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This time the location & the date were fix, meaning I was keep tracking the WizzAir prices on a weekly basis from August. At the end, we bought our tickets (3 person retour) for 120 EUR.

😉 Money saving tip: This time we had only backpacks. If you’re curious how we packed for 3 people for 5-6 days, I’ll talk more about it in this video. And for an even greater packing hack, watch this video. 😌

The airport is about 8 km away from the center: trams, buses & taxis are available options getting in the city. Some offer cheaper price, faster way or scenic routes. One thing to keep in mind: always validate your ticket after you get on a vehicle.

• Tram (line 2) / app. 30 min / goes in the city / 1,7-10 EUR*
• Bus (line 12) / app. 20 min / panoramic route along the waterfront / from 1,7 EUR
• Taxi / app. 15 min / fixed rate around 30-35 EUR

Click on this link to get more info about the trams, and here about bus 12.

😉 *Money saving tip: good news, if you choose the tram, I have an insane hack saving 46% or 66 % (watch video here). This information is also available on the official website of the airport. In a nutshell: At the airport the machines offer 10 EUR return ticket by default. Don’t buy this!

Instead hop on the tram immediately. Between the terminals & the next stop (Grand Arenas) the journey is free of charge. Get off at Grand Arenas & buy the regular (local) ticket for only 1,7 EUR (3,4 EUR round trip). If you need to buy the plastic card (for the Lignes d’Azur) too it’ll cost 2 more EUR, but this can be refunded when you leave the city. (This is the link you can check the locations.)

We were quite slow this time, and didn’t have full days packed with activities, but every day we discovered something new, so I can rest you assured this itinerary is toddler-proof. With that being said, let’s continue this “the Carnival season is the best (& most affordable) to visit Côte d'Azur with kids” article with the detailed itinerary.

Day 1. - Arrival to Nice, pleasant night walk in the harbor + dinner at old town.

Day 2. - Mini trip to The Exotic Garden of Èze. Lunch there, nap at home, night walk in the Nice city center.

Day 3. - Monaco daytrip (Casino, Japanese Garden, Port Hercule, Oceanographic Museum).

Day 4. - Walk in Nice & play time at Castle Hill Park, visit the Promenade des Anglais, Flower Parade in the afternoon, Carnival Parade of Lights in the evening).

Day 5. - Day trip to Menton visiting the Lemon Festival, hopping to Villefranche-sur-Mer, lunch there, final walk in Nice seaside.

Day 6. - Checkout, flying home.

Maybe you can stretch to see even more places. But we were super content how much we saw compared to the fact the weather was not great at all in most of the time. Save this post on IG.

This was the main reason we chose the French Riviera in February. And it didn’t disappoint! The Carnival of Nice is one of the biggest winter farewell events in the world, along with the Carnival of Brazil & Venice & Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

We attended 2 events: the Flower Parade during afternoon & the Carnival Parade of Lights in the evening (with music & sea of confetti). For years the event is themed: in 2024 it was the King of Pop Culture, in 2025 it will be the King of Oceans.

The flower parade is made up of around fifteen allegorical floats decorated with fresh flowers – at least 3.000 stems per float. Extraordinary, costumed actresses parade on floats decorated with floral compositions & shower the public with mimosas - symbol of the sun and gold. (The bright yellow flower of this scented plant grows prolifically in southern France in the Var region where the Cote d’Azur & Provence meet. The route du Mimosa is 130km long and runs from Bormes-les-mimosa to the perfume capital Grasse and you’ll see it at its best from January to March (source: here).

There were dancers, musicians, acrobatic artists, loud music, effects, props and endless number of flowers and confetti. You can watch the video here, the photos here.

Its origin goes back to 1876 to see the first Flower Parade appear on the Promenade des Anglais created by Andriot Saëtone. Since 2005, the theme of the Flower Parades has matched that of the carnival parades.

Tickets:

• Adult: between 14-28 EUR
• Child (6-12): 5-10 EUR

According to its original website: Each year, lots of floats decorated and brought to life under the theme of the season parade to the beat of street art troupes and musical groups from various backgrounds (from all over the world), all in a colourful, festive family atmosphere.

