travel guide to nice france

France Travel Blog

Nice Travel Guide

Nice offers a perfect blend of a thrilling seaside resort and the richness of a cosmopolitan European city. And if you are looking to experience the distinct blissfulness of the French Riviera, a vacation to its biggest city, Nice is primed for it all.

Boasting of a mild Mediterranean climate, a colorful culture, a vivacious Old Town district, and a flawless shoreline strip of terrific hotels. This Southeastern French city has been a popular travel destination since the 18th century. And though soft, Nice’s intense light, captivating architectural structures, and fanciful market centers have long been appealing to artists from all over the world. Artists like Matisse and Chagall have witnessed Nice’s artistic glory. As an art and history buff, the city will spoil you for choices as no other French city have more museums.

Nice is a big air transportation hub in Europe. Many low-cost airlines offer flights to the Côte d’Azur (the French part of Riviera) airport from London, Paris, and other places. Fast rail service also operates from Paris to Nice. The city’s public transportation is a tram system, transit service, and ferry service. From budget hotels to deluxe-class seaside resorts, there is a vast range of hotel accommodation available in and around Nice. 

Despite its strong historical profile that dates back to the 4th century BC, modernism is apparently not lost on it at all. There have been efforts to modernize the city’s infrastructure.

Here is a Detailed Travel Guide in this Blog for your Stay in Nice:

Best time to visit nice.

Nice, like most cities in the Mediterranean, experiences warm weather almost year-round with average temperature reaching 80s°F (around 26°C )  in the summer and as low as 40s°F (around 5°C )  in the winter. As such, spring is an excellent time to visit Nice and the Côte d’Azur. The best time to visit will be in late spring and early summer to enjoy Nice. 

Getting Around

You will find many shuttle buses and local bus services to Nice and other Riviera cities, and expensive cabs, to convey you to into the city when you arrive. Traveling by rail, be informed that Nice has three stations, but you will probably arrive in the main terminal at Nice Ville. It is expected that you will be only a few blocks north of the coastline.

In addition, are there many connections from Nice Railway station to other cities in France and to neighboring Italy too. The city’s bus system is called the  Lignes d’Azur , which works, in the city and also to and from the airport and other close towns. The system controls about 130 bus routes in the 49 municipalities that consist of the entire Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur area. 

You can buy a single ticket for a journey, which allows changes within 74 minutes for 1.50 euros. There are many other great value tickets for various lengths of stay. Nothing beats seeing the beautiful landscape of Nice while strolling the city on foot or in a car. As such, you can rent a car to cruise. However, it is good to check with your hotel if they have parking plans for guests and the costs too. 

Parking in Nice can be a challenging task. In the case that you are in Nice from another part of the country by far, consider leaving the car at one of the 5’Parc relais’ or stopover car parks outside the center. It is free to use. 

>> How To Get From Paris To Nice

Tourist Attractions

Cours saleya flower market ( marché aux fleurs cours saleya ).

Take a trip to the Cours Selaya for some fantastic culinary experience. This center is one of the major areas for dining, with restaurants, cafes, and bars all spread throughout the market. The open-air market center that used to be a park for the city’s richest people is shaded by trees and surrounded by 18th-century buildings. Many of these structures now house pubs and restaurants serving Niçois cuisine. At the end of Cours Selaya on Mondays, you will see antiques and collectibles been sold. For seafood lovers, here would particularly be an exciting spot to take on for the brilliant cuisines they would find. 

Place Massena

This is the cultural hub of Nice, and it is the city’s largest square and the primary gathering place for events and seasonal festivals. 17th-century architecture is ubiquitous in Place Massena, and it connects with Lyon’s commercial district. Also, you will find an art installation whose pieces are made up of sculptures on top of tall pillars scattered around the plaza. There is also a grand fountain that bears an Apollo statue- the square’s centerpiece. 

Promenade des Anglais

This is a seaside boardwalk that spans along the Baie des Anges was established by the British tourists who first popularized Nice as a vacation destination in the early 18th century. Lined with beach cabanas, cafes, and premium hotels, and palm trees, this area is one of the most well-known seaside promenades you will find on the Mediterranean. Though pricey, the seaside private restaurants/beach is a wonder you must not miss. You can also rent a chaise lounge a few feet from the shore, and let waiters serve you lunch and drinks. Your Riviera experience would not be whole until you completely take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais.

>> Hotels Near Promenade des Anglais in Nice >> Is Nice Worth Visiting?

Vieux Nice (Nice’s Old Town)

Also known as Old Nice, Vieux Nice is next to the Cours Selaya Flower market. It has narrow streets to can walk while you discover gratifying shopping, dining, and some of Nice’s hippest bars. It spans from the foot of Castle Hill to the Place Massena, which is the city’s main square. Vieux Nice is very much marked with wide promenades, while the medieval quarter reminds of the time when the city was allied with Italian states. It is still one of the best places to taste Nice’s Niçois-style pizzas and pastries. As attractive as this destination is, be careful not to go alone, especially late in the day. Vieux Nice has dark alleys that can be covered for thieves and questionable characters.

Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain

Established in 1990, the museum of modern and contemporary art was built by architects Yves Bayard and Henri Vidal. It has four towers faced in Carrara marble from quarries in Carrara, an Italian town. The museum’s vast collection consists of a sample of the 60s and 70s fine arts that include minimalists, American abstracts, pop art, and new realism. More imposing works on display are by Nice native, Yves Klein, of the Nouveaux Réalistes movement. The museum shows his work in a room and on the roof terrace; a point that gives captivating views of the beautiful city. 

Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint-Nicolas

Built during the reign of Russia’s Tsar Nicholas, the Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint-Nicolas is said to be one of the most stunning Orthodox churches outside of Russia. The style is inspired by the Moscow’s own and has an incredibly decorated interior that comes in murals, carved woodwork, and ornamental icons. It is a virtual jewel box that has historical and religious objects. These were brought to France from Russia during a previous period of crisis. 

Tourists are allowed to see the structure and worship but are expected to abide by some rules. For example, men are not permitted in bare-chested or in shorts. And for women, miniskirts and shorts are not allowed, and shoulders are expected to be covered. A head covering is also preferred. So be prepared before you set out to visit the cathedral.

Parc de la Colline du Château (Castle Hill Park)

High above the Nice coastline, where the Castle Hill Park rests today was the first place to be inhabited by the Greeks about two thousand years ago. It used to be seen as unconquerable until King Louis XIV destroyed it in 1706. The city designed into a modern park today, and a charmingly simple site. It is a place you should visit for its shady trees, a pleasant oasis of greenery, and rushing waterfalls. 

Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll and take in the magnificent park views at the Castle Hill. And while having a great time at the park, you can always visit some great restaurants around where you can grab some bite. Other places worth checking out are boutiques and the ruins of two old churches. The Castle Hill Park is lit up with special lighting effects every night. Tourists and other visitors can arrive at the park by foot from the Old Town of Nice or take an Art-Deco lift or escalator from Place Garibaldi. 

>> Is Nice Safe?

How to Maximize your Stay in Nice

While it is about preference, an organized tour is a way to make the most of your stay in the city as you immerse yourself in its culture; without worrying about finding your way around. Indulging in tour agencies has many other benefits too. You get to save time because some of these tourist outfits include convenient pickup and drop-off at your hotel. Here are some tips for enjoying Nice at affordable prices:

Navigate the popular sites

As earlier mentioned, tours are great ways to see scintillating places in Nice. Tours would stop at top cultural attractions like Promenade des Anglais, the Musee d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Place Garibaldi. Tours also allow experiencing areas of the city that are usually difficult for tourists to add to their itinerary. 

Cycle around the city

You will hardly miss the great scenery on Nice’s streets when you go biking to take on the town. A three-hour trip around would be great as you see locals go hustling and bustling and of course, see the magnificence of the city. Even if you go solo, other tourist cyclists you will meet on the road will also be having an exciting time. 

Medieval hilltop towns and the glitzes of Cannes and Monaco are only a short trip from Nice, and a day trip tour is a perfect way to see them all. In the mountainous town of Eze, you can check out the excellent local perfumery and relish the breathtaking view of French Riviera. In enticing Monte Carlo, you can navigate the old town and see the palace as well as other top sites.

>> Day Trips From Nice >>

Where To Stay In Nice

Hotels are plenty in Nice for the comfort and luxury of visitors and locals alike. Nothing beats the feeling of having a proper rest after a long day of adventure. Indeed, a good Nice hotel will have comfort, tranquility, and the gratifyingly luscious cuisine to go with the calm. 

Hotel Windsor is a short walk to the beach. Walled with distinct murals, its rooms are gorgeously decorated by brilliant artists. Try to request a room with a balcony. The hotel Negresco is another excellent hotel, and it is probably the city’s most famous one. Magisterial around the Promenade des Anglais and the curving beach of La Baie des Anges, the ambiance of this impressive hotel is what every tourist should experience. And the great thing is, you won’t have to spend a fortune to book a room there. 

Its well-known cocktail bar allures the young people with DJ sets, live jazz and Latino bands performance at night. Even the bar staff make lovely cocktails, like the royal Negresco, with champagne, kirsch and raspberry juice. With a swelling number of hotels in Nice, you have lots to choose from.

>> Best Hostels in Nice , Hotels Near Promenade des Anglais in Nice

Is there anything you would add to this Nice Travel Guide? Leave your comments below.

>>Read: Things To Do In Nice

Peter is the editor of France Travel Blog. He has traveled to France many times and is ready to share the knowledge in this travel guide for France.

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An Essential Guide to Nice, Europe’s Original Resort Town 

By Kelsy Chauvin

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Nice’s standing as the ultimate getaway became official last summer, when it earned UNESCO World Heritage status as the “ winter resort town of the Riviera .” Citing the “exceptional universal value of the architectural, landscape, and urban heritage of Nice,” the designation memorializes the city’s international flair and air of opulence.

For seasoned travelers, the city’s alluring serenity and scenery has been an open secret since the 18th century. Back then, English aristocrats were drawn to the mild winter weather along this French-Mediterranean stretch, building lavish mansions with exotic gardens to suit their annual sojourns. By 1860, those early snowbirds even constructed the seaside walkway known as La Promenade des Anglais—the English Promenade—now an iconic global attraction.

