Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
After arriving in Nice, allow roughly 45–60 minutes to reach your accommodation from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport by tram, taxi, or airport transfer, plus time to leave luggage. The tram is the best-value option—lines 2 and 3 connect the airport with central Nice in about 25–30 minutes, while a taxi is usually around €35–€45 depending on traffic and luggage. Once settled, begin with an easy stroll along the Promenade des Anglais for about 45 minutes. Walk east toward the center rather than trying to cover the entire seafront; the stretch around Jardin Albert 1er gives you the classic blue-water views and a good first sense of the city.
Continue inland to Place Masséna, roughly a 10-minute walk from the promenade. Spend about half an hour admiring the red façades, arcades, and checkerboard paving, then wander naturally into Vieux Nice. From the square, Cours Saleya Market is only a few minutes away. Allow 45 minutes to browse the flower stalls, fruit, socca, olives, and local specialties. Market hours vary by day and season: the food and flower market generally runs in the daytime, while the Monday antiques market follows a different schedule, so keep this stop flexible if your arrival falls on a Monday. It is also worth checking same-day hours if arriving late, as stalls begin packing up in the afternoon.
From Cours Saleya, walk through the old town toward Le Plongeoir in the Port of Nice—about 20–25 minutes, with a pleasant route along the waterfront and through the eastern edge of Vieux Nice. For a shorter or easier transfer, take a taxi; public transport is less useful for this final stretch. Reserve Le Plongeoir in advance, especially for a sunset or weekend table, and expect approximately €45–€70 per person before drinks. The restaurant’s dramatic seaside setting is the point, so request an outdoor or sea-facing table when booking, though placement depends on availability and weather. Plan around 1½ hours for dinner, then return by taxi or walk back along the harbor if you still have energy.
Start at Marché Provençal in the heart of Antibes Old Town, ideally around 9:00, before the lanes become crowded. Allow about an hour to browse the stalls of local fruit, vegetables, olives, cheeses, spices, and socca; it is a good place to assemble a small picnic for later. The market generally operates in the morning, but schedules vary by season and day, so check locally before setting out. From here, walk a few minutes through the old lanes to the Musée Picasso in the Château Grimaldi. Set aside around 90 minutes for Picasso’s works, the château’s austere rooms, and the wonderful sea views from the terraces. Admission is usually in the low-single-digit euro range, with reduced or free categories; verify current hours and any temporary-exhibition rules on the museum’s official site.
After the museum, take a taxi or local bus toward the Cap d’Antibes Coastal Path rather than attempting the whole peninsula on foot from the old town. Follow a manageable section of the Sentier du Littoral for about 90 minutes, wearing proper shoes—the rocks can be uneven, and there is little shade. Swimming access is limited along much of this stretch, so save your beach time for Juan-les-Pins. A short bus or taxi ride brings you into Juan-les-Pins, where you can spend an hour by the bay with a seaside drink; beach facilities and chair rentals are seasonal, while the public shoreline remains accessible year-round.
Walk along the Juan-les-Pins waterfront to Le César for a relaxed Provençal seafood dinner. Expect roughly €35–€60 per person before drinks, and reserve ahead if visiting during the busy season, particularly for an outdoor table. The station is within walking distance afterward, but allow 15–20 minutes to reach it through the lively central streets; check the final TER departures to Nice rather than relying on an assumed late train.
Allow roughly 45–60 minutes door to door from your Antibes accommodation to Marché Forville in Cannes, including the walk to Antibes station, the short TER ride, and the walk from Cannes station. Aim to arrive around 8:30–9:00; the market is generally liveliest in the morning, though its exact opening days and hours vary seasonally. Have a casual breakfast from the stalls—socca, fruit, cheese, or a pastry—and browse local specialties for about an hour. From here, it is a short uphill walk through the lanes of Le Suquet, where you can slow down for harbor views and the quieter side streets rather than rushing straight to the next stop.
