Seated in the back of your private car taking you from Nice to Florence, the seascapes from the coast of France and Italy accompany you for nearly the entire car trip. But eventually, the hills of the French Riviera and the Mediterranean Sea give way to the Ligurian coast and the Italian countryside. Though you won’t want your journey to end, it will take around five to five and a half hours to cover the distance of 301 miles (485 km) that separates the two cities.
Daytrip lets you turn this beautiful route into an unforgettable travel experience with sightseeing stops. Take your first stop in Monaco, the famous city-state whose fame skyrocketed when Grace Kelly married the Prince of Monaco, Rainier III, in 1956.
Take in the cliffed views from the medieval Monte Carlo and stroll around the Monte Carlo Casino, a renowned playground for the rich. Next, stop by another well-known Italian city before Florence.
Not visiting Pisa when you are in Italy is a bit like not eating pizza, so, it's a high-priority must-do! Although it is indeed touristy and popular, there is a reason for that; 20 historic churches, medieval palaces, and architectural treasures such as the Leaning Tower. Don’t be shy and pose in front of the tower---you'll regret it if you don't!
About Florence
The destination of your trip from Nice to Florence is a city of immense historical importance, artistic influence and architectural beauty. Florence, the capital of Tuscany region, has been the center of so much beauty and significance for centuries. Being regarded as the birthplace of Renaissance means that it houses masterpieces by Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Dante Alighieri, Petrarch and more.
To grasp this city’s enormity in importance, consider that the Florentine dialect is the base of Italian language and it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy for some time in the 19th century.
You know how being in some places is described as being in a painting? Florence is the one place that suits this description more than any city. Walking through the narrow streets lit up with peeled orange paint, passing the musicians on Ponte Vecchio, the (secret) bridge, and taking a break by sitting under one of its arched windows are only a few things that will make you feel like a brush stroke in a painting.
When you walk to Piazza del Duomo, you’ll be standing in the middle of one of the most attractive places in the world, and you’ll quickly understand why it is so. Careful, being surrounded by the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Baptistery of Saint John, and Giotto’s Campanile might make you a little bit dizzy with their bright marble beauty.
A little fun fact about the cathedral; the dome of it was built by Brunelleschi who had no architectural training and never built anything in his life before. Here, you can learn more about the square, its buildings and get your tickets in advance.
From Nice to Florence: travel tips
Traveling from Nice to Florence Italy by your door-to-door private car service such as Daytrip is an experience that guarantees ultimate comfort and fun. To make sure everything goes smoothly, note some of our travel tips!
Embrace the journey
Consider stopping at places like Monaco or Pisa. Take the opportunity to sample local cuisine at roadside trattorias and cafes. Daytrip’s door-to-door car service makes it easy to stop and make the most of your time in France and Italy.
### Stay connected
Ensure you have a way to stay connected, either through your current plan or by purchasing a local SIM card for internet access since googling some facts and tips along the way and checking the map might be helpful.
### Know the emergency numbers
Have a list of emergency numbers, including local roadside assistance number 116 and the European emergency call number which is 112. The Italian police number is 113, the fire brigade is 115, for any medical emergency call 118. Save this website for more information.
How to get from Nice to Florence
There are several options to travel from Nice to Florence, each with its own advantages. Here's a guide to your travel options:
Nice to Florence by train
The train ride to Florence takes about six to seven hours, including transfers. There's no direct train from Nice to Florence. You'll take a train from Nice to Milan or Genoa, and then another train (Frecciarossa or Italo) to Florence. Check the schedules of the trains and reserve your tickets here. Remember, high-speed trains require seat reservations!
### Nice to Florence by bus
Getting to Florence from Nice by bus takes approximately seven to ten hours, depending on the service. Various bus companies operate this route, including FlixBus. While this is often the most budget-friendly option, it's also the longest. Buses may offer amenities like Wi-Fi and onboard restrooms.
### Nice to Florence by flight
There are no direct flights from Nice to Florence, so this option isn't as fast as you'd think. If you search for flights from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) to Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR) you'll find they usually have a layover in a major city like Rome or Milan. At the very best, you're looking at 6 hours including the layover. When you factor in airport transfers, check-in, security, and potential layovers it actually comes out to be slower than driving or taking the train.