But the real secret of Nice is its accessibility to modern travelers. From Vieux Nice (the old town) up to Cimiez Hill (Queen Victoria’s old neighborhood), visitors can make their way in luxury or on budget, and enjoy the same mesmerizing beauty of the French Riviera .

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Chateau le Cagnard

What to do in Nice—and where to stay

Enthusiasm for Nice begins with a panoramic descent into Nice Cote d’Azur Airport, which juts out into the crystal-blue Ligurian Sea. From there, a 15-minute taxi or swift tram ride puts you directly into central Nice. On and just off the commercial strip that is Avenue Jean Medecin, you’ll find a range of lodging options, including Hotel Boscolo Nice , which welcomes guests into its artful lobby illuminated by a giant skylight. Rooms are spacious and chic, as are its subterranean spa and two Italian-inspired restaurants. Reserve time for the hotel’s breezy rooftop lounge, where you can dip into the plunge pool by day, and sip cocktails during mellow DJ’ed evenings.

Hotel Boscolo is along Boulevard Victor Hugo, from which much of Nice’s main attractions are a pleasant walk or Vélo Bleu bikeshare ride away. Head down Avenue Medecin toward the Fontaine du Soleil and the giant statue of Apollo, then into Vieux Nice to soak up the city’s history. The 1885 neoclassical Nice Opera House marks the west end of the famous Cours Saleya daily market , with fresh flowers and seasonal produce. Visit the Theresa Socca stand to try the simply divine local snack that is socca, a savory crepe made from chickpea flour.

With so many historic sights in the old town, it’s an interesting turn to visit the decidedly modern Charles Nègre Photography Museum , located beside the market in Place Pierre Gautier. Expect to find a range of temporary photo exhibits housed in neighboring buildings. Better still, €15 buys admission here and at 10 more museums across town, including the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Matisse Museum, and Archaeology Museum of Nice/Cimiez, located on an ancient Roman archaeological site. The museum pass doesn’t include Nice’s splendid Marc Chagall Museum, though it’s well worth a visit.

Pass through the arches to walk along the Quai des États-Unis—the United States Wharf, so named to honor America’s World War I alliance with France. This café-lined boulevard parallels the famous Promenade, where you can hit the beach, or gaze upon it from waterside-terrace restaurants like Plage Beau Rivage . Stroll eastward towards the giant #ILoveNICE selfie spot, and on to the compact Port Lympia to check out the colorful wooden fishing boats docked beside million-dollar mega yachts.

Sardines on the beach 

Tanning under the stripped umbrellas

Local Nissarde cuisine

Fans of the Niçoise salad will enjoy diving deeper into unique local Cuisine Nissarde , a notably different style of gastronomy that reflects the region’s Ligurian (Northern Italian) influence. Based on seasonal ingredients that bring fresh salads and fruits in summer, and root vegetables and stews in winter, Nissarde cooking often involves eggs, olives, mushrooms, and deep-sea fish like tuna and sardines.

The Nice Cote d’Azur tourism board lists about two dozen restaurants as traditional “Cuisine Nissarde” establishments, eight of them in or near Vieux Nice. Family-run Chez Acchiardo is one of the oldest, open since 1927 in its stone-walled corner location on Rue Droite. Here’s you’ll be able to sample some of the city’s best traditional dishes, such as daube , beef stew made with red wine and Mediterranean herbs; and trouchia , a tasty frittata layered with baby Swiss chard.

On every Nissarde menu you’ll find merda de can, green gnocchi topped with pistou—pesto made without pine nuts, the Ligurian way. Lou Balico serves one of the best versions, in shareable portions, along with a superb Niçoise salad, made traditionally with anchovies, pickled vegetables, and artichokes, served over greens with fresh tuna, tomato, olives, and boiled egg. On any Nissarde menu you’ll also find pissaladière , a filling, focaccia-like flatbread topped with caramelized onions, anchovies, and olives.

Parfumerie Galimard

Along the Cote d’Azur

The 120-mile-long French Riviera stretches from shore to Alps, so it’s well worth a regional tour to explore small towns like Vence, a historic Roman-turned-medieval village about 45 minutes’ drive northwest from Nice. In the town square, dine al fresco at CheZ’elles, serving delicious Armenian food that’s pleasantly mistaken for classic Greek cuisine. Don’t miss a visit to Vence’s Rosary Chapel, commonly called the Matisse Chapel since Henri Matisse personally designed and decorated the bright, modest space during his later years. 

Take a quick jaunt from Vence to Cagnes-sur-Mer to lodge at Chateau le Cagnard , once a hilltop castle that’s now a luxury hotel with 29 unique guestrooms, many with picture-perfect balconies. Nearby, the serenity of the Renoir House and Museum reveals why many artists were drawn to this lovely, temperate corner of France.

Drive or take a train eastward from Nice to Eze to visit the spectacular Exotic Garden of Eze , a botanical garden perched high on a hill within a medieval fortress, planted with foliage from around the world. Stroll through the fortress’ winding pathways to find unique shops and cafés, and stop into ultra-grand Hotel Chateau de La Chèvre d’Or for an Aperol spritz overlooking the sea. For a delightfully different souvenir, join a fragrance-making class at Eze’s Galimard Maison de Parfums , where you can customize your own scent to bring home, while the studio keeps your recipe on file for future orders.

You can dine or lodge overnight at panoramic (and decidedly modern) Les Terasses d’Eze , or head back to Nice, perhaps via the maritime town of Villefranche-sur-Mer. This former fishing village is prime territory for fresh-caught, French-inspired seafood dishes at open-air spots like Le Cosmo .

That restaurant is located on a plaza that faces the 16th-century Chapel St. Pierre, a modest structure with an eye-catching Romanesque façade. Its interior is even more fascinating, every inch decorated with the original mid-century work of Jean Cocteau, who lived occasionally in the Welcome Hotel in Villefranche. There, Cocteau found both solace and inspiration in the everyday milieu of the Cote d’Azur. It seems the atmospheric nature of the French Riviera was as beguiling to him as it was for centuries of vacationers before him, and for today’s travelers eager to find their own time in the Nice sun.

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Nice Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 9, 2023

Visiting Nice is, to use the old joke, nice. Located on the French Riviera, it’s the second-biggest tourist destination in the country. I’ve found the city a lovely place to stop on the way to smaller, even quainter Riviera towns. Nice has wonderful hilltop lookouts, restaurants, glamor, tons of scenery, and beautiful beaches.

While not known for its history, settlements here stretch back a whopping 400,000 years (Homo Erectus artifacts have been found here). The city as we know it today was likely established around 350 BCE by the Greeks. That settlement evolved into a large trading hub, which expanded through the Middle Ages into the city we know today.

These days, Nice is known for its upscale atmosphere. The city’s glitz means that there are very few budget options, but it’s worth a night or two to take in the sights and admire the fleet of yachts that usually dot the harbor. After a couple of days, head down to the nearby beach towns of the Cote d’Azur.

This travel guide to Nice can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your time in this gorgeous city!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Nice

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Nice

1. Walk the Promenade des Anglais

This seaside promenade is one of the main hubs of the city. Vendors sell fresh-made crepes and, best of all, there are nice (get it?) restaurants on the beach. Try Le Koudou for seafood or Les Jardins du Capitole for French classics like tartare.

2. Visit the Matisse Museum

Artist Henri Matisse moved to Nice at 48 and remained in the city until his death in 1954. It was during this time that Matisse painted some of his most famous works, including The Sheaf, Nu bleu, Sorrow of the King , and others. Admission is 10 EUR.

3. Relax at the beach

The beaches of Nice aren’t great when compared to the surrounding area but there are still some noteworthy ones to visit. La Réserve is known as one of the best beaches in Nice. Plage Beau Rivage and Coco Beach are both quite nice as well.

4. Wander Vieux Nice

Below the hill of the main city, the old town is a maze of streets and tight alleyways. There are numerous boutiques, markets, crêperies, and cafés. Nice was Italian until the signing of the Treaty of Turin in 1860, so Vieux Nice has a very Italian feel to it.

5. See the Nice Port

Port Lympia is a great spot to watch boats coming and going. In the summer, you can even take a free ferry, called Lou Passagin, across the harbor. Some of the hippest bars are located here as well. Boston Bar and Ma Nolan’s are both excellent choices.

Other Things to See and Do in Nice

1. visit the cours saleya flower market.

Nice is known for its flowers. In 1897, it was the first city in the world to open a wholesale cut flower market. This tradition runs strong to this day, and the market is lined with cafes, shops, and aisles upon aisles of fresh flowers. While the market is known for its flowers, there are also many local produce stands as well. It’s open six days a week from 6am-5:30pm except for Monday and Sunday afternoons when there’s a flea and antique market instead (also cool to visit). Mornings are the best time to visit as the flowers are the freshest and the crowds the smallest.

2. Head to La Colline du Château (Castle Hill)

The Castle of Nice (Château de Nice) was built in the 11th century, remaining an active citadel until the early 18th-century when King Louis XIV commanded that it be destroyed. Today, the area where the Chateau once stood is a popular green space and look-out, with one of the best panoramic views of Nice and the sea. You can take an elevator or hike up the stairs, but it’s a long, long walk. I usually take the elevator up and hike down. You can walk up from the promenade or via the town. (I prefer walking up via the old town as it’s more scenic.)

4. Tour the Museum of Asian Art

Located beside a man-made lake in Phoenix Park, Japanese architect Kenzo Tange designed the museum to be a meeting point between Asian and Western cultures. One of Nice’s newer museums, it opened its doors in 1998 and has a brilliant collection of Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian art. The India exhibit is exceptionally good. Entrance is free. There are also paid (10 EUR) weekend workshops on Asian art forms such as Japanese and Chinese calligraphy and origami. A traditional tea ceremony takes place every Sunday at 3pm (10 EUR).