Continue to the Musée des Explorations du Monde, housed at the top of the old quarter. Allow about an hour for the collections and the panoramic terrace, which gives one of the best elevated views across Cannes and the bay. Check the museum’s current opening hours before setting out, as they can change by season; admission is usually modest, around €6–€8, with reduced or free-entry policies sometimes available.
Walk downhill from Le Suquet toward the waterfront, then spend roughly 90 minutes on La Croisette. Pass the Palais des Festivals and continue along the promenade past the grand hotels, private beaches, and polished boutiques. The western end near the Old Port is usually more pleasant for photographs, while the central stretch is best for watching the Cannes scene unfold. For lunch, keep it light at a café away from the most expensive hotel terraces—prices along the waterfront rise quickly—or pick up something earlier from the market and find a bench with a view.
After some unstructured time browsing the streets behind La Croisette, walk back toward central Cannes for dinner at L’Écrin. Expect refined Provençal cooking at approximately €50–€80 per person before drinks, and reserve ahead, particularly for an evening meal. From the promenade, allow 10–15 minutes on foot; Cannes station is nearby if you need to return to Antibes afterward.
Leave Cannes around 7:00–7:30 by rental car or private transfer, allowing at least 2–2½ hours for the A8 and Route de la Garde-Freinet approach, traffic, and parking. This inland route is much less frustrating than trying to follow the coast at peak hours. In Saint-Tropez, use the paid parking areas outside the tightest old-town streets; spaces fill quickly in high season, and the final walk is easier than navigating narrow lanes.
Make Citadelle de Saint-Tropez your first stop, reached uphill from the center in roughly 15–20 minutes on foot. Allow about an hour for the ramparts, maritime exhibits, and exceptional views over the gulf and rooftops. Check the fortress’s current opening hours and admission—seasonal schedules vary, and the upper walk can be hot, so bring water and wear shoes with grip.
Walk back toward Place des Lices for the market, when operating. It is especially worthwhile for Provençal produce, flowers, cheeses, olives, and prepared foods; opening days and stall numbers vary by season, so treat it as a conditional stop rather than a guarantee. Allow about an hour, then continue through the old lanes to the Vieux Port de Saint-Tropez, where pastel façades, fishing boats, and enormous yachts create the town’s unmistakable scene. Keep lunch casual—market food, a bakery sandwich, or a shaded café is usually better value than a full waterfront meal.
Drive about 20–30 minutes south to Plage de Pampelonne near Ramatuelle, allowing extra time for summer traffic and beach parking. Spend roughly two hours swimming or walking the long sandy shore; public access is available, while the private beach clubs charge separately and may require reservations. Return to town before the heaviest evening congestion and finish at Le Sénéquier on the harbor for a snack or early dinner, budgeting approximately €25–€50 per person. The red terrace is prime people-watching, but prices reflect the location and seasonal hours can change, so confirm service before relying on it for dinner.
Allow about 3½–4 hours door to door from Saint-Tropez to central Aix-en-Provence, including the drive, tolls, a fuel stop, and parking. Leaving around 8:00 is wise; the first stretch away from the peninsula can be slow. The A57/A8 is the straightforward route, and Parking Carnot or Parking Pasteur is convenient for the historic center—do not try to drive into the old lanes. Once parked, take a taxi or walk north to Atelier de Cézanne; the preserved studio is intimate and usually takes about an hour. Check the day’s opening hours and reserve ahead if required, as the small studio can have timed entry.
Walk downhill through the residential streets toward Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur, allowing roughly 20 minutes. Spend 45 minutes looking at its Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque layers, especially the cloister and the older sections incorporated into the complex. From here, the narrow streets of the old town lead naturally to Cours Mirabeau in about 10 minutes. Stroll beneath the plane trees and pause at the fountains; this is better enjoyed slowly than treated as a checklist, particularly around the side streets near Rue Mazarine.