### Nice to Florence by private car transfer with Daytrip
A private car transfer with Daytrip is by far the most convenient, fun, and luxurious way to get from Nice to Florence. Unlike any other option, Daytrip lets you add sightseeing stops to your itinerary when booking your car.
You have complete control of everything from when and where you’re picked up, to how long you want to stop. All you have to do is book and then lean back and let your local driver handle the rest of the trip. And since Daytrip drivers speak English, you can turn the whole trip into an enriching experience by talking about local history and culture!
### Nice to Florence by rental car
If you absolutely need complete control over your trip or plan on exploring Tuscany, you can rent a car and drive from Nice to Florence. The most common route by car takes you along the Italian Riviera and through the regions of Liguria and Tuscany.
You'll be driving via the A10 and E80 in France, transitioning to the A12 and then the A11 in Italy. The journey covers approximately 263 miles (430 km) and takes around four and a half to five hours under normal traffic conditions.
There are drawbacks to driving yourself. Traffic around Nice and Florence can get very congested, and be prepared for several tolls along the Italian motorways. And since Florence's city center is a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), you'll need to find accommodation with parking or use designated parking areas outside the ZTL.
Things to do when you get to Florence
Leaving behind your trip full of exploration from Nice to Florence, you’ll get to the city where you’ll lose yourself in Renaissance art, statues, mesmerizing views of bridges on the Arno river, delicious Italian cuisine, and much, much more. Here are some of our favorite tips - inspired by lovely memories of Florence!
Explore the Renaissance city on a bike
Florence is not exactly a city that is entirely bike-friendly. However, if you are an experienced biker or someone who commutes everyday/everywhere by biking in your own city, then you’ll have no trouble getting around Florence.
There are several hostels in Florence where you can rent a bike, which makes it convenient for you when returning the bike. Bike next to the river and explore the city in a completely different way. Looking back to the memories of being on a bike, under the sun, going through the vast and narrow streets of Florence will be the sole reason to come back again.
Start exploring earlier in the morning to avoid the noon sun. Don’t forget to take a hat and sunglasses with you!
### See the city from Piazzale Michelangelo
Watch the glorious skyline of Florence from the famous viewpoint of Piazzale Michelangelo. Here you will see the bridges of the city including the Ponte Vecchio aligning on the Arno snaking along and dividing Florence in two. The beautiful monuments and buildings along with the Duomo will be laid before you to enjoy. The viewpoint is dedicated to Michelangelo (not designed by him, contrary to common belief) and is decorated with bronze replicas of some of his finest works such as David.
### Marvel at the magnificence of David
Speaking of Michelangelo, Florence is blessed with many of his masterpieces, but David is the one that will leave you absolutely speechless. Housed in the Accademia Gallery, the 17 ft (5.17 m) statue of unmatched grandeur leaves its visitors in complete awe.
It is one of those artworks that you can't fully appreciate until you see it in person. Take as much as time you need walking around and standing in front of David until you are ready to leave the gallery bewitched. Make sure to reserve your tickets in advance because the lines get quite long, regardless of the season.
When is the best time to visit Florence
The best time to visit Florence is during the spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) months. The weather is perfect for a full day spent exploring the streets of Florence and the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Visiting during these months means a perfect balance between comfortable temperatures and relatively lower tourist crowds, leaving more room for you to enjoy Florence’s galleries, restaurants, riversides, and cafes.
Spring brings the city to life with blooming flowers and green landscapes, while fall introduces a palette of warm colors, cooler weather, and new wine harvests. These seasons host a variety of cultural events and festivals, so plan your trip accordingly for a deeper insight into the local culture and traditions.
The best way to travel from Nice to Florence is with a private car transfer with Daytrip. Daytrip’s door-to-door service allows you to relax and enjoy the journey without the hassles of navigating public transportation or the stress of driving in a foreign country. Alternatively, if you’re on a budget, you can choose to travel by bus. It takes longer and is less comfortable but is mostly direct. Learn more about the Flixbus schedules here.
Yes, the train journey from Nice to Florence offers scenic views, particularly through the Italian Riviera and the hills of Tuscany. While you'll need to change trains, the route provides glimpses of the Mediterranean coastline and Italian landscapes, making it a visually rewarding travel option.
