The French Riviera vs. the Italian Riviera: Which one’s right for you?

Can you imagine a more idyllic vacation than a seaside escape to southern Europe, where wisteria blossoms perfume the air, spritzes and rosés are enjoyed alfresco, and colorful villages overlook glittering harbors? Both the French Riviera and the Italian Riviera offer those classic European delights in spades. That’s why many of our tours of France and trips to Italy often include a little bit of both the French and Italian Rivieras. However, there are telltale differences between the destinations, too, and depending on where your interests lie, one might be a better fit than the other. So, if you’re wondering whether to visit the French Riviera or the Italian Riviera, we’ve got you covered—and if you want to visit both (we certainly don’t blame you), we can make that happen, too!

Before we dive into their specific charms, let’s go over the basics.

Where is the French Riviera?

While the French Riviera is not officially geographically defined, it’s typically considered to be the eastern coastal section of the South of France. Many think that the glamorous Provencal village of St. Tropez marks the Riviera’s westernmost edge, but others might move that 45 miles west to the town of Toulon. The easternmost village is Menton, right on the edge of the Italian border. It includes well-known cities like Nice, Cannes, and Antibes, and the sovereign city-state of Monaco.

Where is the Italian Riviera?

The Italian Riviera is another name for the region of Liguria, northwestern Italy’s crescent-shaped Mediterranean coast. It stretches from the border with France to the provincial border of Tuscany, and includes Cinque Terre as well as celebrity-approved Portofino. It also encompasses historic maritime cities like Genoa and popular resort towns like Sanremo.

Now that that’s settled, read on to find out which Riviera is right for you.

Head to the French Riviera for glitz and glamor

If you’re looking for a see-and-be-seen locale with plenty of fabulous resorts, exciting beach clubs, and elegant casinos, the French Riviera is the high-octane hotspot for you. Glitzy, celebrity-studded destinations like St. Tropez, Cannes, and Monaco have long defined the French Riviera’s Champagne-popping lifestyle. You may want to pack your finest fashions to show off, but if you’d prefer to travel light, the French Riviera is full of boutiques where you can pick up a designer souvenir or two.

Join the Evening in Monaco excursion on our French Riviera & Provence: Nice, Avignon & Aix-en-Provence tour to spend a night exploring Monaco, including the iconic Monte Carlo Casino. Its gilded walls, dramatic chandeliers, and elaborate ceilings have provided the setting for countless Hollywood blockbusters. “We set out one evening to Monaco, where we visited the Palace where Princess Grace lived,” said traveler Wendy after taking the excursion on our A Week in France: The Riviera, Provence & Paris tour. “The view looking down into Monaco and Monte Carlo is breathtaking! Dinner that night was amazing, and of course, a visit inside the Monte Carlo Casino was a treat in itself.” Fun fact: Monégasque citizens are not allowed to enter or gamble at the casino.

Pick the Italian Riviera if you’re more laid-back

Both locales offer charming places to relax, but in this edition of French Riviera vs. Italian Riviera, the latter has the upper hand. The Italian Riviera is much more laid-back—its villages are gorgeous and historic but are less glamorous than their French counterparts. You can take your time discovering more under-the-radar destinations (and there are plenty). Spend a couple of hours enjoying classic Italian meals in small fishing villages, or just soak in la dolce vita from a cozy cafe in a small piazza. “I believe we saw the best of the Ligurian coast both on land and on sea,” said traveler Anthony after returning from our Florence, Tuscany & the Italian Riviera tour. “An especially nice aspect was that we had appropriate leisure time in many of these towns and came to appreciate each one’s distinctive charms.”

The Riviera dei Fiori, for example, is located right by Italy’s border with France, and it’s here that you can tell that the vibe is quite different on the Italian side. This stunning pocket of the Italian Riviera is much more relaxed. It combines hilltop villages, mountainous terrain, crystal-clear waters, and picturesque, sea-facing cycling paths. On our Florence, Tuscany & the Italian Riviera tour, you’ll get to experience this easygoing lifestyle for yourself during our optional Villages of the Italian Riviera & Lunch excursion. It starts in Sestri Levante, a bayside hamlet famous for a castle surrounded by tranquil gardens, and will take you through Portofino, a village that embodies the laid-back luxury of Riviera life.

Go to the French Riviera if you love art and museums

Across the French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur as it’s known locally, you’ll find countless world-class art institutions. Some are specifically dedicated to renowned European artists who lived in the area and were inspired by its landscapes. If museum hopping is high on your bucket list, the French Riviera is the perfect place for you. After all, no trip to France is complete without art, right?

Our 12-day Provence, the Riviera & Tuscany tour includes a free day on the French Riviera, which you could spend exploring the region’s wealth of museums. In Antibes, there’s the fortress-like Musée Picasso, home to 245 pieces of the famous artist’s work. In Nice, there’s the Musée Matisse, which surveys long-time Nice resident Henri Matisse’s art, including 454 drawings. More whimsical still is the Butterfly Museum in the heart of St. Tropez. It’s tucked inside the former home of artist Dany Lartigue, and yes, it is indeed a museum dedicated to thousands of butterflies from all over the world.

