
During your visit to the town, you will visit its main factories where you will learn about the history, inspiration and culture of fragrances from experts such as those at the Grasse Fragonard Perfumery. There will also be time to enjoy the different scents and even take some souvenirs home before returning to Cannes to learn the secrets of the world of perfume.
Details of interest
- Price: from 129 € per person.
- Duration: 8-9 hours.
- Schedule: morning.
- What the tour may include: shuttle service to and from your accommodation. Bottled water. Wine tasting.
- Means of transportation: minibus.
- Pros: this is the star tour for those who want to taste French wines from the cellar to the table, nothing more authentic. Also, passing by the renowned fragrance factories and sharing the experience of the process in person, adds another perspective to the perfumes. The groups are small, which tends to guarantee a more personalized attention.
- Cons: This type of tour is often only offered in English and French. Entrance fees to the castles, museums and sites of interest visited are not included, nor are meals or drinks, with the exception of wine tasting.
6. Tour to Grimaud and Saint-Tropez from Cannes
If you are looking for a day trip in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur that is both fun and educational, you are in luck, this kind of tour to Grimaud and Saint-Tropez from Cannes is the one for you.
The tour starts after picking you up at your accommodation to head to Port Grimaud, mostly known as the "Little Venice" of Saint-Tropez.
Although it occupies only 44 km², it is home to a harbor full of luxurious yachts, beaches and bridges such as the mysterious Fairy Bridge where you must make your wishes, or the Port Grimaud beach where water sports take place.
During the tour you will tour the interior of the town while listening to commentaries about its history and anecdotes with local experts. Once Port Grimaud is left behind, the group heads to Saint-Tropez, one of the favorite places for celebrities to spend their vacations.
You will stroll through its citadel, proof that, despite the luxury that surrounds Saint-Tropez, its nostalgic melancholy is still present in its atmosphere and hence its traditional charm. In addition, the town hosts an interesting traditional Provençal market and between the Place aux Herbes, the Pampelonne beach, the old town, the Maritime History Museum or the Citadel of Saint-Tropez, and the bars, beach bars and restaurants on the quayside, there is plenty to see and do in Saint-Tropez.
Details of interest
- Price: from 125 € per person.
- Duration: 7 hours.
- Schedule: morning.
- What the tour may include: shuttle service to and from your accommodation. Bottled water. Local professional guide service.
- Means of transportation: minibus.
- Pros: This tour is perfect for family outings. It is educational, fun and visually stunning.
- Cons: This type of tour is usually only offered with English and French speaking guides.
How much does a tour from Cannes cost?
Prices vary depending on two fundamental points. First, if you travel in a group, the costs are reduced by the package prices. In case of traveling on your own, you will find that the average cost is 120 € for day trips, while for half-day excursions, be sure to note in your budget about 70 € as an average cost.
Another point to consider is the type of activities and the cities you wish to visit. Monaco, Monte Carlo, and Cannes itself usually present the highest costs, while if you travel to less popular towns or cities such as Saint-Raphaël, Antibes and Grimaud, you will find better prices.