Yes, many rental agencies offer one-way rentals allowing you to pick up a car in Nice and drop it off in Florence. Be aware of the drop-off fees for international one-way rentals, which can vary significantly between companies.
No, there are no direct trains from Nice to Florence. You'll need to transfer, usually in Milan or Genoa. The trip includes regional or high-speed trains to the transfer city, followed by a high-speed train to Florence, taking around six to seven hours in total. Check here for the options of traveling by train.
Florence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous as the birthplace of the Renaissance, boasting perhaps the finest collection of Renaissance art and architecture in the world. It’s also renowned for its leather and hearty cuisine.
Expect a journey of approximately four and a half to five hours over 263 miles (430 km) mostly on toll roads. Italian motorways are well-maintained but remember to have cash or a card ready for the tolls and be mindful of the ZTL zones in Florence to avoid fines.
沿途参观这些景点
摩纳哥
Skyrocketed to fame when Grace Kelly married Prince Ranie III, this seaside city-state is heady with the scent of the sea, and prosperity. Glamour on the Mediterranean
圣雷莫
Sanremo's most impressive feature is its beautiful stretch of beach lying along Italy's western Mediterranean coast. A Riviera of Fun
Toirano Caves
As caves go, this one has some spectacular human hand and footprints left in the mud some 25,000 years ago, as well as the cave bear boneyard. Step into history
蒙塔莱格罗圣母朝圣地
Overlooking the Italian Riviera, this milky marble basilica offers fantastic views, even for the non-faithful. A Mountaintop Sanctuary
比萨
Straddling the River Arno, the Italian city of Pisa has much more to offer than its famous Leaning Tower. Ancient city of art
蒙特卡蒂尼阿尔托
Montecatini Alto is an Italian town famous all over the world for its thermal waters and spas. The tiny medieval village offers stunning view of the Tuscan hills. Medieval village with Tuscan views
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Lulian was great! Could not fault the transfer at all, was very accomodating when we needed to stop throughout the trip.
he was great at communicating where to meet at our stop and spoke throughout the whole trip."
Meghan R.
Australia
2023年9月20日
"The trip was excellent Ferdinando was a great driver and I would highly recommend him for anyone traveling. He is very professional and courteous always prompt and helpful with anything we needed.
Overall, my experience with my day-trip was very positive I will definitely use the service again. "
Jim H.
United States
2023年9月13日
"We had an excellent experience and Dumitru was a top-notch driver, getting us to Florence quickly and safely. The vehicle was clean, Dumitru was very professional and his music choice was perfect for the trip.
Thank you so much for being accommodating and finding us a driver on such short notice after our flight was delayed. We really appreciated it."
Jason F.
United States
2023年9月10日
"Simone was a great driver. He was friendly and punctual. The transfer from Nice to Florence was exactly as expected and I would highly recommend the company as well as Simone "
Richard Patrick "Pat" F.
United States
2023年7月11日
"The perfect way to get a large family from Nice to Firenze. The driver was very courteous, professional, and mostly, accommodating to our sometimes crazy family with three teens. I recommend this car service if you don't want to deal with car rentals and their one-way drop-off fee of $500 euros. "
Rudolph G.
United States
2023年6月5日
"Julian, our driver was outstanding. We encountered "bad traffic", which delayed our trip.
He made stops, as necessary, to make sure that we ate and he took care of our needs well. We also enjoyed our conversation and getting to know him very much.
Besides the delay, that wasn't Julian's fault, the experience was excellent.
"
Bradley D.
United States
2023年6月5日
"Our trip was fantastic, thank you so much. Valentin was magnificent, very friendly and made the ride comfortable and easy for us. We will definitely use your service again and request Valentin!"
Sean P.
United States
2023年5月24日
""Arsenie W. Was wonderful! He was at our villa at the right time. He was helpful loading our bags. He answered any questions we had. Very pleasant the entire time and gave us good information on our stop in Pisa. We would highly recommend Daytrip and Arsenie.
Clint e.""
clinton E.
United States
2022年10月28日
"Andranik and Jimmy were amazing! They made the long journey so easy and relaxing. Great drivers, clean cars and good music too 😊 (what is the name or link of the Spotify playlist that Andranik was playing? We loved it!)
