We had the opportunity to explore a few cities in the South of France and hope that all of our guests will use this wedding trip as an opportunity to explore the French Rivera. Below you can find a few of our favorite and recommended cities to explore, activities to try, and food to eat!

We recommend flying into Nice given the number of direct flights from the United States, and take a few days to experience the French Rivera! Nice is a great place to serve as a hub given it is central to many iconic French Rivera neighboring towns.

Method of travel: Tram

- Wander through Old Town Nice for some historical sites, dining, and shopping. Some of our favorite stops include Maison Gannac and Cours Saleya (morning markets).

- Explore Parc de la Colline du Château - check out Tour Bellanda, ruins, and Colline du Château. These are some of the best views of the city and port.

- Walk the harbor of Quartier du Port. We loved dinner at KALOS, followed by cocktails at Zitto Speakeasy (we can help you find it if you get lost!).

- Stop at the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice, a striking Russian Orthodox church unlike anything else in town.

We recommend combining these 2 coastal towns into one day trip. Bus #15 goes through both of these towns.

Method of travel: Bus or train from Nice

Villefranche-sur-Mer

- Wander through cobble stone streets and pastel-colored buildings.

- Go shopping and grab a bite to eat.

- Take photos by the port or visit the beach. This town is most known for their colors!

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

- Grab food and or drinks at the charming little port.

- Visit Plage Paloma beach—and the scenic overlook, too!

- Hike around the cape on the peaceful Promenade des Fossettes.

- Perfect spot to spend 3–4 relaxed hours in an afternoon.

This was both of our favorite spot on our tour of the French Rivera, given the crystal clear water and close proximity to reefs for snorkeling and wonderful scenic hikes by the ocean.

Method of travel: Train from Nice

- Antibes Free Walking Tours (Click for link)

- Exploring Old Town

- Walking the Le Sentier Du Littoral, Cap D'Antibes

- Plague de la Garoupe Beach

Eze is a medieval mountaintop village with some of the most breathtaking views of the French Riviera.

Method of travel: Bus #82 from Nice

- Visit Le Jardin Exotique (highly recommend!!).

- Go shopping and grab lunch! We dined at Deli’ and were impressed with the olive oil creativity (get the chocolate dessert with Mandarine Olive Oil).

If you like luxury shopping, gambling, opulent sight seeing, F1 - this is the place for you! We honestly would recommend Monaco over Cannes and Saint Tropez.

Method of travel: Train from Nice

- Plan to visit (and gamble if you'd like) Casino de Monte-Carlo. Note: There is an entry fee, however the opulence and interiors are well worth it in our opinion. There is a dress code and you must show your passport to enter into the gambling rooms - so plan accordingly!

- Go shopping! Endless designer shopping in Monaco One (we liked the Zara across the street lol)

- Walk through Port Hercule, admiring the yachts and ships parked in the port. Visit La Collection Automobiles de Prince of Monaco.

- For the car & racing lovers, of course check out the different elements of the Monaco Grand Prix course, including the Starting Line & the famous Hairpin Turn.

- Hike up to see the Prince's Palace of Monaco, inside there is a museum with a history of the country! Afterwards explore Monaco City atop the hill, see Cathedrale de Monaco and Point de Vue Port de Fontvielle.

This was our second favorite spot during our French Rivera tour. We recommend this as a full-day trip!

Method of travel: Car

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

- Explore the historic town (Click for free downloadable audio tour)

- Visit the Chapelle Notre Dame de Beauvior

- Grab lunch on the many patios

- Shop at the local market (need to look up which days)

Gorges Du Verdon

- Visit Pont du Galetas for photos

- Rent a paddle boat and go for a swim!

This is where we stayed when exploring further inland from the coast, and the city serves as another great home base when taking day trips to different nearby towns.

Method of travel: Car

- See the Fontaine de la Rotonde

- Walk down Cr Mirabeau for shopping and dining (Saturdays are when the local markets take place)

- Explore the old town

- Try famous Madeleines at Madeleine de Christophe

- Our favorite restaurants: Italian Trattoria (Burrata Margherita pizza) and Tita (Mediterranean tapas)

Just about 25 minutes away from the venue, you'll find the "City of the Popes." Though we only had a few hours during our visit, there is plenty to explore and fill in a day trip to Avignon!

Method of travel: Car or train

- Meander through the streets of the walled city

- Explore Palace de Papes (Click for link to tickets)

- Admire some of the oldest remaining gothic-styled architecture remaining in the South of France