The fastest way to reach the Italian Riviera from Nice is the regional train to Ventimiglia, roughly 40 to 50 minutes from Nice Ville. The most flexible way to see it properly is a private chauffeur, and the most scenic is a boat excursion from Genoa to Portofino. Train suits solo travellers on a budget; a chauffeur suits families, groups and anyone who wants San Remo, Dolceacqua and Bordighera in one loop without watching a timetable. Fixed rates for 2026 are available for exactly this kind of day trip.

What are the best ways to plan an Italian Riviera day trip?

Choosing a format for an Italian Riviera day trip comes down to three questions: how many people are travelling, how much luggage or mobility flexibility you need, and whether you want to cover one town or several. Get those three answers right and the rest of the planning falls into place.

Train travel is the default choice for solo travellers and couples who want Ventimiglia or San Remo without spending money on a rental car. It is cheap, frequent, and needs no booking in advance for most departures. The downside is rigidity: you are tied to the timetable, and a market morning in Ventimiglia can turn into a scramble to catch the last convenient train back if you linger over lunch.

Private chauffeur service changes the maths entirely. Instead of one town, you can string together San Remo’s old quarter, Bordighera’s palm-lined seafront, and Dolceacqua’s medieval bridge in a single day, with the driver waiting rather than you waiting for a platform announcement. Luggage, shopping bags from the Ventimiglia market and pushchairs all travel in the boot rather than on your lap through three station changes.

Self-drive appeals to travellers who already have a hire car in Nice, but the Italian side of the border brings its own friction: narrow village streets never built for modern cars, limited and often paid parking in San Remo and Ventimiglia, and Italian autostrada tolls that catch out drivers used to France’s toll-free A8 stretches near the border.

Small-group and market tours work well for solo travellers or couples who want company and a set itinerary without driving themselves. Tours from Nice commonly combine a market visit at San Remo or Bordighera with an inland detour to a village such as Dolceacqua, typically in minivans capped around eight passengers with an early hotel pickup.

Boat excursions from Genoa deliver the postcard view of Portofino’s harbour that no road trip matches, but the trade-off is time. A boat leg from Genoa to Camogli runs about 50 minutes each way, and the loop is seasonal, reliable from April to October and patchy outside that window.

• Train: cheapest, fastest to Ventimiglia, rigid timetable
• Private chauffeur: most flexible, best for multi-town days and groups
• Self-drive: convenient if you already have a car, but parking and tolls bite
• Small-group tour: sociable, structured, good for solo travellers
• Boat from Genoa: unbeatable scenery, seasonal, longest total travel time

How do you actually get from Nice to the Italian Riviera?

The mechanics of the crossing matter more than most guides admit, because a wrong assumption about journey time can cost you an hour of daylight you never get back.

By train to Ventimiglia. Regional TER trains from Nice Ville reach Ventimiglia in roughly 40 to 50 minutes, with services running frequently through the day and tickets cheap enough that advance booking is rarely necessary. The station sits a short walk from the town centre and the covered market, which makes this the lowest-friction Italian Riviera day trip Nice residents can attempt on a weekday morning.

By train or car to San Remo. San Remo has no direct train from Nice; the practical route is train to Ventimiglia and a connecting Italian regional service onward, adding roughly 30 to 40 minutes to the journey, or driving via the A10 autostrada from the border. Total door-to-door time by car runs close to an hour from central Nice depending on border traffic.

Journey time snapshot: Nice Ville to Ventimiglia by regional train takes approximately 40 to 50 minutes. A chauffeured car from central Nice to San Remo typically covers similar ground in under an hour, without a station change.

By private chauffeur. This is where the calculation shifts from “how do I get there” to “what can I fit into the day.” TranspOnyx quotes door-to-door journeys from Nice NCE or central Nice to Ventimiglia, San Remo, or the access points for a Portofino day, in a Standard Sedan or Business Sedan for parties up to three, or a Van 7 pax or Van 8 pax for larger groups and families with luggage. Every 2026 fixed rate is confirmed at booking, so there is no metered surprise waiting at the Italian border. Reservations run through +33 6 10 30 71 84 or via Transponyx, with WhatsApp available for last-minute confirmations.