5. Visit the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Opening its doors in 1990, the MAMAC focuses on postwar pieces, with more than 1,300 works of art in its collection. The museum has four connected wings, each featuring modern and contemporary art. There is a great collection of sculptures, conceptual installations, and paintings, as well as temporary rotating exhibitions. Admission is 10 EUR.

6. Take a day trip to Monaco

Monaco is a small city-state known for its luxe atmosphere. Even if you can’t afford to stay in this luxurious city, you can still visit for the day. You can spend the day exploring the casinos, yachts, and chic restaurants lining the water. While you’re here, visit the Palace of Monaco, a castle built in 1191. As it’s the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, tourists can only visit seasonally. You can visit the prince’s staterooms (8 EUR), see the royal collection of cars (8 EUR), or meander Monaco’s zoological gardens (6 EUR). The bus takes 45 minutes and costs 1.50 EUR. The train takes 20 minutes with tickets starting as low as 3.50 EUR. The Monaco F1 Grand Prix is held here annually in May or June, attracting thousands of visitors.

7. See St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral

This cathedral is the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe. When one of Tsar Aleksandr II’s sons died in Nice at the beginning of the 20th century after coming down with meningitis, this cathedral was later dedicated to him. Built in the Russian Revival style, the cathedral has teal and green-tiled domes topped with silver crosses. Inside there’s a golden altar and vibrantly painted walls. A dress code is strictly enforced so don’t wear shorts if you want to enter. Cameras are not allowed inside either.

8. Tour the Musée National Marc Chagall

A Russian-French artist of Belarusian Jewish descent, Chagall is known for his cubism and expressionism pieces. Located north of Vieux-Nice in the neighborhood of Cimiez, Musée National Marc Chagall features the artist’s religious works, particularly pieces depicting the resurrection, the sacrifice of Isaac, Adam, and Eve. The Fiddler and Bella with White Collar are among his more popular pieces. Built in 1973, Chagall was active in the museum up until his death in 1985. Admission is 8 EUR, with free admission on the first Sunday of the month.

9. Visit the Cimiez Hill district

If you visit the Matisse Museum, you’ll find yourself in Cimiez Hill district, located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from Nice’s Old Town. But there’s even more to explore in this area, including the tranquil Cimiez Monastery Gardens, the Archaeological Museum (5 EUR), and the ruins of a Roman amphitheater.

10. Take the Wonder Train

The Train des Merveilles is a two-hour train journey from Nice to the picturesque mountain village of Tende. On this scenic ride, the train makes its way through the mountains, offering breathtaking views of gorges, valleys, and the sea. Take the 9:15am train so you can arrive by late morning, explore the town, have lunch, see the free museum, and then catch a train back to Nice in the evening. A round-trip ticket is 27 EUR, though there are often special discounted offers in the summer.

For more information on other cities in France, check out these guides:

Nice Travel Costs

Hostel prices – There are several hostels in Nice within walking distance to the beach, starting at 22-26 EUR for a 4-6-bed dorm. A bed in a dorm with 8-12 beds costs around 14-18 EUR per night. Private rooms start at 60 EUR per night. Expect standard amenities like free Wi-Fi and self-catering facilities.

Budget hotel prices – You can find budget hotels located in the city center with free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning starting at 50-65 EUR per night.

On Airbnb, you can find private rooms starting at 40 EUR per night and entire apartments starting at 65 EUR per night (though double or even triple that is more likely if you don’t book in advance).

Food – Food in France has a long history and is intricately intertwined with the culture. Fresh bread (especially baguettes), tasty local cheeses, and plentiful wine may be stereotypical staples of the cuisine, but they really are some of the must-eat foods in the country. Be sure to also try croque monsieur (a hot ham and cheese sandwich), pot-au-feu (beef stew), steak frites (steak and fries), and if you’re really adventurous you can sample traditional delicacies like frog legs, escargot (snails), or foie gras (a fattened duck or goose liver).

If you go out to eat, expect to spend 9-13 EUR for starters, 15-30 EUR for a main dish, 5-10 EUR for desserts, and 4-9 EUR for wine.

To save money eating out, try doing a prix-fixe meal. It’s a set menu that offers you a deal on a 2-3 course meal. It’s the cheapest at lunch at about 15 EUR.

La Rossettisserie in Vieux-Nice is a carnivore’s dream with a menu filled with red meat and poultry dishes, for around 17 EUR. Illia Pasta on rue Droite in Old Nice is also a delicious choice, with dishes under 15 EUR. In the neighborhood of Jean-Médecin, Le Vingt4 is a vibrant Mediterranean and French restaurant with tapas for 9-16 EUR.

Fast food or ready-made sandwiches cost about 6 EUR. A combo meal at McDonald’s costs around 9 EUR.

Beer costs 6-7 EUR while a cappuccino/latte is around 3 EUR. Bottled water is 1 EUR.

If you plan on cooking your own food you can buy a week’s worth of groceries for 50 EUR. This gets you basic staples like pasta, bread, seasonal produce, and some meat or seafood.

Backpacking Nice Suggested Budgets

If you’re backpacking Nice, my suggested budget is 70 EUR per day. This budget covers staying in a hostel dorm, cooking all of your meals, limiting your drinking, taking public transit and walking to get around, and doing most free or cheap activities like enjoying the beach and wandering Vieux Nice.

A mid-range budget of about 140 EUR per day covers staying in a private Airbnb, eating out for a few meals, enjoying a few drinks, taking the occasional taxi to get around, and doing more paid activities like visiting museums and day-tripping outside the city.

For a “luxury” budget of 285 EUR per day or more, you can stay in a hotel, eat out for all your meals, drink as much as you want, take more taxis or rent a car, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Nice Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Nice is built for the luxury traveler. Being on the French Riviera and so close to many expensive destinations, it’s a city people visit to spend money. But if you want to lower your costs, here are some ways to save money in Nice:

• Do free stuff – Take advantage of all of the free sights including the beach, Vieux Nice, Jardin Albert I (the city’s central park), and the Promenade des Anglais, which fills up at night with music and street performers. You can see a lot here without spending a cent!
• Get a French Riviera Pass – Available at the Nice Tourism offices, the Congress Centre, and various hotels around the city, the French Riviera Pass gives you free access to many of the main museums in Nice and the Côte d’Azur, as well as unlimited travel (including to the airport) during your chosen time frame. Passes are 26-56 EUR for 24, 48, or 72-hour periods. The pass also includes an Old Nice guided tour and Lascaris Palace.
• Get the set lunch menu – If you eat out, do so at lunch and get the prix-fixe menu. Restaurants throughout town offer this set menu during lunch, and with prices between 10-20 EUR, it’s a way better deal than the regular dinner menu!
• Take the free walking tours – Free Walking Tour Nice has a free walking that’s a great introduction to the city. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!
• Stay with a local – If you want to save money and get some local insight into the city, use Couchsurfing. Staying with a local is the best way to get a feel for the city and learn some insider tips.
• Bring a water bottle – Since the tap water here is safe to drink you should bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Nice

There is a handful of hostels in Nice to choose from, most of which are quite close to the city center. Here are my recommended places to stay in Nice:

• Hostel Meyerbeer
• Hostel Ozz & Bar By HappyCulture
• Villa Saint Exupery Beach
• Antares Hostel

How to Get Around Nice

Public transportation – A single-fare ticket costs 1.50 EUR and allows for unlimited travel on both bus and travel for 74 minutes. You can also purchase a 10-trip pass for 10 EUR, a day pass for 5 EUR, and 7-day pass for 15 EUR.

There is also a free shuttle bus that goes down Victor Hugo Boulevard and loops around to the promenade and Old Town, before returning to the start. It’s a red electric bus that you just hop on and off.

Nice has several night-time bus routes which run from 9:10 pm to 10:10 am each day, making it easier to get around if you’re out late at night.

Bicycle – Vélobleu is a public bike-sharing system that lets you use bicycles around the city. There are 175 stations in the region and over 1,700 bikes. It is 1.50 EUR for a day pass (3 EUR for an e-bike), with the first 30 minutes free. If you have a bike out for more than 30 minutes, it’s 1 EUR for the second half-hour and 2 EUR for each additional hour.

You can also rent bikes for the entire day from local bike shops, such as Bike Trip or Booking Bikes. Day rentals are 10-20 EUR.

Taxi – Taxis are expensive in Nice, with a base rate of 3.50 EUR plus another 2.08 EUR per kilometer. This rate may increase in the evenings so skip the taxis if you can — they add up fast!

Ridesharing – Uber is available in Nice and is generally cheaper than taxis. For getting around the area (and the country) you can also use the ride-sharing app BlaBlaCar. It is a great way to travel around Europe on a budget.

When to Go to Nice

June-August are the hottest and most popular months to visit Nice. Temperatures average 30°C (86°F) and this is when the south of France is packed with locals and tourists who want to soak up the sun. Prices are also the highest and you’ll need to book well in advance.

The crowds in summer can be quite large at times, especially close to the beaches and in Old Nice. Prices in restaurants and hotels increase as well. To avoid crowds, venture into some of the local neighborhoods, such as Jean-Médecin or Carabacel.

In September and October, the average high temperature is 24°C (75°F). This is an ideal time to visit Nice. The crowds are considerably smaller, making it an ideal time to relax on the beach and wander through the streets of Old Nice and other popular areas.

December to April is considered the winter season and temperatures average around 12°C (55°F). Prices during this time are lower, and the streets are quieter. The exception to lower prices is during the Nice Carnival, which takes place for 14 days each February/March. A tradition since 1873, this is one of the best carnivals in Europe, known for its over-the-top colorful float parades during the day, a parade of lights at night, and beautiful flower parade.

The Nice International Film Festival occurs every May when the city is flooded with celebrities and more glitz and glamor than one can handle. Book in advance if you’re visiting during this time.

How to Stay Safe in Nice

Nice is very safe — even if you’re traveling solo and even as a solo female traveler. The risk of violent crime here is very low.

As in any destination, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.). Avoid walking through unfamiliar areas alone at night and beware of pick-pocketing and petty theft. Pickpocketing is common in markets, on buses and trains, and other crowded areas. Always keep your valuables secure and out of reach just to be safe.

Avoid bringing valuables to the beach, as theft while you’re in the water can occur. Keep your valuables secure when eating out as bag snatching can occur.