With such a late enquiry, the whole team were so helpful.
5* service, thank you!
I will definitely use daytrip next time I need to book a transfer journey.
"
Molly B.
United Kingdom
2022年10月28日
"Andranik and Jimmy were amazing! They made the long journey so easy and relaxing. Great drivers, clean cars and good music too 😊 (what is the name or link of the Spotify playlist that Andranik was playing? We loved it!)
With such a late enquiry, the whole team were so helpful.
5* service, thank you!
I will definitely use daytrip next time I need to book a transfer journey.
"
Molly B.
United Kingdom
2022年8月1日
"My husband and I had a great time with Gheorghe. He is knowledgeable, kind and really professional. We were enjoyed the ride with him. We falling in love with Nice and will come back soon."
Yangyang F.
United States
2019年7月29日
"Dear Marketa:
We had a wonderful trip with Mattia on July 4th.
We spent 2 weeks in Provence and Italy doing mostly wine tour and food tour. We used your company in 2017 in Munich and had wonderful experience then. So I picked your service again to travel between Nice and Florence. Mattia was very polite, prompt and attentive to our needs during the trip. He made a few last minute arrangements for us so we had unexpected excitement on our stop. He is very knowledgeable about the culture, wine and food. Every town or region we drove through, he mentioned about the best wine, olive oil or cheese in that region. He was the perfect driver and tour guide for this trip. He recommended some very nice places to eat and even booked the table for us near our hotel. I would give him 10 stars for his overall performance.
Thank you again for the excellent service.
Best regards,
Xin Quan"
Xin Q.
United States
2019年6月18日
"Anthony did a great job on my trip from Nice to Florence. Anthony was a wonderful driver. He drove very safely and was professional and friendly. He also gave me helpful information about Nice.
I would highly recommend him. "
Karen O.
United States
2018年8月27日
"The trip back was great and Tommaso did just fine. We used Daytrip both directions for a round trip between Nice and Florence- it was excellent in all respects both ways and the staff we interacted with over email in planning/scheduling it were fantastic. Nothing to improve on at all in my view and we will definitely use Daytrip again!
"
Nathan M.
Hong Kong
2018年8月17日
"Dear Marketa,
We had a wonderful day! Frederique was great. The whole day was great. My husband commented with how impressed he was with her driving right down to the huge hail storm she drove in coming into Florence. We hope her car wasn’t ruined with damage from the hail.
Would happily recommend your service.
Kind regards
Jenny H."
Jenny H.
Australia
2018年7月24日
"Good day
Thank you for a wonderful experience with you guys.
Ivor was amazing!
Extremely friendly ,on time and he gave us running commentary on everything.
He is a real asset to your company.
Will definitely make use of your services in the near future.
Kind regards
Bryan and Rentia E."
Bryan Clifford E.
South Africa
2018年7月21日
"We had originally planned to take a relatively inexpensive train from Nice to Florence, via Milan. Unfortunately, due to some reported construction, that was impossible. As we are an older couple, unable to navigate multiple transfers on local trains with heavy luggage in the summer heat, we felt we had no other realistic option other than to hire a driver. We found your website through an American travel agency (Sabra Tours in Baltimore). We tried to verify the legitimacy of your company through on-line reviews, and discovered only positive reviews. On consulting your website, we were initially shocked at the cost of hiring a driver for a one-way trip. However, feeling that we had no choice, we paid for the reservation in full. To be honest, we were very anxious about that financial commitment. We were grateful to receive email updates a few days before our trip, which were very reassuring. However, the evening before our transfer, we began to worry whether the driver would appear on time and whether he would have a car large enough for our valises. How surprised and delighted we were to see Benito waiting for us in the hotel lobby, almost 30 minutes before our scheduled departure! He greeted us warmly, and we were very happy to see that his vehicle was a luxurious Mercedes sedan. The 5-hour trip went smoothly. Benito engaged us in pleasant conversation and offered to make a rest stop along the way. He assisted with our luggage on arrival in Florence. We were very happy to receive his business card, as we will surely recommend your company to family and friends who are planning trips to Europe in the future.
Please extend our thanks again to Benito for eliminating all of our worries, and getting us to our destination safely and in a timely fashion. Although an expensive travel option, our drive to Florence was an absolute pleasure. "