By self-drive. The A8 motorway from Nice crosses into Italy near Ventimiglia in around 30 minutes of driving, tolls included on the French side. Beyond the border, autostrada tolls apply on the Italian A10, and parking in San Remo’s old town or Ventimiglia’s centre on market day is genuinely difficult; expect to circle for a space or pay for a controlled zone.

Reaching Genoa for the boat excursions. This is the longest leg of any Italian Riviera day trip from Nice. There is no fast direct rail link; travellers typically combine a train or drive to the Ligurian coast with onward connections. Once at Genoa Brignole, regional trains reach Camogli in about 25 to 30 minutes for around €3 to €4, which is where the Golfo Paradiso ferry service begins its seasonal loop to San Fruttuoso and Portofino.

Practical steps for the day:

• Buy Nice to Ventimiglia train tickets at the station or via SNCF regional ticket machines; no advance purchase required in most cases.
• For San Remo or Dolceacqua by car, cross the border at Ventimiglia and follow the A10 signage.
• For chauffeured travel, confirm pickup time and vehicle class with TranspOnyx at least 24 hours ahead in high season.
• For the Genoa boat loop, arrive at the departure point well before the first sailing, since operators often begin around 09:00.

What are the best sample itineraries for a day trip?

Five itineraries cover the realistic range of what a single day allows, from a quick market morning to a full luxury loop through three towns.

1. Ventimiglia market morning by train. Take an early train from Nice Ville, arriving in Ventimiglia by mid-morning to catch the weekly market at its best, before the midday crowds thicken. Allow two to three hours browsing the covered market and the stalls along the seafront promenade, then lunch in town before catching an afternoon train back to Nice. Total elapsed time: around six hours door to door, with roughly three hours actually spent in Ventimiglia.

2. San Remo and Dolceacqua in one day. This pairing needs a car or a chauffeur, because there is no direct rail link between the two. Depart Nice by mid-morning, spend an hour and a half in San Remo’s old town and covered market, then head inland to Dolceacqua for lunch near the medieval bridge that once inspired Monet. Return to Nice by early evening. A private driver makes this loop workable in under seven hours total; attempting it by train and local bus stretches the same plan closer to nine or ten hours, most of it spent waiting for connections.

3. Portofino, Camogli and San Fruttuoso via Genoa. This is the most ambitious single-day plan and it demands an early start, ideally a 07:00 departure from Nice. Reach Genoa, then Camogli by regional train, and join the Golfo Paradiso ferry loop. A full loop covering Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Portofino runs about €18 to €20 per person, with the boat leg from Genoa to Camogli itself taking roughly 50 minutes. Expect to allocate around two hours at each stop, which leaves little slack if trains run late. Travellers who want a gentler pace should consider overnighting near Genoa rather than compressing everything into one day, or booking a private transfer to Portofino directly to cut out one leg of the journey.

4. Bordighera or Menton for a late start. For anyone who prefers a lie-in over an early alarm, Bordighera’s old town and seafront make an easy half-day trip, reachable by train via Ventimiglia or by a short chauffeured hop across the border. Depart Nice around midday, allow two hours strolling the palm-fringed promenade and lunching on fresh seafood, and be back in Nice by early evening. This is the lowest-effort Italian Riviera day trip on this list, and the one best suited to a spontaneous half-day rather than a full itinerary.

5. The flexible luxury day with a private chauffeur. For parties of one to four, a Business Sedan picked up around 08:30 from a central Nice hotel or Nice NCE allows a loop through San Remo’s market, a stop in Bordighera for coffee, and a detour to Dolceacqua, all before an evening return. For groups of five to eight, the Van 7 pax or Van 8 pax handles the same route with room for shopping and luggage. Unlike train connections, the driver waits at each stop rather than the traveller waiting for the next departure, and the itinerary can be adjusted mid-morning if a market runs long or the weather changes plans.

What should you budget in time and money?

Costs on an Italian Riviera day trip split into three categories: transport, on-site spending, and time, and none of the three behave the way first-time visitors expect.

Train fares stay low. A Nice to Ventimiglia return sits in the inexpensive bracket typical of French regional TER pricing, and the Genoa Brignole to Camogli leg costs around €3 to €4 each way.