Visit the Italian Riviera if you’re an outdoors enthusiast

If the French Riviera is better known for see-and-be-seen enclaves, the Italian Riviera stands out as a more active and outdoors-y vacation spot. Here, you’ll want to tackle lush hiking trails, take ferry rides to remote islands, and snorkel (or scuba dive) along the Mediterranean coast. You’ll get a taste of that on our 11-day Lake Como, the Italian Riviera & Venice tour when your Tour Director leads you on a visit to Cinque Terre. Explore these five legendary cliffside villages on foot (walking through a couple of them) and from the water while taking a scenic boat ride to Monterosso.

The same tour also includes a free day. You could stroll along Via dell’Amore, the pedestrian path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, two of the five villages of Cinque Terre. If you’re an avid hiker and want to see more of the Italian Riviera’s picturesque landscape, set off on a hike from Camogli to San Fruttuoso. It could take up to three hours to complete, but the trail connects two beautiful villages full of colorful houses butting up against the Mediterranean Sea. Often, the best of the Italian Riviera is something you must experience outside.

Book the French Riviera for countless Michelin-starred restaurants

Trying to figure out what to do on the French Riviera? We hope you’re hungry, because this is where you’ll find some of the best meals of your life. The area’s wealth of award-winning restaurants is one of the biggest reasons why the French Riviera made our list of essential places in France to visit beyond Paris.

Because the French Riviera is defined by more of a lifestyle rather than a specifically designated region, it’s hard to know exactly how many of its restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars. But there are a lot, and many of them have won multiple stars.

Many of our tours of the French Riviera give you space and time to seek out some of the crown jewels of the French restaurant scene. On our 15-day Grand Tour of France, for example, you can spend both of your nights in the Riviera savoring the finest French cuisine. The city of Nice has several Michelin-starred restaurants. Consider Le Chantecler, where delicately prepared lobster dishes and indulgent portions of caviar are served in an equally opulent dining room with views of the sea. Really want to treat yourself? Head to La Vague d’Or in St. Tropez or Mirazur in Menton—both have been awarded three Michelin stars, a rare feat.

Choose the Italian Riviera if you love wine

As far as wine is concerned, it’s almost impossible to pick a side in the French Riviera vs. Italian Riviera debate. Also, when it comes to Italy's top vineyards and most famous wine regions, the Italian Riviera isn’t typically the first to come to mind. But Liguria is home to some fabulous winemakers and grapes that are worth seeking out and sampling. The villages of Cinque Terre are partially cloaked in beautiful vineyards, too—the steep terrain is perfect for planting and growing wine grapes. On our 12-day Food & Wine: Northern Italy & the Italian Riviera tour, you can sign up for our Cinque Terre Villages & Wine Tasting excursion, which takes you deep into these villages and their winemaking traditions. During your visit to Riomaggiore, a decadent lunch will include three different local wines, including a glass of Sciacchetrá, a sweet blend of three grapes: Bosco, Albarola, and Vermentino.

If you’d rather take a DIY approach to a wine-fueled itinerary, there is a free day on many of our tours of the Italian Riviera. You could spend it discovering many more of the region’s top wineries. Manarola, for instance, is known for both winemaking and olive oil production. You could also check out Bisson, a winery in Sestri Levante, where they age some of their wines underwater.

Visit the French Riviera from May through September

Both the Italian and French Rivieras boast lovely Mediterranean climates with warm summers and mild winters. When you visit the French Riviera in late spring, you’ll find fields of fragrant lavender in full bloom, especially surrounding the Provencal towns to the west. It’s the perfect time of year to stroll along the oleander-dappled coastline and breathe in the orange blossom-scented air. However, May does bring heavier crowds to the French Riviera, as travelers flock to the area for events like the Cannes Film Fest and the Monaco Grand Prix. For a more relaxed experience but equally gorgeous weather, we recommend visiting in September.

If you want to immerse yourself in the high-energy nightlife and peak glitz and glam that capture the essence of the French Riviera, visit on a summertime tour of France. You’ll be greeted with long, sunny days that are perfect for stretching out on the beach or sipping a cocktail at a chic seaside bar. As a bonus, the coast experiences cooler summer temperatures than inland France, which is why we named the French Riviera one of the best places to visit in August. If you want to channel the timeless elegance of celebrities like Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot, there’s nothing like summer on the French Riviera.

Visit the Italian Riviera from April through October

While there’s never a bad time for a trip to the Italian Riviera, we love visiting in the shoulder season for the pleasant weather or in the summer for the ultimate taste of la dolce vita. Places like Cinque Terre get very crowded in the height of summer, but if you’re a sun-worshiper, it’s worth braving the crowds for the joyful atmosphere, breathtaking sunsets, and late-night dinners in this coastal paradise. However, if you prefer to visit in the spring or fall for lighter crowds, you’ll still be greeted with pleasant weather. “You can still swim in the Mediterranean in October!” said traveler Scott after visiting the Italian Riviera on our Food & Wine: Northern Italy & the Italian Riviera tour.

Although we love off-season travel (and the off-season delicacies we get to enjoy along the way), the best time to visit the Italian Riviera if you’re a foodie is in the fall. Restaurants and markets will be brimming with fresh, local produce, and villages along the Ligurian Coast celebrate the harvest with festivals dedicated to mushrooms, chestnuts, and (of course) wine. You can even join the truffle hunt in northern Italy before making your way to the coast on our Food & Wine: Northern Italy & the Italian Riviera tour.

Pick your winner in our Riviera battle and book a trip to France or tour of Italy now. If you still can’t decide, both our Provence, the Riviera & Tuscany tour and our Barcelona, Southern France & the Italian Riviera tour let you see both dazzling places on one amazing trip!