Continue into the Mazarin Quarter for Musée Granet, allowing about 1½ hours for its European and Provençal collections. Verify the current exhibition schedule and booking requirements before setting out, since special exhibitions may use timed tickets even when general admission is available. Afterward, keep the rest of the afternoon unstructured: browse the small galleries and shops around Rue Cardinale or take a coffee break rather than adding another major sight.
For dinner, reserve at Les Deux Garçons on Cours Mirabeau, Aix’s historic brasserie associated with the city’s literary and artistic past. Expect approximately €30–€55 per person for dinner; service is leisurely, so allow about 1½ hours. If you are driving onward the next morning, leave the car parked and walk back through the center—Aix is compact, and evening traffic and one-way streets make retrieving the car unnecessarily inconvenient.
Arrive in central Avignon in the late morning, leaving roughly 20–30 minutes to walk from Avignon Centre to the historic center and orient yourself. Start with Palais des Papes, allowing about two hours for the grand courtyards, chapels, and austere medieval rooms. Book a timed admission online if one is offered, particularly during busy periods; expect approximately €12–€18 depending on the ticket combination. Next door, Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms takes around 45 minutes, with a quiet interior and a good pause from the palace crowds.
From the cathedral, continue into Jardin des Doms for an easy 45-minute stroll above the Rhône. The shaded paths and river views are especially welcome in warm weather. Descend toward the waterfront afterward for Pont Saint-Bénézet, the famous “Pont d’Avignon”; allow about 45 minutes to visit the bridge and see its surviving arches from the riverbank. A combined palace-and-bridge ticket can be useful, but check current admission arrangements before setting out.
For lunch, head to Les Halles d’Avignon, the covered market in the Les Halles district, a pleasant 10–15-minute walk from the bridge. Spend about an hour browsing regional produce and choosing something informal from the food counters—ideal for a flexible midday meal. Its opening days and individual vendors vary, so confirm that it is operating before relying on it; if closed, use the surrounding central streets for a simple café lunch rather than reshuffling the day.
Finish at La Mirande, just beside Palais des Papes, where dinner is a more polished Provençal experience after a day of sightseeing. Reserve well ahead and budget roughly €60–€100 per person before drinks; allow about 1½ hours. Afterward, the compact old town is easy to walk through, though cobbled lanes make comfortable shoes worthwhile.
Take an early SNCF connection from Avignon to Nice Ville, allowing roughly 3½–4½ hours door to door, including the walk to the station, any change between Avignon Centre and the TGV service, and a little margin for delays. Aim to leave around 7:00–7:30; book a reserved seat through SNCF Connect, especially if traveling with luggage. From Nice Ville, take tram line 1 toward Henri Sappia to Cimiez, or use a taxi if you want to save time—allow about 20–30 minutes after arrival to reach Musée Matisse.
Spend around 1½ hours inside Musée Matisse, housed in the elegant Villa des Arènes. It is a compact, rewarding museum rather than an all-day commitment, with paintings, drawings, and personal objects that make more sense after seeing Nice’s light and hills firsthand. Check the museum’s current opening hours before departure, as weekly closing days and temporary exhibitions can affect access; admission is generally modest, often around €10 or covered by a city museum pass. A short walk through the Monastère de Cimiez Gardens follows, where the clipped planting, ochre monastery walls, and views toward the city offer a calm counterpoint to the museum. Allow about 45 minutes and keep the pace unhurried.
From Cimiez, take a taxi or return by tram toward the center, then continue to Port Lympia—roughly 15–25 minutes depending on the connection. Walk along the harbor for about an hour, looking back at the colorful façades and the hills beyond the boats; this is a pleasant final stretch because it feels residential and open rather than like another major sightseeing stop. If you have luggage, leave it at your accommodation or use a station luggage facility before heading out, since the port promenade is easier without bags. Finish in Vieux Nice at Lou Pilha Leva, where socca, pissaladière, pan bagnat, and other Niçois street foods make an easy €10–€20 meal. It is casual and popular, so expect a short queue at busy times; check the day’s service hours before relying on it for a late dinner.
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