Ferry pricing on the Golfo Paradiso route runs Camogli to San Fruttuoso at around €8 and Camogli to Portofino at around €12, with the full loop landing around €18 to €20 as of 2026. Service is reliable April to October and thins out considerably in winter.

On-site spending in Portofino runs noticeably higher than in neighbouring towns: coffee at €4 to €6, an aperitivo at €15 to €20, and a main course at €25 to €40 are typical prices once you are past the harbour. Budget accordingly if Portofino is a stop rather than the whole day.

Private chauffeur pricing for 2026 works on fixed, per-vehicle rates confirmed at booking rather than a metered fare, which means the final price depends on distance, waiting time beyond the included allowance, and vehicle class rather than traffic or time of day. A Standard Sedan for a short border hop costs less than a Van 8 pax booked for a full day looping through three towns, but both are quoted in advance with no surprises on arrival.

Self-drive costs add up in less obvious ways: Italian autostrada tolls, paid parking zones in San Remo and Ventimiglia, and the French A8 toll on the way out. A day trip by hire car rarely undercuts the train once tolls and parking are totalled.

Small-group tours from Nice are typically priced per person with hotel pickup, market visits and a village stop included, sitting between the cost of solo train travel and a private chauffeur for a full group.

• Train return, Nice to Ventimiglia: budget category, low cost
• Genoa to Camogli train: around €3 to €4 each way
• Golfo Paradiso ferry loop: around €18 to €20 per person
• Portofino aperitivo: around €15 to €20
• Private chauffeur: fixed 2026 rate per vehicle, not per person

What do you need to know about borders, markets and seasons?

Crossing from France into Italy at Ventimiglia sits inside the Schengen Area, so there is no routine passport check for most travellers, though carrying valid photo identification is standard practice and non-EU visitors should always travel with a passport in case of a spot check. France-based residents should treat this the same way they would any Schengen internal crossing: identification in hand, no visa required, no customs declaration for personal luggage.

Market timing shapes the whole day. Ventimiglia’s weekly market is the single biggest draw for day-trippers, and arriving before the late-morning peak means better prices and first pick of stalls before the crowds from Nice and Menton arrive. San Remo’s market runs on a similar rhythm, best tackled early.

Ferry seasonality is not a footnote, it is the deciding factor for anyone planning the Portofino loop. Golfo Paradiso services run reliably from April through October; outside that window, sailings reduce sharply or stop altogether, and travellers should default to train or private car instead. Even in high season, operators typically begin around 09:00 and the last sailings back can run full, so arriving early at the departure point matters more than most itineraries suggest.

Mobility is a genuine concern in medieval hill towns. Dolceacqua’s cobbled lanes and San Remo’s old quarter were never built for wheelchairs or pushchairs, and a private chauffeur who can drop passengers close to the entrance and collect them at an agreed time solves a problem that train travel simply cannot.

• Carry photo identification for the Schengen crossing; a passport if travelling as a non-EU visitor
• Ventimiglia and San Remo markets peak mid-morning; arrive early for the best selection
• Golfo Paradiso ferries run April to October; plan road or rail alternatives outside that window
• Cash remains useful in Italian markets, though cards are widely accepted in shops and restaurants
• French residents shopping in Italy can claim VAT refunds on qualifying purchases above the relevant threshold, subject to standard EU tax-free shopping rules

Why a private chauffeur changes the maths for a Riviera day trip

The gap between a train timetable and an actual day out becomes obvious the moment a market visit runs long or a ferry queue backs up. TranspOnyx has built its 2026 fixed-rate structure around exactly that gap, quoting a Standard Sedan or Business Sedan for parties of up to three, and a Van 7 pax or Van 8 pax for families and groups, each fitted with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, chilled water and phone chargers as standard.

Every driver is a licensed VTC professional, bilingual in English and French at minimum, and the fleet is dispatched around the clock, seven days a week, through +33 6 10 30 71 84 or the WhatsApp line at +33 7 67 78 10 26. Flight monitoring applies to airport pickups from Nice NCE, and free waiting time, 60 minutes at the airport and 20 minutes at any other address, absorbs the kind of delay that a fixed train departure never forgives.

The difference between a train-based Italian Riviera day trip and a chauffeured one is rarely about speed. It is about what happens when the market runs long, the ferry queue backs up, or the group wants one more hour in Dolceacqua. A private car waits. A train does not.

