Your guide picks you up and heads first to the Provencal market at Place de la Liberation, where local vendors set up daily stalls of produce, olives, cheese, and flowers. From there, you travel uphill to the Cimiez quarter, passing the palace once used by Queen Victoria and visiting the Roman arenas, the Franciscan monastery, and the cemetery where Matisse is buried.

Built between 1903 and 1912 at the request of the Russian imperial family, Saint Nicholas Cathedral stands as one of the most architecturally distinctive monuments on the French Riviera. Your guide will share the history behind its construction and its significance to the Russian community that once wintered in Nice.

You drive along the iconic seafront promenade before continuing east past the port of Nice toward Villefranche sur Mer. The village is known for its steep ochre and terracotta facades, its 14th-century citadel, and the sheltered bay that opens onto the Saint Jean Cap Ferrat peninsula — consistently listed among the most beautiful in France. Free time is allocated here for lunch at one of the harbor restaurants (not included).

Your guide drives you into the hills above Nice to Chateau Cremat, a working estate producing wines under the Bellet appellation — one of France's smallest and least-known AOCs. The visit includes a tour of the vineyard and cellar followed by a guided tasting of the estate's wines. Coco Chanel was among the figures who spent time here, and the property carries a storied atmosphere that extends beyond the wine itself.

The day concludes at the hilltop of Gairaut, where a decorative waterfall cascades above a terrace offering one of the broadest panoramic views over Nice and the Baie des Anges. This spot is rarely visited by tourists and gives you a final perspective on the city before your guide returns you to your accommodation.