The petition scam is quite popular, where someone asks you to sign a paper and while you’re distracted with the clipboard, they’ll pick your pockets or demand a “donation.” Politely decline anyone approaching with a clipboard or papers.

If you’re worried about getting ripped off you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Avoid isolated areas at night and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.

Nice Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

Nice Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling France and continue planning your trip:

The 8 Best Hotels in Paris

How to Spend 5 Days in Paris

13 Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to See and Do in Paris

The Best Walking Tours in Paris

Life in Paris, Part 3: Nothing Lasts Forever

The 10 Best Day Trips from Paris

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Nice   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Guillaume CHANSON | Getty Images

Why Go To Nice

As the largest city on the French Riviera, Nice attracts beachgoers, history buffs and high culture seekers who come to vacation on its Mediterranean shores. There's definitely more to this attractive city than a pebbly waterfront, pastel-colored buildings and palm trees waving in the breeze. Baroque churches surprise you in the maze of the Old Town 's twisted streets; modern sculptures dominate the gardens as you stroll in the Place Masséna ; ancient Roman ruins provide the backdrop for grand art in Cimiez and the candy-colored onion-shaped domes of the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral  are seen from angles across the city. But Nice's cultural charms are often interwoven (and sometimes overshadowed) by its reputation for partying in the summer months. Be sure to leave a little energy for the vibrant nightlife along the Riviera.

Find Flight and Hotel Deals

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• # 4 in Best Beaches in France
• # 10 in Best Places to Visit in France

Best of Nice

Best hotels in nice.

• # 1 in Hotel Le Negresco
• # 2 in La Villa Calvi
• # 3 in Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee

Best Things to Do in Nice

• # 1 in Place Masséna
• # 2 in Old Town (Vieille Ville)
• # 3 in Promenade des Anglais (English Walk)

Popular Tours

The Best of the French Riviera Small group Guided Tour from Nice

(240 reviews)

from $ 103.64

Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze, La Turbie Small-Group Tour from Nice

(501 reviews)

from $ 100.37

Nice: Gorges of Verdon and Fields of Lavender Tour

(207 reviews)

from $ 120.01

Nice Travel Tips

Best months to visit.

The best time to visit Nice is in the shoulder season of September to October, or from mid-March to April when you can capitalize on sunny weather, fewer crowds and low room rates. In July and August, the city is extremely busy, especially on its beaches, public transport network and the main tourist streets of Place Masséna  and Old Town . You can take advantage of the Mediterranean weather year-round, but average high temperatures range from the mid-50s in the winter to the low 80s in the summer, and the city sees sunny days roughly 300 days of the year.

Weather in Nice

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

What You Need to Know

The Niçois are friendly France's stereotypically icy attitude regarding tourists seems to thaw in the ever-present sunshine. The Niçois are usually very accommodating to foreigners, especially if you make an attempt to speak French.

The Niçois are fashionable The Niçois dress more formally than Americans, so wearing baseball caps, flip-flops and sneakers will immediately label you as a tourist. Walking around in a swimsuit off the beach is also considered a fashion faux pas.

The Niçois keep 'em covered While topless beaches are common in France, it's a dying practice among the younger generations. Although you most likely won't get into trouble, you can expect to be the object of ogling.

How to Save Money in Nice

Be wary of private beaches Some sections of the beach are cordoned off as private beaches. These spots ban outside food and drink, expecting you to purchase refreshments from their nearby restaurants, as well as charge you upward of 20 euros (around $21.30) for a lounge chair. The public beaches might not come with chairs, but at least they're free.

Book smart Hotel  rates become more affordable from both mid-March to April and September to October. Smaller hotels in the Masséna neighborhood and towards the top end of avenue Jean Médecin tend to be more affordable as well.

Skip the cab Taxis in Nice are expensive. Plus, drivers in Nice are infamous for swindling both tourists and locals alike. Save yourself the hassle and take an Uber, a bus or a tram. Or, rely on your own two feet.

Culture & Customs

It is polite to greet everyone you encounter with a friendly bonjour ("hello") upon arrival, and an au revoir (goodbye) when leaving. Shaking hands is a common way to greet an acquaintance, while it is common amongst friends to double-kiss ( faire la bise ) when saying hello and goodbye. You will find that the French interact physically with close friends in the same way Americans do. If you are directly addressing someone you do not know well, do so formally by referring to them as monsieur or madame until told otherwise.

If you're dining out in Nice, you should note the French eat with both hands on the table and always with utensils. The only time you should use your hands is when you are eating bread (which is generally used to push food onto your fork). Never bite directly from a whole piece of bread, rip off bite-sized pieces instead. You can also use your bread to mop up sauce and wipe your plate clean.

Gratuity is generally included in the bill, but it is customary to round the total up or add an extra 5% for extraordinary service. A 5% tip is also acceptable for taxi drivers. For maid service, a few of euros per night is a sign of appreciation. The official currency in France is the euro, and one euro is equal to approximately $1.06. The euro to U.S. dollar rate often fluctuates, so check the latest exchange rate before you go. If you find yourself short on euros, almost all restaurants and hotels also accept major credit cards.

What to Eat

The food you find in Nice is lighter than in other French cities. Niçois cuisine is a mixture of traditional French ingredients, particularly vegetables – such as peppers, eggplants and zucchinis – and fish and meat but with a twist of Mediterranean flavor. Its location on the coast means that seafood is a staple as seen in the renowned salade niçoise , which combines fresh tomatoes, mixed greens, tuna, anchovies and green beans in a light olive oil dressing. Other local favorites include Italian-inspired pissaladières , small pizzas covered in anchovies and caramelized onions, and socca , a savory pancake made from chickpea flour and olive oil.

You can find the largest number of traditional Niçois restaurants clustered on the small streets of Vieux-Nice ( Old Town ). Some travelers recommend eating at one of the smaller, less expensive pubs or restaurants around the Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate near Place Rossetti in Vieux-Nice.

When you're looking for a restaurant, be sure to explore. There are casual gems hidden in seemingly uninhabited alleyways, while fancier establishments sit along the Promenade des Anglais (Walk of the English).

Similar to many European hot spots, Nice is generally safe but also deals with its fair share of pickpockets. Experts suggest that you not carry anything valuable or difficult to replace in your pockets. Keep an extra watchful eye on your valuables in commonly targeted areas like buses and restaurants.

In recent years, terrorist attacks have become increasingly more common in Western Europe and Nice was the target of an attack in 2016 that took the lives of 86 people. According to the U.S. Department of State, terrorist groups continue to plot attacks, so increased vigilance is required in France. There is also increased risk due to civil unrest. Travelers should stay aware of their surroundings. Consider enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive security messages and following local media to stay informed.

Getting Around Nice

The best way to get around Nice is on foot, especially if you plan on sticking close to the city's center. Like many other French cities, Nice is equipped with a reliable and convenient public transportation system. Buses and trams serve all major tourist attractions as well as the Nice-Ville train station and the Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport (NCE). Ride-hailing services, such as Uber, are also a popular option now because they are much cheaper and more convenient than traditional taxis. If you decide to take a taxi from the airport to the center of Nice, expect to pay a flat rate of 32 euros (around $34). Driving is not recommended as traffic can be frustrating and parking is limited.

Entry & Exit Requirements

A United States passport with at least three months remaining validity beyond your departure from France is required for you to leave the mainland and to re-enter the country. Travelers can enter France for up to 90 days without a visa. If you plan to stay longer, you must obtain the proper visa from one of the French consulates in America prior to departure. For more information concerning entry and exit requirements for France, visit the U.S. State Department's  website .

In 2025, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System , the European Commission's electronic vetting system, comes into operation. United States nationals will have to fill in a pre-arrival online form before traveling to France. Once approved, travelers will be able to stay up to 90 days in any of the 27 Schengen-zone countries. It costs 7 euros (about $7.50).

You'll spot the exterior of the monastery as you stroll its garden .

Explore More of Nice

Things To Do

Best hotels.

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Everything you need to know about Nice before you hit the French Riviera

May 15, 2022 • 9 min read

Before you hit the promenade, here are some of the things you need to know about Nice © Elena Elisseeva / Shutterstock

The queen of the French Riviera, Nice drips elegance and panache from every belle époque palace, baroque chapel and Mediterranean-blue chair on the prom. The capital of France's celebrity-stalked Côte d’Azur might be modest in size, but the choice of things to see and do in this iconic coastal town stretches well beyond bracing strolls along Promenade des Anglais and lizard-lounging on bum-numbing pebbles on the seashore.

Plan on lingering more than a couple of days to properly get under the sun-blazed skin of this ancient Greek-founded settlement and wildly popular modern seaside hub. Advance planning is the key to getting the most out of your visit to Nice – book too late (or not at all) and you might miss out on live jazz beneath the stars at the open-air Théâtre de Verdure, or a table for the best of modern Niçois gastronomy at Flaveur .

Here’s what you need to know to ensure smooth sailing on a trip to Nice.

Planning your trip to Nice

Plan ahead to bag tickets for the best events.

Flagship events such as the Nice Jazz Festival in July, and February’s Carnaval de Nice (for those keen to watch the parades from the comfort of a seat in a stand), require planning months in advance. Ditto for world-famous dates such as the Monaco Grand Prix or the Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) in Menton, which you’ll most likely attend on a day trip from Nice (where accommodation is less hotly contested).

Arrange a night at the opera

The show season at Nice’s hallowed Opéra Nice Cote d’Azur runs from September to June, and tickets for operas, classical concerts and ballets at this grandiose 19th-century opera house sell like hotcakes. Buy tickets a few weeks ahead and pack something a little more formal to wear to fit in.

Book tables in advance for the city’s foodie hotspots

Nice has plenty of old-town bistros, neighborhood eateries, caves à manger (wine bars) and sea-gazing restaurants that require no table reservations. But you should book tables at least a couple of weeks in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on the perfect plate of petits farcis (stuffed vegetables) or socca (chickpea pancakes) or the creative contemporary gastronomy of such Michelin-starred chefs as Tourteaux brothers at Flaveur , Michaël Gracieux at L’Aromate , or South African chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen at Jan .