For a family heading to San Remo with pushchairs and shopping, or a group of eight wanting to see three towns rather than one, a private chauffeur removes the single biggest constraint on a day trip: the fixed departure time. Compared with self-drive, it also removes the need to find parking in a village built five centuries before the combustion engine. Full fleet details, including amenities and child seat availability on request, sit on the TranspOnyx fleet page, and route-specific timing for the San Remo run is covered in the operator’s 2026 Nice to San Remo guide.

The itinerary that most guides get wrong

Most day-trip guides treat the Italian Riviera as a single destination and hand you one itinerary, usually Ventimiglia’s market, and stop there. That undersells the coast badly. San Remo, Bordighera and Dolceacqua sit close enough together that a single well-planned day can cover two or three of them, and the only real obstacle is transport rigidity, not distance.

The conventional advice, take the train, save money, keeps travellers boxed into one town because the timetable dictates the day rather than the traveller. What the research on this route actually supports is that the format matters more than the destination: a solo traveller on a budget should absolutely take the train to Ventimiglia, but a family or a group of friends wanting San Remo, Bordighera and Dolceacqua in one loop needs a vehicle that waits rather than one that leaves on schedule.

My honest read is that most people underrate how much a fixed, pre-agreed rate removes the anxiety of an unfamiliar border crossing. Knowing the price before you leave Nice, rather than negotiating a fare in a language you might not speak, is worth more to most travellers than the extra euros saved on a train ticket. Prioritise flexibility first, budget second, and the right format for your Italian Riviera day trip becomes obvious.

— Dany

Book a private chauffeur for your Italian Riviera day trip

Compared with a train timetable that dictates when you leave Ventimiglia or a hire car hunting for parking in San Remo, TranspOnyx offers a fixed 2026 rate agreed before you leave Nice, so the price never changes regardless of border queues, market crowds or a longer lunch than planned.

For solo travellers or couples heading to Ventimiglia or Bordighera, the Standard Sedan or Business Sedan covers the journey comfortably, while families or groups bound for a San Remo, Bordighera and Dolceacqua loop should book the Van 7 pax or Van 8 pax for room and luggage space. Onyx Tours, the private guided excursion arm of the same operation, can also build a bespoke itinerary across the Riviera and into Provence for travellers who want a curated day rather than a self-planned one. Booking at least 24 hours ahead is advisable in high season, particularly around events such as the Monaco Grand Prix or the Cannes Film Festival when demand across the coast rises sharply. Reserve by phone on +33 6 10 30 71 84, via WhatsApp on +33 7 67 78 10 26, or compare vehicle classes and fixed rates directly through the luxury chauffeur benefits guide for Nice travellers before confirming your day trip.

Sources

• Day Trips from Nice France to Italy
• Portofino Day Trip from Genoa: Golfo Paradiso by Train and Ferry
• Genoa: Full-Day Tour to Camogli, San Fruttuoso & Portofino

FAQ

Which Italian city is closest to the French Riviera?

Ventimiglia is the closest Italian town to the French Riviera, roughly 40 to 50 minutes from Nice Ville by regional train and around 30 minutes by car from central Nice.

Is the Italian Riviera better than the French Riviera?

Neither outranks the other; the French Riviera offers Monaco, Cannes and Antibes with polished infrastructure, while the Italian Riviera delivers Ventimiglia’s market energy and Portofino’s harbour views, and most Nice-based travellers get the best of both by treating Italy as a day trip rather than a rival destination.

What is the prettiest town on the French Riviera?

Menton is frequently named the prettiest town for its pastel architecture and lemon groves, though Antibes and Saint-Tropez each have strong claims depending on whether you prefer a working port or a glamour destination.

What is the Italian equivalent of the French Riviera?

The Italian Riviera, the Ligurian coast running from Ventimiglia through San Remo to Genoa and Portofino, is the direct Italian counterpart to the French Riviera, sharing the same coastline but with its own distinct market towns and cuisine.

How far is Portofino from Nice for a day trip?

Portofino has no direct route from Nice; the practical journey combines travel to Genoa, then a regional train to Camogli in about 25 to 30 minutes, followed by a ferry leg of roughly 50 minutes, making it the longest single-day option on the Italian Riviera from Nice.