La Turbie is a hilltop village overlooking Monaco and the Cote d’Azur. At the top of the town sits Roman ruins and below you can find one of the best views of Monaco you’ll ever see. Here are 15 things you NEED to see and do in La Turbie, plus tips on how to get there and save money on your trip!
La Turbie is an adorable medieval village that was used as a road from Rome to the Alps, so there is a lot of history in these streets! Also, did you know that La Turbie was mentioned by Dante in the second part of his Divine Comedy? Basically, La Turbie may just become your new favorite place.
How to Get to La Turbie
All of the ways below are how you can get to La Turbie on your own, but you can also get there by taking a tour! This tour will take you to La Turbie, Eze, and Monaco while showing you the best of each area. If you’re short on time, I would definitely go this route.
From Nice to La Turbie (Nice – La Turbie Bus)
The cheapest way to get to La Turbie from Nice is to plan your trip for a Sunday since on Sundays there is a bus that goes there for only a dollar.
From Place Garibaldi in Nice, take the L1 metro “Hôpital Pasteur” to Pont Michel and then take the Bus 66 to La Turbie. Since we live near Port Lympia, this was the route we took!
From Menton & Monaco
From both Monaco and Menton, you will first have to take the TER to Nice and then take the bus options listed above.
Not only will this trip be a lot more expensive, but accommodations in those two cities are also more expensive than in Nice!
Obviously, these are just the public transport options! It’s very easy to rent a car and drive to La Turbie from any of these cities, but it will cost a lot more.
Hotels in La Turbie / Where to Stay in La Turbie
Hotel Napoléon
Number of Guests: 2-4
Number of Rooms: 1
Location: La Turbie
Type of Property: Hotel (3 Star)
Average Nightly Price: $91+
Amenities:
- Pet friendly
- Free WiFi
- Air conditioning
- Laundry
- Restaurant
- Breakfast available
- Parking available
- Bar
- Room service
- Housekeeping
Sea view villa with garden and 2 terraces near Monaco
Number of Guests: 6
Number of Rooms: 3
Location: La Turbie
Type of Property: Apartment
Average Nightly Price: $132
Amenities:
- Internet
- Linens provided
- Heating
- Wireless Internet
- Telephone
- Kitchen
- Outdoor Furniture
- Television
- Washing machine
- Parking
B&B View of Monaco Near Nice Menton Monaco
Number of Guests: 2
Number of Rooms: 1
Location: La Turbie
Type of Property: B&B
Average Nightly Price: $133
Amenities:
- Internet
- Linens provided
- Towels Provided
- Heating
- Hair Dryer
- Wireless Internet
- Television
- Parking
What to Do in La Turbie
La Turbie has so much to do! There are Roman ruins, incredible viewpoints you can’t find anywhere else, adorable restaurants, and historic sites all over the town. Here is a list of things you shouldn’t miss on your trip to La Turbie!
I’ve also put these in order so that you can use them as a walking itinerary as you visit the village!
If you plan to move to France or just want to understand the French better, definitely read this book or this book before your trip! Trust me, it will make your transition and understanding of French culture so much better.
1. Viewpoint from Afar
If you’re coming from Nice, get off one bus stop early to get a better view of La Turbie from the front!
2. The Restaurants & Shops of La Turbie
As you first walk into La Turbie, you will see a bunch of beautiful buildings clumped together that make up most of the restaurants in this town. It’s a great place to stop and grab something to eat as well as get gorgeous photos!
3. The Most Beautiful Pizza Place: La Regence Pizzeria
On our way to Peille and Peillon, we’ve passed by this pizzeria multiple times and I couldn’t wait to visit. We didn’t end up eating there (although I plan to go back!) but the outside of this restaurant is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!
4. The Roman Ruins: Trophee d’Auguste
Looming over La Turbie, you can see the reconstructed Roman ruins of the Trohpee d’Auguste. You absolutely cannot miss a visit to this incredible structure while in La Turbie! It only costs 6 euros per person to enter.
The opening hours vary depending on the season and there are also a few different entrances, although some may be closed depending on the time of year that you visit.
Make sure to check this website for the most up-to-date information on when to visit.
The Trophy of Augustus was originally built in 6 BC to commemorate the victory of the Romans over the Alpine tribes the “Gauls.”
It was built for Octavius, who was Caesar’s nephew and would become the future Emperor Augustus of Rome. It used to stand at 50m high, with a statue of Augustus at the top.