Consider buying a Pass Musées

If you’re planning on visiting several of Nice's museums, buy a Pass Musées 3 Jours online or at the tourist office. Costing €15 (US$16) and valid for three days, the pass covers admission to all municipal museums and galleries. A single entry to just one museum costs €5 (US$5.30) or €10 (US$10.60) depending on the museum, so you only need to visit a couple to justify the cost of the pass.

When plotting your museum itinerary, investigate which temporary exhibitions and events are on – keep tabs on what’s happening via the Musées de la Ville de Nice Facebook page.

…or a French Riviera Pass

If your Nice itinerary includes day trips to neighboring hot spots such as Monaco , Èze, Marineland in Antibes or the belle époque Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, it's well worth investing in a French Riviera Pass . The pass costs from €28 (US$29.60) for one day to €56 (US$59.20) for three days, and it includes fun stuff such as a half-hour Segway tour, bicycle and e-scooter rental, champagne at the city casino, a stand-up paddle boarding session, wine-tasting and more, as well as admission to dozens of museums and monuments in Nice and along the Riviera.

Pack an old-fashioned corkscrew

Wine bottles in Provence and France come with corks – screw tops are rare. Pop a corkscrew in your hold luggage in anticipation of dreamy, wine-fueled picnics on the beach and dreamy rosé aperitifs at sundown.

Cut your carbon footprint using e-bikes, public transport and boats to explore

Don’t even contemplate arriving in Nice by car; downtown traffic and parking are equally tiresome. Get around on foot, and for longer distances, by public transport and the shared, free-floating electric bikes provided by e-Vélobleu .

Nothing compares to seeing the Côte d'Azur's fabled coastline from the water. Trans Côte d’Azur boats sail east from Nice along the picturesque shoreline to Monaco, passing Villefranche-su-Mer, Cap Ferrat and Èze, and to glitzy St-Tropez via Antibes and star-studded Cannes .

Etiquette in Nice

Keep bikinis and bare chests for the beach.

Don’t walk around the city in skimpy beachwear or bare-chested. Away from the shore, dress as you would in any non-coastal city. In summer, loose-fitting shirts and flowing skirts or baggy shorts are the way to go. Don’t forget a sunhat, sun protection and shades. Once actually on the beach, toplessness is perfectly acceptable and locals aren’t shy!

Sex on the beach? Non non non!

Noticeboards clearly explaining what you cannot do sur la plage are displayed at the entrance to beaches along Promenade des Anglais. Barbecues, campfires, wild camping, loud music and sex on the beach are all prohibited and punishable by stiff fines. Dogs are also barred, except on canine-friendly Plage de la Lanterne.

Leave the pebbles where they belong (and the blue chairs too)

It might be tempting to pop a couple of Nice’s signature round galets (pebbles) into your beach bag to paint and craft into a souvenir paperweight back home, but don’t! Each year, some 15,000 cubic meters of gloriously smooth pebbles from the nearby River Paillon are poured onto the beaches along Promenade des Anglais to slow down natural (and human-assisted) erosion. Play your part in preserving Nice’s legendary pebble beach – or risk a €38 (US$40) fine.

Also, note that Nice’s iconic blue chairs – a permanent fixture on the waterfront since the 1950s – belong on Promenade des Anglais. Do not move them onto the beach or, heaven forbid, attempt to take them home with you.

Dress up, not down, when dining out

This is France's glam coast, so bring some posher outfits and dress up for nicer mid-range restaurants, clubs and bars – no jeans and sneakers (though black or 'smarter' jeans are usually acceptable).

Dress modestly when visiting churches

Leave the ultra-short shorts and mini-skirts at home when visiting Cathédrale Ste-Réparate , Chapelle de la Miséricorde and other old-town churches and chapels. Bring a scarf – make that two – to cover bare shoulders and over-exposed thighs.

Bring your own bag or basket to the market

Browsing market stalls piled high with seasonal fruit and vegetables, shiny olives, rainbows of fresh blooms and exotic spices at Vieux Nice’s open-air market on Cours Saleya or the equally jam-packed Marché de la Libération is a Niçois rite of passage. Remember to bring your own basket or shopping bag to carry your purchases.

Shop for sustainably-produced ‘Made in Nice’ souvenirs

Vieux Nice boasts ample souvenir shops selling mass-produced tack aimed squarely at tourists. Hunt down artist-supporting ateliers and independent boutiques instead for environmentally-conscious homewares, culinary products and hand-crafted goods produced by local artisans, craftsmen, farmers, producers and fashion designers. On-trend concept and vinyl store Evrlast on rue du Lycée in Vieux Nice is a good starting point.

Maison Auer has sold Nice’s famous fruits confits (crystallized fruits) to the sweet-toothed since 1820. If wine is your nectar, discover small-batch wines from the Alpes-Maritimes and Var regions at trusted 1940s wine shop Cave de la Tour in Vieux Nice. Or buy direct from a local chateau. Wine curios will be instantly smitten by Château de Bellet , one of France’s teeniest appellations, hidden high in the hills 9km (5.6 miles) northwest of Nice. Call ahead to arrange a vineyard tour, cellar visit and dégustation (tasting) before you buy.

Drink pastis and rosé like a Niçois

Pastis is France's most iconic aperitif – drinking it at any time of day is acceptable. When ordering, asking for ‘un pastis’ would be like asking for ‘a beer’ – instead, check the drinks menu and order by brand. Ricard and Pastis 51 are the most common, but there are plenty of artisanal brands spiced with local botanicals. Pastis de Nice blends 26 plants and spices from Nice’s mountainous hinterland.

Alternatively, opt for a glass of chilled rosé crafted in a Provence winery. Bistros and restaurants typically serve Côtes de Provence or Côteaux d’Aix as their highly affordable house wines. To try the grown-up stuff, indulge in a tasting session at Rosé , a wine bar single-mindedly focused on the rosé wines for which southern France is rightly famous.

Avoid restaurants touting 'menus touristiques'

Nice has its fair share of restaurants targeting a less-discerning tourist crowd. Avoid restaurants touting a ‘menu touristique’ – follow locals instead to authentic eateries, with menus only in French and kitchens fueled by seasonal produce sourced from regional farmers and artisan producers.

Never order a cappuccino to end a meal

Cappuccino is an Italian import – in France, un café (a short, sharp espresso) is the only self-respecting choice.

Health & Safety in Nice

Ditch bottled water for tap water.

Tap water is safe to drink in Nice, and ordering une carafe d’eau (a jug of tap water) rather than bottled water in restaurants saves euros and reduces plastic consumption.

Bring your own water bottle to fill up while roving around town. There are free drinking fountains spouting eau potable (drinking water) in both terminals at Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport and in various spots around town. You can also find taps in the public shower-blocks on the beachfront along Promenade des Anglais.

Beware of pickpockets and petty thieves

As in any other city, keep your wits about you. Beware of pickpockets in tourist-crowded areas such as Vieux Nice’s Cours Saleya markets, and on trams and buses into town from the airport. Don’t leave personal belongings unattended on the beach – your valuables are safer left back at your hotel.

Watch for stinger jellyfish

If you notice a lack of people jumping into the shallows or swimming further out to sea, it's usually for a good reason. Mauve stinger jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) plague the Med at certain times of year, particularly in August. Ask around before entering the sea, and take the lead of locals – if they’re steering clear of the water, do the same.

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Nice, France Travel Guide

Get All the Basic Info on a Riviera Vacation

Nice is a wonderful French Riviera city, and a popular destination for couples, honeymooners, and sun-worshipers. It is a large city, though, and it can be tough mastering it. Find out all the basics of a Nice vacation, including what to do , what to see, where to stay, great day-trips and how to get around.

Getting There 

Nice is well-served by the Nice-Cote d'Azur airport just west of the city. It's an international airport, so there are flights from over 100 destinations, including New York.

Check out my information guide on how to get from London, the UK, Paris, and the U.S.A.

Read my guide to traveling from London to Nice  by train in detail; it is a delightful journey and makes a great start to a holiday on the Cote d'Azur.

Getting Around

There are numerous shuttle buses and local bus services to Nice and other Riviera cities, as well as overpriced taxis, to take you into the city when you arrive. If you are traveling by rail, Nice has three rail stations but you will probably arrive in the main terminal at Nice Ville. This will put you a few blocks north of the coastline.

Train Station and Travel

There are many connections from Nice Railway Station to other cities in France, and also to Italy which is a very short distance away.

The major bus system in NIce is Lignes d'Azur which operates in the city and also to and from the airport and other nearby towns. They also operate over 130 bus routes in the 49 towns that make up the whole Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur area.

There are other regional buses to nearby cities, and most stop at the Gare Routiere just north of Place Massena. There are rail connections to most neighboring cities as well, with the most frequent stops at the Nice Ville station. 

In Nice there is also the Noctambus which operates 5 night time bus routes from 9.10pm to 10.10 am, but they are not very frequent.

There is also the tram. No 1, a 9.2 km line that goes from north to east and passes through the city centre along avenue Jean Medecin and through Place Massena daily from 4.25am to 1.35am. 

Cost of buses

Buy a single ticket for on journey which also allows changes within 74 minutes for 1.50 euros and various other very good value tickets for different lengths of stay. 

More Information

You can obtain a system map and a brochure listing timetables at the tourism office on the Promenade des Anglais , or at the main bus station in the Place Massena.

Nice by Car

You can rent a car, but check first to see if your hotel has parking and what the cost is. It can be quite difficult, if not impossible, to park a car in Nice. If you are in Nice from another part of France by car, then consider leaving the car at one of the 5 'Parc relais' or stop-over car parks outside the centre. It's free to use and you can then take the tram into the city centre. 

Top Nice Attractions

There are countless things to see and do in this city, whether in the heart of town (Nice Centre), beaches , or in the hills that stretch behind the main city ( les collines ). 