The Carnival at night has a whole vibe to it. I don’t remember when had I seen so many people dancing and singing together before. You can see it for yourself in this video, and check out the photos here.

Tickets:

• Adult: between 14-28 EUR
• Child (6-12): 5-10 EUR

😉 Pro tip: next time I would reserve seats. The standing is no kidding. 1 hour prior to the show to have good spot. Almost 2 hours the parade itself!

I can’t really grab why, but this mini state has a special part in my heart, so I was super excited I can return here with my family.

First, I visited in 2012 during Erasmus, then in 2017 with my husband, part of our honeymoon, and now finally in 2024 with our daughter.

Does Monaco come to people’s mind as family friendly destination? Not necessarily. But I do genuinely think, it’s an ideal place. 🥳 So, we also jumped there real quick. Like this.

Monaco is the 2nd smallest country in the world, but there are so many things you can visit. You can easily spend two days here, but we had only one. I show you what we did see & also recommend a few things I would have added if we’ve had more time:

• Japanese Garden
• Casino de Monte-Carlo (don’t forget here the big park & the carousel)
• Promenade des Champions with the art installation called Main Division III “Ludus”
• Port Hercules
• Oceanographic Museum

Extra places I would have added:

• Cathedral of Monaco
• Prince’s Palace of Monaco
• Larvotto Beach (endless pebble throwing in the sea)
• Exotic Garden (it was closed when we visited Monaco)

World famous Casino with kids? - YES! 😎

Going against to the flow of “kid-friendly places”, we always balance out her needs with ours. We enjoy a good playground as much as we do other activities which might not be the first choice of yours when it comes to conventional family outings. This was one the best experiences we had on this 5-day trip. (18€ by the way – which might be pricey but totally worth the experience.)

Important to mention, that during the day the Casino is open for tourists for an entry fee, which allows them to visit and see what’s inside. Gambling and playing is totally prohibited during this visiting time. The Casino is open to players at night with strict dress code. During the visit it was mesmerizing to see how our 3,5-year old enjoyed running around on the carpet and sitting at every table. 😌

In this post I also collected a few fun facts about the country – including the Casino. Did you know them? 😄

A place that tackles all the toddler’s needs. This was the 3rd time for me in Monaco, but the first visiting this Museum. Lucky me, the rest of the family was on board. 😌 The entry fee is 19 EUR (4-17 years 12 EUR), but there is a wide range of facilities/services that made this adventure so unforgettable:

• exhibition space
• modern projection
• interactive games
• aquarium
• playground
• restaurant
• panoramic terrace
• souvenir shop

We were super pleased with this activity. Highly recommend it with toddlers.

Despite the unfriendly weather I’m still happy we paid a visit to this beautiful garden. Located in Èze (15 min bus ride from Nice) gives a perfect destination for a day trip. Even a half day trip - as we did.

😉 Hint: Although the French train lines are impeccable, I strongly advise to arrive by bus. Reason: bus 82 stops at Èze village on the top of the hill, while the train stops at Èze-sur-Mer at sea level, surprising you with an extra hour hike upward. Although the bus ride also takes approximately 1 hour, but the views are super nice as it slowly conquers the slopes. Make sure to hop on a bus labelled as ‘Passage Èze Village’. 😉

Entry fee is 7 EUR in peak season, 5 EUR in off season. Free under 12 years of age. Personally, I love botanical gardens, especially if it is an exotic one (we also visited one in Menton, when we were on our honeymoon). For the photos in Èze, click here.

😉 Hint n2: the onion soup & the comfort Margherita pizza are delish in restaurant L’Antre Potes – not just in ugly weather.

Visiting the Côte d’Azur in February was a great choice because both the Carnival in Nice and the Lemon Festival in Menton are happening at the same time.

Since 1934, the town of Menton has been a place for winter festivities. What began as a simple flower & fruit show in the gardens of the Riviera Palace has become an unavoidable event which is the only one of its kind in the world. The Lemon Festival® has even become a registered trademark – source here.