However, over time the town mined the monument to build houses in the village and it was destroyed.
Eventually, a father and son worked to restore it to what it is today thanks to an American donor. Now, it stands 36 meters tall.
Don’t miss a visit to the museum that is included in the ticket to the Trophy, which shows how they went about the restoration of the monument and has a small model of what the Trophy of Augustus used to look like!
Also, make sure you head up the steps to the top of the ruins! It gives you a beautiful view over the coast and the town of La Turbie.
5. Visit The Church: Eglise Saint-Michel de La Turbie
The best place to see l’Eglise Saint-Michel de la Turbie is from the top of the Roman ruins. The church is unique from others in the area because of the small tile details on the top and sides of the church.
6. Historic Center of La Turbie
La Turbie is a village full of history, so there is a lot within the town that you’ll want to make sure that you don’t miss!
7. Via Julia
The Via Julia was the ancient way to Rome that was built after the Romans conquered the Alpine Gauls. This was considered the pathway to the Alps from Rome and was a big victory for the Romans.
8. Dante’s Quote from the Purgatory
La Turbie’s first literary mention just happened to be in the second part of Dante’s Divine Comedy: The Purgatory.
Of course, La Turbie wanted to showcase that by engraving it into a wall in their city! And who wouldn’t?!
Here is the exact location of the Dante Quote if you are struggling to find it! There is another quote just to the left of it as well!
9. Ancient Portals to the City
From each side of the small historic center of La Turbie, you pass through the original medieval “portes” to the city. Keep your eyes peeled for the beautiful entrances and signs next to them!
10. The Cemetery
The cemetery above La Turbie has beautiful views of the Roman ruins below. It also had a few grave sites that were dedicated to people who had been deported to Auschwitz.
Remember to be respectful when visiting this area and refrain from taking a lot of pictures.
11. Viewpoint Above the Cemetery
At the top of the cemetery, you can pass through a gate that takes you to a dirt road. If you go to the left you can peek down into Monaco!
12. Wander the Town
La Turbie has a lot more to do than most hilltop villages, but you still should just get lost in the streets! Maybe you’ll stumble across even more history!
13. Place Neuve, Restaurant & Viewpoint Over Tennis Courts
This area, which is right next to the restaurant Brasserie Pampérigouste, you can get incredible views of the Trophy of Augustus. There is also a viewpoint to the right of the restaurant of the coast.
14. Tete de Chien: Viewpoint over Monaco
Easily one of the most beautiful viewpoints I’ve ever been to, you CANNOT miss La Tete de Chien! It’s a short, easy walk from the center of La Turbie.
Only slightly uphill and takes about 30 minutes each way, but you are rewarded with the BEST, most unbelievable views of Monaco that you’ll ever see (I know, I’m dramatic but seriously…do it!)
The Google Map below shows the exact location of the Tete de Chien, which as you can see directly overlooks Monaco! Just be careful, as there are a lot of steep cliffs!
I would also recommend going before 3 pm when clouds usually start to roll in and obscure the view.
15. The Viewpoint Above La Turbie
I can’t visit a place without finding the viewpoints from above! This one really shows La Turbie well and is only a short walk from the center of town.
Only a 3-minute walk, you can get to this viewpoint just above the Gendarmerie of La Turbie.
This sign is at the beginning of the street to make sure you’re going up the right way.
16. Higher Viewpoint Above La Turbie
If you want to go a bit higher, there is a dirt path right above the previous viewpoint. You can go up that for only another few minutes to get to the viewpoint shown below.
This viewpoint is a bit more steep and on dirt, but definitely worth it if you’re up for it! Here’s the pin drop:
More Hilltop Villages To Visit Nearby:
- Off-the-Tourist-Path: Visit Peille Village
- How to Visit Peillon
- The Most Beautiful Hilltop Villages Near Nice
- Why You Must Visit Sainte-Agnes
Dayna Brockbank is a travel and language-learning blogger who has lived around the world but has now settled in Nice, France. She speaks 3 languages at varying levels of fluency: Spanish, Italian, and French, and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Spanish Education. She and her husband focus on making travel part of life by living cheaply and traveling on a budget.
Danik
Tuesday 13th of February 2024
I love La Turbie, one of my favourite viewpoints over Monaco. Loved wandering the streets and just soaking up the sun. Hope to be back there again this summer. Wonderful photos on this post. :)