Here is a small selection of some favorite places to see and things to do:

• The Cours Selaya Flower Market is a must-see. This is also one of the main neighborhoods for dining, with restaurants, cafés and bars lining the outdoor market. If you want seafood, this is the spot to hit. There are also several souvenir shops, gourmet shops and other boutiques here.
• Vieux Nice (or Old Nice) is right next to the market. Wander these narrow streets and discover great shopping, dining and some of the city's most happening bars. This is also a great destination after-hours, but go with a group. Old Nice is filled with dark alleys, and lone wanderers can become a target.
• Nice Cimiez, about a 15-minute bus ride from Nice Centre up into the hills, has a small concentration of museums and attractions. The Musée Matisse contains a wonderful collection of the great local artist's work. The archeology museum next door is interesting, but what is more fascinating is the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre, public baths and paved streets.
• The Promenade des Anglais is something anyone visiting Nice is sure to see. Even though they are outrageously overpriced, hit one of the seaside private beach/restaurants at least once during your visit. Rent a chaise lounge a few feet from the shore, and let waiters (usually unbearably slow and inattentive) bring you lunch and drinks.
• The Pedestrian Zone ( zone pietonne ) is a bit of a tourist trap, but there's a good reason. This is a lovely area for a stroll, as cars are forbidden except for the early morning hours (and the rogues who scoot through here anyway during other times). The shops here are on the tacky-tee-shirt scale in most cases, although there are several great clothing store chains and nice shops like the gourmet boutique Ducs de Gascony. This is the ideal spot to sip a café au lait and watch the world go by.
• Check out the Top 10 Attractions in Nice  in details

Booking options

• There are countless hotels in Nice, and an unusually high number of four-star accomodations. But for a treat try the Hotel Windsor, a short walk to the beach and the pedestrian zone, and a slightly longer walk to the Cours Selaya and old town. The rooms are reasonably-priced, and the staff is the most helpful around. The rooms also have their own personality, most decorated by artists and unique murals. Be sure to request a room with a balcony. 
• The Hotel Negresco is probably Nice's most famous hotel. Almost any photo of the Nice shoreline will be punctuated by the hotel's Art Deco facade. A National Historic Monument, this seafront hotel is the epitome of Nicois elegance.​

There are several great towns and cities near Nice, usually just a few minutes away. Check out the guide to the best day trips from Nice , a fabulous centre for the area. 

Here is a guide to a 3-day itinerary in and around Nice . 

More for Food Lovers

 Nice for Food Lovers

Good Cheap Restaurants in Nice

Try a Cooking Class in Nice

Edited by Mary Anne Evans

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A Complete Nice France Travel Guide

September 12, 2023.

Looking for a complete Nice France travel guide? My youngest daughter and I spent three days in this French Riviera city in May 2023 and I am already hoping to go back someday to explore more of the area ;).

Having flown across the United States as well as the Atlantic Ocean, and being pretty jetlagged, my first impression of Nice France was that my next three days in this lovely city was going to be quite relaxing.

And I wasn’t wrong :).

Nice, France is the perfect place to get over jet lag, adjust to a 9 hour time difference, and start a South of France adventure.

Nice France Travel Guide

How to get to nice, france, how to get around nice, france, how many days you need in nice, france, when to visit nice, france, money details in france, le negresco, hyatt regency nice palais de la mediterranee, la villa massenet, restaurant gina, le plongeoir, les bains du castel, boulangerie patisserie jeannot, walk the promenade des anglais, sit on the iconic blue chairs and people watch, wander the streets of old town, take a photo at the #ilovenice sign, catch the views at the top of castle hill park, visit the cours saleya market, shop (or window shop) on rue paradis and ave de verdun, relax at a beach club, walk around place massena, visit a museum, what to wear in nice, france, our full itinerary in a nutshell, the little details.

The Nice Côte D’Azur airport (NCE) services most major airlines. We flew British Airways from San Diego to London/London to Nice but many US cities have nonstop flights straight to NCE ;).

The airport is literally less than a 15-20 minute drive to the city centre – which makes it one of the easiest drives into town I have done in Europe so far ;0.

If you decide to start your trip in Paris, you can take a 6 hour high speed TGV train (if you decide not to fly that is!).

Nice, France is a super walkable city. All major sights can be seen just by using your feet ;).

In the couple of instances that we didn’t walk, we were able to use Uber or had our hotel arrange a taxi for us.

It is highly recommended to not have a car in the city as parking is extremely limited and to be honest – many of the streets are CRAZY skinny and in my opinion would be quite stressful to drive on ;0.

There is also a public bus and tram system however we did not use them. You can find more information regarding the bus and tram schedules here .

As mentioned earlier, we arrived into Nice straight from Western USA around 6pm local time and found this city to be a perfect place to adjust to the 9 hour time difference between the two regions.

So not including that first arrival day, we spent two full days in Nice before leaving for the countryside and felt that was the perfect amount of time ;).

The weather and the crowds in May were absolutely perfect for my daughter and mine’s visit. We were able to wear our cute sundresses and not feel overly warm or cold ;).

If you can, I highly suggest timing a trip in the shoulder seasons of April/May or September/October.

You can explore average temperatures per month/year for the city here.

The official currency of France is the Euro. There were very few times that Apple Pay on my phone was not accepted.

However, if I wanted to buy something at the antique markets, some of those stands only took cash.

I read a travel advisory once that highly recommended only getting foreign currency out of a bank ATM in the country you are visiting due to bank ATM’s being where you find the best exchange rates.

And it said never ever get money at exchange stands in airports or anywhere for that matter ;0. Just passing that along to all of you ;).

Best Places to Stay in Nice, France

If you are looking for the ultimate in luxury AND incredible location – this is your place! The public spaces in the hotel are filled with fine art and furniture pieces.

It is also one of the main symbols of the French Riviera. Only hotel or restaurant guests are allowed in the hotel, however you can still enjoy the beauty of this hotel’s exterior from the Promenade if you decide to not stay here.

Also on the Promenade with incredible views, is this Hyatt hotel. If you have travel points from Hyatt or a travel credit card, this would be an amazing place to stay!!

Photos courtesy of Hyatt Regency website

Further down the Promenade across from the #ILoveNice sign is this 4 star hotel (can you tell I am all about location?!).

Photos courtesy of La Pérouse Instagram

Best Places to Eat in Nice, France

Our biggest problem for restaurants in the South of France was that most are closed for dining between 3 and 7pm. So if we slept in or skipped breakfast/lunch and got really hungry for dinner around 5pm – we were challenged to find restaurants that would feed us ;0.

Below is a list of the restaurants we ate at (with some being available for dining early for us ;)).

This was one of the restaurants that serves food all day long and was recommended to us by the concierge at Le Negresco. The atmosphere was perfect and the food/cocktails were incredible – as a picky eater myself – this restaurant is highly recommended ;).

Being as how Nice is literally 15 miles from the Italian border, you will find a heavy influence of Italian restaurants in the city.

Which was okay with us because – seriously – can you ever go wrong with pasta and pizza??

This was another restaurant recommended to us by our concierge and is conveniently located in Place Massena.

Some of my close friends that are lucky enough to visit the South of France yearly, have eaten at this Instafamous restaurant and have said it is worth it – just be sure to make a reservation as soon as you start your planning! It books up months in advance ;0!

Photo courtesy Le Plongeoir website

A beautiful seafood restaurant with an insane view! Unfortunately this restaurant was not open when we were visiting in May 2023 but it gets incredible reviews and would be worth spending an evening at.

My picture clearly shows them prepping/cleaning for their opening the week after we were there ;0.

Seriously THE BEST croissants in all of the French Riviera (research done by me…)!

Do not leave Nice without at least getting a croissant or a baguette from this tiny cafe ;).

Top Things to Do in Nice, France

A 4.35 mile walkway between the Nice airport and the United States quay, this is a lovely walk along the French Riviera waterfront that can’t be missed.

You would be hard pressed to not notice the iconic blue chairs along the Promenade.

Or on a majority of Nice postcards and tote bags.

They are that iconic ;). So take a few moments to relax on the chairs (not super comfy but 🤷‍♀️) and do some people or ocean watching (depending on which way you are facing!).

Don’t even get me started on how fun this is for me!

Those skinny little European streets get me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!

But seriously – get lost in the streets of Old Town – you won’t be disappointed ;).

My favorite streets for photos were Rue Saint Hospice, Place Saint Francois, Rue Centrale, and Rue Droite (but all of them were so worth stopping and snapping!).

At the eastern end of the Promenade right before a bend in the road is a fun #IloveNice sign. You might have to wait a few minutes but no one takes that long to snap a quick photo.

Plus it’s on your way to the next attraction below anyway ;).

A .2 mile walk (UPHILL THOUGH!) from the sign above will bring you to the Benoit waterfall in the Castle Hill park or Parc de la Colline du Château in French.

There are multiple ways to go up to the park however I enjoyed the coastal views the most while walking up the stairs on the opposite side of the street from the above #ilovenice sign.

You can also get a snack (ahem frozen lemonade) at the lovely park concessions stand…

This lovely pedestrian only street is a flowers and fresh produce market on Tuesdays through Sundays and an antiques market on Mondays!

I was lucky enough to be there to wander both options and while I didn’t buy anything – it sure was fun to “window” shop and see all the fun things.

In fact – I cannot tell you how tempted I was to come home with a brand new set of silver ;0 (I didn’t btw but there were plenty of options with great prices to do so at the antique markets on Monday!).

The “Rodeo Drive” part of Nice with plenty of designer shops to either window shop at or if you are lucky – shop at ;).

If you stay at Le Negresco, use of their beach club is included in your rate (and there is a nice restaurant attached for cocktails/food).

If you are not staying at Le Negresco, Castel Beach Club is quite centrally located and appears to be one of the nicest clubs on the waterfront.

You can rent chairs, towels, umbrellas and more right at the club. Since it is a private club your personal belongings are safe and there are no beach peddlers around you.

Our friends who frequent the area (as mentioned above) say their favorite beach club is Opera Plage with the same perks as most of the clubs along the water.

One thing to note though is that French Riviera “beaches” are actually rocks so bring your water shoes to save your feet!

And while you can enjoy these rocky beaches without paying for a beach club, you won’t get the perks of clean bathrooms, food/drink services, as well as comfortable lounge chairs that these clubs provide.