This part of the event is free, so be prepared for the sea of tourists, but still it was such a nice mini trip from Nice, as it’s located only 15-20 minutes from nice by train. On the video you can see how grandiose these installations are made from lemon (or occasionally orange). The photos are also speak for themselves. 🤗

I haven’t heard much about this adorable village. At least not long before our trip. But I cannot be happier we decided to leave Menton’s busy lemons behind for this epic family experience. 😍 I’m totally on board with RivieraExperience’s view: “Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of the most charming — if not the most charming — authentic French and Niçoise fishing village on the French Riviera, in the heart of the Cote d’Azur. With Monaco on one side and Nice on the other, it is hard to believe that it can retain its charm and authenticity of a little village where people still know each other.”

After walking in the harbor, along the promenade, we had an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G lunch at the seaside. Although it had gourmet price but the food at DRY was something else. Highly recommend this place for the foodies like us. (ps. best French fries too – believe me, I’m picky). The vibe is just phenomenal, sipping a cocktail on the seaside, wearing a pullover in February, and enjoying the sun.

Of course, after lunch we headed to the beach for some pebble throwing – a casual must have in every coastal village/town/city we have visited.

Who hasn’t heard about the French Cuisine? 🤤

Us, we’re true fans of it & we enjoyed eating in & out in France. I collected a few must have dishes for you and share the link to the visual representation! 😉😎

• Socca:It’s one of the most famous culinary specialties of Nice and one of the most representative of the city, made from chickpea flour. There are very good ones in the old town of Nice. Ideally, a good socca shouldn’t be dry, but slightly creamy inside.

📍 Bar René Socca
📍 Chez Theresa
📍 Chez Pipo

• Pissaladière:A “pie with onions and anchovies”, that’s how we could sum up the pissaladière! Try it during your stay in Nice! (Available also in an anchovy-free version)

📍 Bar René Socca

• Panisse:Another specialty made from chickpea flour, most often fried. A delight!
• Salade niçoise:The great classic of Nice: Tuna, tomatoes, salad and other raw vegetables, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives niçoises and of course olive oil vinaigrette (from Nice too, otherwise it’s sinful).😅
• Pan Bagnat:This is a sandwich version of the niçoise salad: tuna and/or anchovies, raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, niçoise olives and olive oil, all in a round bread.

📍 Chez Theresa

• Farcis niçois: Stuffed vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, aubergines - with bread and meat filling

I have some place recommendation too:

📍D’aqui – my personal favourite not far away from the harbor. Try the barbajuan - pastry crust filled with Swiss chard, rice and ricotta, among other ingredients!
📍Peixes opera – seafood dtreetfood place, you cannot reserve a table but it’s worth trying out
📍Peixes Bonaparte – big brother of Peixes Opera and on the contrary reservation is more than welcome at this fancier place.
📍 Patisserie Nouvelle Cappa – according to one of our friends they have the best almond croissant. Such a shame we couldn’t taste it as both times we wanted to try the place was closed.

Without any hesitation, I list here all the prices we’ve come across. I use the EUR prices we had in February. I leave it to you if it’s pricey (or not). 💸

• Retour flight: 30 EUR/person
• AirBNB: 100 EUR/night
• Lignes d’Azur card: 2 EUR
• Single journey ticket: 1,7 EUR
• Train ticket to Monaco: 4 EUR
• Train ticket to Menton: 5,5 EUR
• Pastry: 2-4 EUR
• Streetfood: from 4 EUR
• Beer: 4-6 EUR
• Pizza: 16 EUR
• Fancy restaurant for 3: app. 80-120 EUR
• Combined ticket for flower carnival & carnival parade: 20 EUR
• Ferris wheel: 6 & 10 EUR
• Eze Jardin Exotique: 5 EUR
• Casino in Monaco: 18 EUR
• Carousel in Monaco: 4 EUR
• Oceanographic Museum: 19 EUR

This list wouldn’t be full if I wasn’t listing all the free activities too:

• Walk in the harbor Lympia in Nice
• Japanese garden in Monaco
• Walk in port Hercule in Monaco
• Going to the playground in Nice
• Checking out the Bellanda tower viewpoint in Nice
• Throwing pebble on the Promenade des Anglais
• Gazing at the flower floats en route
• Walking in the market at Selaya Square
• Lemon festival in Menton
• Walk in Villefranche-sur-Mer
• More pebbles
• Watching the parade from your balcony