Is Nice worth a day trip?

Only just: 2.5 hours in Nice, 30 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more.

How long do you actually get in Nice?

About 2.5 hours in Nice. Landing to take-off is 5.7 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Nice airport into town?

Tram 2, under 30 min, €1.70 on a €2 Lignes d'Azur card (or the €10 Aéro return ticket). A day ticket on local transport is Lignes d'Azur Pass 1 jour €7.

What does a day in Nice cost, not counting the flight?

About £41 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 14:45. That allows 30 min to get back to the airport and 110 min there, including 20 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 17:05 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 20 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 20 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 2.5 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Nice.
From Manchester, back by 18:30.

France·Fri 9 Oct · 2.5 hours in the city

2.5 hours

in the city

18:30

back in Manchester

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

2.5 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

7km

to the centreFrom Nice centre (NCE)

Daylight

11.4 hours

07:36 to 19:01Sunrise 07:36, sunset 19:01

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Nice once we allow 20 min for passport control on landing and 20 min extra before the flight home. First EU trip since 2025? Allow 25 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:00
Leave Manchester
easyJet, direct
12:15
In the city
Lands 11:25, 20min immigration, 30min from the airport
14:45
Leave the city
30min back, 110min at the airport incl. immigration
18:30
Back in Manchester
Flies 17:05

Leave ManchestereasyJet, direct08:00
Land in Nice2h 25min11:25
In the city20min immigration, 30min from the airport12:15
Leave the city30min back, 110min at the airport incl. immigration14:45
Fly home2h 25min17:05
Back in Manchester18:30

Weather while you are there

11:0020°

12:0020°

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17:0021°

18:0021°

Things to do in NiceShow

Nice Le Grand Tour: Hop-on Hop-off BusTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Allianz Riviera Stadium & Musée National du Sport: Guided TourTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Nice: Audio Guide App by TouringBeeTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Illusion Nice: Entry TicketTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Nice · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in NiceShow

What a day in Nice costs

On the ground only. We could not price the flight for this pair, so the day costs more than this.

£41/ on the ground, plus flights

Transport for the day£6

Lunch£15

Dinner£20

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Musée Matisse£10 (€12)

Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret£9 (€10)

Parc Phoenix£4.70 (€5.50)

Trans Côte d'Azur coastal cruise£20 (€23.50)

Pass Musées de Nice£13 (€15)

Promenade des Anglais seafront walk and the public, Colline du Château, Wander Vieux Nice and Place MassénaFree

On the ground£41

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flightNo fare yet

We could not price this pair. Check the fare on the airline's site before you count on the figure above.

Getting to Manchesterfrom free Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Manchester

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-off areaFree
24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals. Source

Train

From Manchester Piccadilly£2.90 each way13-20 min
Advance single. last train 01:34 Source
From Leeds£6.90 each way83-96 min
Advance single Source
From Liverpool (Lime Street)£3.60 each way46-73 min
Advance single. First train 05:00, last train 00:18 Source

Coach

National Express from Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool£5.90 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From Manchester city centre£25-£35 one way~10 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £15-£25.
From Leeds£90-£120 one way~45 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £60-£90.
From Liverpool£75-£100 one way~35 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £50-£75.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off, Terminal 2from £5.50
5 min £5.50, 10 min £6.50, up to 30 min £25. Source

More parking

Short StayNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source
JetParksNo same-day price
From £54.99 (8-day stay). Source
Mid StayNo same-day price
From £79 (8-day stay). Source
Drop & GoNo same-day price
From £69.99 (8-day stay). Source
Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £85.99 (8-day stay). Source
Multi StoreyNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Maple Parking Park & Ride (5.8 mi from airport)£49.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15-20 min. Source
APH Park & Ride (2.7 mi from airport)£69.95
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 7-15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Ask about Nice

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Comments on NiceShow

Comments

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Day trip to Nice.From Manchester, back by 18:30.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Nice.
From Manchester, back by 18:30.