dedkends

Have the option of taking a day trip to Monaco (by bus from Nice) or St Tropez (by boat from Nice or Cannes), but not both.

Any recommendations?

Underhill

Going to Monaco by train would be another possibility. How long are you going to be in Nice?

SuzieCII

When I was in the South, I could have gone to Monaco, didn't want to.
We stayed the week in St. Tropez.
I just love that little town, just love it. At least from my experience of being there when it was warm and sunny and OCTOBER!

beaupeep

Monaco is something we Americans (well, I am assuming you are one) fantasize about because of Princess Grace I think. I finally went there and was SOOO disappointed. Most of the principality has been paved over endlessly and giant apt blocks built up. The old town is truly charming and the Palace is interesting to see from the outside and the day I went had the good fortune to see Prince Rainier and his grandchildren sitting out on a balcony before lunch. But for the most part, I would go with St Trop.

dedkends

We are in Cannes for one night, and then Nice for three nights.

PalenQ

hop the 20-min or so train from Nice to Monaco one of your three days and spend the about one hour there that is enough for most and take the whole day trip to Saint-Tropez which is as charming as above posters describe it IMO

Tulips

Monaco and St Tropez are very very different. Monaco high rise, St Tropez still very much a village. Both have expensive shops, though the ones in St Tropez are charming boutiques rather that the huge Louis Vuitton style shops you will find in Monaco.

On the other hand, Monaco is very easy to get to from Nice. If you are contemplating a boat to St Tropez from Nice or Cannes, do find out how long it is going to take. And the Med is not always smooth and calm; if you get seasick easily, think twice about doing this.

PalenQ

St Tropez can also be reached by taking a train to St Raphael then a bus from the station to St Tropez.

(was i hearing right when there that the locals were saying "San Tro-Pez, pez like Pez dispensers? couldn't figure why if i indeed do remember correctly.)

hawksbill

I did day trips to both places from our base in Villefranche-Sur-Mer back in June 2005. I enjoyed both, but they're very different. In Monaco we spent a lot of time in the aquarium, which was fantastic, and we also watched the changing of the guard in the palace, and visited the cathedral where Princess Grace et al. are entombed. We only spend an afternoon in Monaco, and that was enough. As others have said, it's basically a sprawling, totally paved over city, with lots of high rises. The old part of the town had little streets that were remarkable more for their incredible cleanliness than their charm.

The town of St. Tropez was more fun to stroll through, even if it didn't have the aquarium, the palace, or other major attractions like that. The beaches were very nice by Cote d'Azur standards, as most of the Cote's beaches are thin, rocky, and overcrowded. But the beach isn't necessarily worth a trip, unless you're craving a dip in the ocean.

The time of year would make a big difference. In June, when I was visiting, the car traffic going to St. Trop was horrible. In July or August, I'm sure it will be much, much worse -- probably bad enough to make a day trip by land basically impossible. Others can comment on this with more authority, but I'd say if you're going anywhere in the Cote d'Azur in July or August, especially St. Trop, you might want to make a real effort to travel by boat or train rather than by bus.

dedkends

As I have read (Rick Steves) - the boat from Nice is about 2.5 hours each way - and the road in/out of St Trop will be a nightmare. The only way we will travel to St Trop is by boat, and as far as I have seen on the internet, all trains to Monaco are booked when we will be there. The bus doesn't take long, and also stops in Eze, which may be a stop for us either into/out of Monaco. However, we only have two full days in Nice, and I expect one to be exploring that city at least a little. Thanks for all of your advice

hawksbill

For what it's worth, Eze is a great stop. Worth a few hours, and not more than that.

curmudgeon

The local trains from Nice to Monaco don't need advance purchase; it's essentially a commuter train, show up and buy a ticket. On the other hand, if the bus stops at Eze (make sure it stops at the TOP of the hill, not the bottom), taking the bus would be worthwhile. Summertime, it's all going to be pretty crowded; if you take the bus, do Eze first.

SeaUrchin

I usually visit Monaco when I am in that area. There is a chocolate shop that is so wonderful, it is the chocolate supplier for the Grimaldi family: Carlinos at 18/20 rue Princesse Marie Lorraine.

There are some nice areas to sit and enjoy the views from high.

Eze

We live in Eze (seaside not the village uphill). I would not recommend a day trip to St Tropez by boat because of the sea that can be, suddenly, quite windy so good riskof seasick. St Tropez, for one day, is too far away and you would not take the best (if any ?) of it.Too short a visit.
From Nice, take a bus to Menton. Visit Menton, hop on a bus going back to Nice (line 100), visit Monaco. If not enough, same bus toNice stop in Eze bord de mer (where i live) and hike up the Nietsche path to the village or still on the same bus to Nice, visit Villefranche sur mer.
And back to your hotel. I am sure you will enjoy much more your day than sailing to St Tropez.

Sallygirl42

PalenQ made a good suggestion about taking the train to St Raphael (in order to get to St Tropez), but I would recommend then taking the boat from St Raphael to St Tropez as it is only 30-45 minutes ride. There is only road between the two towns and it is packed with cars unless you are traveling very early in the morning, so the bus might take a long time.

Byrd

ttt