This is where the above mentioned Gina Restaurant is located so our people watching in the plaza was easy enough while we sat and ate our pizza ;).

If you don’t eat at any of the restaurants in the area, be sure to at least walk by and take note of the Seven Statues of the Massena Square.

Some call them Buddhas but they represent the seven continents and the communication between the different communities in today’s world ;).

If you visit the plaza in the evening, the Buddhas light up and change colors…

There is also a fountain with the Greek god Apollo in the center at Place Massena.

While this is not actually an activity we participated in while visiting Nice, they do have some worthwhile museums – especially if you are an art lover.

Centrally located right next door to the Le Negresco Hotel is the Villa Massena which houses Napoleon’s death mask as well as other multiple other collections of art from French history.

Another museum worth mentioning in Nice, France is the Marc Chagall National Museum located about 1.5 miles away from the Promenade…

As mentioned above for best time to visit Nice, France, the temperatures for our May 2023 visit were perfect in the lower to mid 70’s.

This allowed us to wear our cute sundresses while sightseeing with light sweaters once the sun went down ;).

After our two days in Nice, France, we headed to the Provence countryside for a week and flew home out of the Marseilles airport.

Here is our full 12 day/10 night itinerary:

• Fly San Diego to Nice, France on British Airways via London
• Arrive in Nice, France at 6pm
• Nice, France
• Train to Avignon, France (3.5 hours)
• Tour Provence, France via a private tour
• Day trip from Avignon to Saint Remy de Provence
• Explore Avignon
• Train to Aix en Provence (25 minutes)
• Aix en Provence
• Day trip from Aix en Provence to Cassis
• Fly Marseilles to San Diego on British Airways via London

I hope you found this post helpful in planning your own Nice, France adventures!

This destination offers picturesque alleys, glistening waters, and delicious food. It is a perfect starting point for your French Riviera vacation!

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Travel Europe on a Budget

The Savvy Backpacker

City Guides .\33 a132798-3f3b-4585-954d-7e70cf863447{fill:#231f20}

Nice travel guide | best things to do in nice, france.

What to see, do, eat and where to stay while visiting Nice, France on a budget.

It’s easy to see why people flock to Nice. First, the weather is amazing (hello 300 days of sunshine) and we love how the city is a great blend of France and Italy (i.e. lots of great food). Its large beach and cute old town are perfect for people-watching. Nice also has a lot of solid shopping and museums to check out. Additionally, Nice is the perfect home-base for exploring the smaller cities and towns of the French Riveria or if you’re just stopping by as part of a larger tour of France.

In this Nice Travel Guide, we’ll cover the best things to do in Nice and help you find what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and how to get around while traveling on a budget.

How Much To Budget For Nice

The words “budget” and “French Riveria” usually don’t go together but Nice can still be a budget destination with a bit of planning.

We recommend budgeting around €35-€60/day if you’re on a backpacker’s budget. You can easily spend more, and you might be able to spend less, but this is a good range for planning purposes. Our Nice, France Travel Price Guide has a more in-depth breakdown of travel costs if you want to learn more.

How Long To Visit Nice

The highlights of Nice can be seen in about two days but you can easily add a few more days to explore the multiple day-trips from Nice that dot the coast of the French Riveria — like Monaco, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, and Eze. There are also a number of inland cities that can be easily reached via Nice. A lot of travelers include Nice as part of a bigger trip through Southern France/Provence.

We spent six nights in Nice but traveled at a fairly leisurely pace and explored a few of the surrounding towns. However, if you’re in a hurry, you can explore Nice itself in about two days and then add an extra day or two for the surrounding areas.

The Good and Not-So-Good of Nice

We always like to cover the good and the bad of every city to help give you a quick idea of what you’ll experience when visiting Nice.

• Weather: Nice gets 300+ days of sunshine.
• Food: Nice is near Italy so there is a lot of good Italian food as well as good French food. And, of course, there are some tasty local specialties.
• Nature and Views: One of the main draws to Nice (and the rest of the French Riveria) are the beautiful natural views. There’s a reason so many artists lived and worked in Nice and the French Riviera throughout the years (Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse, etc.)
• Beaches: Nice has a long stretch of beach that draws both tourists and locals.
• Hiking: The French Riviera offers plenty of leisurely hiking opportunities — most of which don’t require anything other than a sturdy pair of shoes.
• Gateway To The Riviera: Nice makes an excellent home base to explore the rest of the French Riviera — most of which are easily connected by buses or trains.

The Not-So-Good

• Summer Crowds: Like most towns in Europe, Nice does get a bit busy during the summer so you might have to fight the crowds. Make sure to make dinner reservations.
• Rocky Beach: The beach is great but you’ll want shoes/sandals if you plan on walking along the beach. Additionally, the water gets deep quickly so you can’t venture too far from the beach. That said, there are plenty of sandy beaches in the nearby towns.
• Summer Heat: Nice can get pretty toasty in the middle of summer — which is great for the beach but it not ideal for doing hikes and long walks.
• Lack Of A/C: The summers can be hot but not all hotels and rental apartments have air conditioning. Furthermore, the Old Town can be a little noisy at night so keeping your windows open can make it hard to sleep.
• Tourist Prices: Nice’s main industry is tourism so you have to seek out the good deals if you’re traveling on a budget (but that’s what this guide is for).

Get Orientated

Here is some practical information to help you plan your trip to Nice.

Getting Into Nice

The Nice-Ville Train Station is located in the northern part of the city. The Nice Tram is about a five-minute walk from the train station — which will take you to the old town and fairly close to the beach. It’s about a 20-minute walk to get to the old town. There will also be taxis or you can call an Uber.

The Nice Airport ( Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur ) is only a few miles from Nice.

• A taxi ride should be a fixed rate of €32 (including luggage) if you’re going into the city center (be careful of drivers who don’t charge the fixed fare).
• The #98 and #99 express airport buses  connect the airport to the city center for €6/ticket ( Aéro Ticket ). There are a number of city buses that connect the city with the airport for €1.50/ticket but it’s slower and not super convenient with luggage.
• Uber is also popular in Nice. Expect to spend around €20-€25.
• There is currently a tram being constructed from the airport to the city center but delays have pushed back the opening date to sometime in 2019.

Getting Around Nice

The bus and the tram are the main ways to get around Nice via public transportation. Single tickets are €1.50 per ride and you can buy them directly from the diver or automated machines. You can also buy a €5 unlimited day ticket from the machines.

Of course, Nice is a fairly compact city so we pretty much walked everywhere without much trouble. For example, from the Old Town to the beach is about a five-minute walk and the Old Town to the train station was a 20-minute walk.

Taxis and Uber  are also plentiful — although taxis are very expensive. For example, our 10-minute Uber ride from the Old Town to the Chagall Museum was around €10 but a taxi would have been about double.

You won’t want to use a car to get around Nice.

Nice also has a cheap  bike sharing program called  Velo Bleu — simply take a bike from one of the many stations throughout the city. That said, lots of visitors find it difficult to use (especially if you don’t speak French) because of the service’s quirks, finicky stations, and broken bikes.

Where To Stay in Nice (Neighborhoods)

Nice is roughly divided into four main areas — the Old Town (Vieux Nice), City Center, the Beach Front (which spans the Old Town and the City Center), and the Port. Ok, there are a few more neighborhoods but we’ve only listed the ones most popular with visitors. You’ll find a variety of accommodation options in each neighborhood at all price ranges.

Old Town ( Vieux Nice )

Nice’s 16th century Old Town (Vieux Nice) is the cute, largely pedestrian-only part of town that’s packed full of restaurants, bars, cafes, markets, etc. The area is safe and lively so expect a bit of noise as people enjoy these narrow winding streets. You’ll find a handful of small hotels and a plenty of rental apartments in this area. [ See On Google Maps ]

City Center/New Town

The area roughly east of the Old Town is considered the City Center. Here you’ll find plenty of modern shopping, wider streets and sidewalks, “newer” buildings (well, when compared to the 16th century Old Town), and plenty of restaurants, cafes, and nightlife. There are a lot of budget-friendly options in the neighborhood but the area around the train station does feel a bit seedier but prices there are more affordable. [ See On Google Maps ]

Beach Front

Naturally, the areas close to the beach (i.e. along the  Promenade des Anglais ) tend to mostly be luxury hotels. Most budget travelers probably won’t be staying here but there are still a handful of fairly affordable rental apartments in the area. Luckily Nice is fairly compact so you’re never very far away from the beach. [ See On Google Maps ]

To the west of Old Town is Nice’s port neighborhood. The port is lively and has plenty of hip bars, restaurants, and nightlife. This area doesn’t attract a ton of tourists so it’s a nice spot if you want to get a more local feel of Nice — plus the accommodation and food is cheaper. That said, getting to the beach is a little more difficult since there is a large hill separating the port and the rest of Nice. [ See On Google Maps ]

Best Hostels In Nice

Nice only has about 15 hostels but many of them are well-rated and affordable. Nice does get busy in the summer so you might want to book in advance to get the best price. We recommend checking out Hostelworld to see the most current review and rates.

• Hostel Meyerbeer Beach
• Villa Saint Exupery Beach
• Antares Hostel
• Hostel Baccarat
• Hostel OZZ By Happyculture

Looking for a budget hotel? We suggest checking out  Booking.com  to see hotel prices for your dates since they’re always changing.

Best Things To Do In Nice

Let’s take a look at some of the top things to do in Nice, France.

Promenade des Anglais

The star of the show in Nice is its long Promenade that winds along its white pebble beach. Enjoy a stroll along this four-mile promenade and get your fill of people watching. The eastern side of the promenade offers some great city views and views of the harbor. Head back at night and listen to the street musicians as you stroll along.

Or rent a bike for a few hours! The promenade has dedicated bike lanes and it’s a pretty easy ride. We got our bikes (€4/hr or €10/day) from a place on promenade called Roller Station . It took us about an hour to bike from end to end and back.

You can’t visit Nice without spending some time on its white pebble beaches . Word of caution, the pebbles are painful to walk on so bring sandals or beach shoes. Also, bring a beach towel because are a little painful to sit on and the salty film will rub off on your pants. Also, the water becomes deep very quickly so it’s not ideal for swimming.

