Nice in 2 Days by Scooter: a 48-Hour Weekend Itinerary

Two days is not long, but Nice in 2 days is entirely doable if you stop wasting time on buses, taxis and parking. Our approach for a weekend in Nice: have a retro scooter delivered to your hotel, give the first day to the city and the second to the coast. You get the old town, the market, the best viewpoints, two beaches, a famous peninsula and two sunsets, without ever feeling rushed.

Before you go: the practical side

• Delivery: we bring the scooter to your hotel, Airbnb or a meeting point in Nice, by appointment, and delivery within Nice is free. If you land late on Friday, an evening drop-off means you are riding by 9am on Saturday.
• Cost: a two-day rental is 70 euros for a 50cc and 120 euros for the 125cc, with two helmets, gloves, a lock, third-party insurance and 7-day assistance included. Full rates are on our prices page.
• Licence: requirements differ between a 50cc and a 125cc, and between EU and non-EU licences. Our guide to scooter licences for visitors to France explains it, and we are happy to confirm your case before you book.
• Riding: traffic drives on the right in France. The city is compact, so most hops on day one are only a few minutes long.

Day one: Nice, from the market to the sunset

On day one, the scooter is your shuttle between neighbourhoods and your ticket to the hills. Once you arrive somewhere, park it and walk: the old town is best explored on foot.

1. Cours Saleya 9am

   Park in a marked two-wheeler bay on the edge of the old town and walk into the flower, fruit and vegetable market, held on Tuesday to Sunday mornings. On Mondays, an antiques and flea market takes over. Grab a slice of socca, the hot chickpea pancake that every local will tell you to try.

2. Old Nice 10.30am

   Wander the narrow lanes between ochre facades: Place Rossetti and its cathedral, the little delis, the Palais Lascaris. Everything is a few minutes' walk from the market.

3. Castle Hill 11.30am

   Climb the stairs from the old town or from Quai des États-Unis. At the top: shady gardens, an artificial waterfall and the classic postcard view, the Baie des Anges on one side and Port Lympia on the other. A free lift serves the first viewpoint when it is running.

4. Lunch at Port Lympia 1pm, about 2 km

   Back on the scooter, ride round the headland past Rauba-Capeu to the old port. Red and ochre buildings, traditional wooden fishing boats and plenty of quayside terraces make it the easy choice for lunch.

5. Mont Boron 3pm, about 5 km

   After a slow lunch, climb the winding roads of Mont Boron above the port. Pine trees, Belle Époque villas and glimpses of the Villefranche bay give you a preview of day two. A 50cc handles these small roads with ease.

6. Promenade des Anglais at sunset 5.30pm, about 8 km

   Ride back down and cruise the Promenade, past the famous blue chairs. Park up, sit on the pebbles and watch the sun drop over the bay. Depending on the season, sunset falls between roughly 5pm in winter and just after 9pm in early summer.

Have dinner in the old town or around the port, then ride back along the lit-up seafront. For more ideas to fill the evening, see our list of things to do in Nice.

Day two: the coast road to Cap Ferrat

On day two, head east along the Basse Corniche, the lowest and gentlest of the three coastal roads. It is ideal for a 50cc, and every few kilometres there is a bay, a café or a swimming spot.

1. Port Lympia, Nice 9am, 0 km

   Fill up near the port and take the coast road east. Look in your mirror on the first bend: the whole Baie des Anges is behind you.

2. Villefranche-sur-Mer 9.20am, about 6 km

   Coffee on the waterfront facing the painted fishing boats, then the vaulted Rue Obscure and the little Chapelle Saint-Pierre decorated by Jean Cocteau. If cruise ships are in, the village gets busy by mid-morning, so arriving early pays off.

3. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat 10.45am, about 10 km

   Ride onto the peninsula. The pink Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its themed gardens are worth the stop (check opening times and prices before you go). Then continue to the little port of Saint-Jean, where the Pointe Saint-Hospice footpath starts: under an hour on foot.

4. Lunch and a swim 1pm

   Grilled fish in Saint-Jean, then a dip in one of the peninsula's coves. Lock the scooter with the lock provided and keep valuables with you, not under the seat.

5. Beaulieu-sur-Mer 3.30pm, about 15 km

   Follow the seafront path or the road to Beaulieu, a sheltered Belle Époque resort. Ideal for a last swim or an ice cream on a terrace.

6. Optional: Èze village 5pm, about 23 km, 125cc only

   On the Milano 125, climb the Moyenne Corniche to the medieval village of Èze. The village itself is pedestrian: park at the foot of it and walk up to the exotic garden at the top. On a 50cc, stay on the coast road and enjoy the beach at Èze-sur-Mer instead.

7. Back to Nice at golden hour early evening, about 35 km in total

   On a 125cc, take the Moyenne Corniche home: from the Col de Villefranche, the bay and Cap Ferrat glow in the evening light. On a 50cc, the Basse Corniche is every bit as lovely at that hour.

Want to give this route a whole day on its own? Our Cap Ferrat and Èze day trip covers it stop by stop.

50cc or 125cc for a weekend in Nice?

For the city, Mont Boron, Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu, a 50cc limited to 45 km/h is all you need, and it starts at 35 euros a day. Our two-tone black and white Riviera 50 has an under-seat trunk big enough for towels and a picnic, which makes it a favourite with couples.

Choose the 125cc if Èze village and the Moyenne Corniche are on your list, or if you will ride two-up most of the time. The extra power makes long climbs and faster stretches far more relaxed.

Tips for a smooth 48 hours

• Book early for summer weekends and major events: two-day rentals go fast.
• Swap the days if the weather or the market calendar suits it better: the plan works both ways round.
• Park legally: use marked two-wheeler bays, never pavements. Nice has plenty near the beaches and the old town.
• Pack light: swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and a light jacket for the ride home are enough.
• Return the scooter with the same fuel level and at the agreed time.

Got a third day?

Thanks to our sliding rates, a third day costs just 35 euros more on a 50cc. Use it to head inland: our route to Saint-Paul-de-Vence from Nice swaps the sea for olive groves, ramparts and one of the best modern art collections in France. Two days in Nice is a great weekend. Three is a proper taste of la dolce vita.