All the beaches are open to the public but there are a few private sections with lounge chairs and umbrellas that can be rented for about €20/day (€15 for a half day) — you can also just rent a towel for around €5. These are usually run by hotels but anyone can rent a spot — but you might want to snag one early in the summer. Waiters will also walk around to serve you food/drink.

TIP: Visit the nearby Farmers Market to pick up some goodies for a cheap beach picnic.

Explore Old Town ( Vieux Nice )

Nice’s Old Town dates back to the 16th Century so it’s fun to spend the day wandering its narrow streets. We wouldn’t say there are many “must see” sighs within the Old Town so just explore, get lost, and enjoy the ambiance. Stop at one of the many sidewalk cafes for a drink or stroll around with some gelato. [ See On Google Maps ]

Castle Hill

Castle Hill is perched along the eastern edge of the Old Town and towers above Nice so it’s a great place for some amazing views and photo-ops of the city and the port. At the top, you’ll also find a nice park, a waterfall, and the castle cemetery. There is a free elevator to the top or you can walk up its steps [ See On Google Maps ].

Tip: Visit during the sunset.

Farmer’s and Flower Market

There is a Farmers and Farmer’s market (Cours Saleya Market) every day in Nice’s Old Town — except Monday when its a flea market. It’s full of meat, cheese, fresh produce, and sweets. You can also buy prepared food. Be sure to try the local traditional snack called  Socca (basically a large chickpea pancake) that are served fresh all day — the best Socca stall at the market is Theresa Socca (you can’t miss her). [ See On Google Maps ]

Ave Jean Medecin

Avenue Jean Medecin is a long boulevard that stretches from the old town to the train station. The avenue is lined with tons of shopping (mostly big name brands) and some restaurants. Note: There is an excellent gelato place on the avenue called  Cesar Milano — it’s 100% worth the walk.

Promenade de Paillon

The Promenade de Paillon is a long walkway/greenway that essentially separates the Old Town and New Town. It’s a nice stroll and you find lots of children enjoying the water fountain park during warm weather.

Nice has a few great museums but the best is the Chagall Museum that features the largest public collection of Chagall works. It’s a fairly small museum and we found the audio guide to be very helpful and informative — highly recommended. Tickets are €8 for adults and the audioguide is €2.

The other two popular museums in Nice are the Matisse Museum (the largest collection of Henri Matisse) and the  Museum of Modern Art and Contemporary Art (which also has great city views from the roof).

Nice also has a number of smaller museums. Check out the  French Riviera Pass as it covers multiple museums and other sighs/attractions in Nice and the surrounding towns. It’s available 1, 2 or 3 days for €26/€38/€56. There is also a Nice Museum Pass that gives 7-day access to municipal museums for €20. Check out the Nice Tourism Office for more information on all of Nice’s museums.

Fort Mount Alban

This 16th-century fort is perched in the hills above Nice, Villefranche, & Cap Ferrat. Make your way to the top for gorgeous panoramic views of the towns and the coast. It’s a fairly leisurely hour-long walk from Nice (there are some steep steps/slopes but it’s mostly paved) or you can take the #14 bus. Not many people make the journey so it’s a good way to escape the tourist crowds.

Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Nice has an impressive Russian Orthodox Cathedral that was completed in 1912. It’s a bit outside the city center but it’s worth a visit if you have the time.

Coastal Walk To Villefranche

Hiking lovers can make the two-hour trek from Nice to Villefranche — which is almost most entirely along the coast. It’s a nice walk if you’re in Nice for more than a few days.

Other Things To Do In Nice

Check out the upscale  Cimiez Neighborhood  in the northern part of Nice as it’s home to Roman ruins, beautiful monastery gardens, thermal baths, and a nice park. It’s also home to a few museums — notably the Musée Matisse and Marc Chagall National  Museum.

Take a cruise around Nice to get a beautifully unique perspective of theCôte d’Azur. Trans Côte d’Azur cruise company offers an hour-long cruise along the coastline for €18. They also offer longer cruises to Monaco, Cannes, ST-Tropez, and a few other locations.

For amazing views of Nice , we suggest Castle Hill, the rooftop of the Modern Art Museum, and the Nice Observatory (two-hour walk or an hour bus ride).

Looking for something a bit bizarre? Check out Cunégonde et Malabar — home of conceptual artist Ben Vautier. He decorated the outside of this home in signs, gnomes, toilets, and other found objects. That said, it’s not the easiest place to get to [ See On Google Maps ]. Here are his directions to his place.

Tours and Activities

There are a number of tours and other activities available in Nice and in the area. Check out Viator  to book a wide range of activities. Here are a few highlights:

• Nice City Bike Tour
• French Riviera Electric Bike Tour from Nice
• Half-Day E-Bike Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting from Nice
• Small-Group Nice Food Tour: Provencal Specialties
• Nice Segway Tour
• Provence Countryside Small Group Day Trip

French Riveria Pass & Nice Museum Pass

Looking to fill your days while visiting the French Riviera? Take a look at the newly introduced  French Riviera Pass as it includes admission to multiple museums and activities in Nice and the neighboring towns. The pass comes in three versions 24h(€26), 48h(€38), and 72h(€56). So take a look to see if this pass could save you money on the sites you were probably going to see anyways.

A few of the highlights are:

• Oceanographic Museum in Monaco
• Picasso Museum
• Museum of Modern Art (MAMAC)
• Marc Chagall Museum
• Renoir Museum
• Rothschild Villa and Gardens
• Double-Decker Bus Tour
• Segway Tour
• Bike Rental
• 1-Hour Ocean Cruise

There is also a Nice Museum Pass that gives 7-day access to municipal museums for €20. Check out the Nice Tourism Office for more information on all of Nice’s museums.

Where & What To Eat In Nice

Since Nice is so close to Italy you’ll find that a lot of the food is a mix of French and Italian (there’s plenty of international food as well). Tourism is the main industry in Nice so food prices tend to be a bit on the high side. Luckily, there are still a handful of places serving up quality meals for a fair price but you’ll want to do your research — furthermore, the budget-friendly places fill up quickly so reservations are highly recommended.

Traditional   Cuisine

Want to try traditional Nicoise cuisine ? Look for restaurants that have earned the certification Cuisine Nissarde . These restaurants will have an official sticker posted on their window to let you know they use traditional local recipes made with fresh ingredients. Here’s the official list of the fewer than 30  Cuisine Nissarde Certifies  Restaurants in Nice.

Local Dishes

• Socca: Socca is essentially a thin, slightly crispy chickpea pancake. This traditional street food is a popular on-the-go snack and is often consumed with a cold beer on a sidewalk cafe. You can find Socca at the Nice Farmers Market (the best is  Chez Thérésa ) or at a few restaurants around town (we recommend  Chez Pipo ).
• La Daube Niçoise:  This hearty tradition beef stew is made from red wine, bacon, tomatoes, carrots, mushroom, onions, garlic, and celery and is traditionally served over gnocchi.
• Ravioli Niçois: You can often find the Daube Niçoise in ravioli form as well.
• Salade Niçoise: This traditional Nice salad has lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, and olive oil.
• Le Pan Bagnat: This is basically a Salade Niçoise on a sandwich. This is a nice takeaway food.
• Ratatouille: This classic French vegetable dish was invented in Nice.
• Pissaladière: Caramelized onion tart that is often topped with anchovy.
• Petits Farcis: Vegetables (usually eggplant, tomatoes or zucchini) stuffed with meat and vegetables.
• Panisse: Fries made of chickpea flour.
• Tourte de Blettes:  This dessert dish is a bit unusual but it was actually very tasty. It’s made of Swiss chard (a leafy green kind of like spinach), apples, raisins, pine nuts, and brown sugar in a pie crust. Then it’s all topped with powdered sugar. We know, it sounds weird but it was pretty good.

Budget-Friendly Restaurants & Street Food

There are a number of takeaway restaurants where you can order a sandwich, panini, pizza, or other simple street foods. Additionally, you can also find a handful of affordable sit-down restaurants throughout the city — we always recommend making a reservation if possible. And of course, there are a number of grocery stores (like Monoprix ) throughout the city.

Places to Checkout:

Illia Pasta : It’s a small barebones restaurant but the owner/chef serves up fresh, affordable, and tasty pasta. There isn’t much ambiance inside so snag one of the outdoor tables for some lovely al fresco dining. You can also get your pasta to go. Great Old Town location.

Chez Palmyre : An excellent place to get a traditional, home-style French cooking. We recommend their €18 three-course menu. Reservations encouraged.

Creperie Le Trimaran : A nice little crepes place. You can get a savory and dessert crepe for under €10.

L’Atelier de Julien : Friendly pizza joint but it’s a bit outside Old Town.

Made in Sud Pizzeria : Neopolitian pizza place near the Port.

Chez Pipo : The most popular place to get socca.

A Buteghinn : A small restaurant in the middle of Old Town serving up traditional “ certification Cuisine Nissarde” dishes. The restaurant is run/owned by three sweet French women. Mostly outdoor seating. They also have preprepared takeaway food if you’re on the go. Reservations recommended. Cash only.

Lou Pilha Leva : Outdoor picnic style seating at this takeaway restaurant in the heart of Old Town. Stop by for a quick traditional snack and cold beer. The chicken and fries for €8.50 is a solid deal.

Chez Rene Socca : A chaotic and no-frills place in Old Town that serves up local street food at affordable prices. There are tables outside available but you’re required to buy a drink. There is always a line but service is quick.

Badaboom Bistro And BeJuice Bar : Hip hole-in-the-wall restaurant serving organic vegan food and juices. Nice owners. It’s a bit expensive but the quality is solid.

Tartine et Galinette : Another fairly barebones spot serving up cheap but tasty pizza, sandwiches, and other simple meals.

Le Falafel : An authentic family-run middle eastern restaurant serving up fresh falafel and shawarma dishes. Quick and friendly service.

Oliviera : Ok, Oliviera is slightly too expensive to be considered “budget” but the food gets rave reviews and the jovial owner is super welcoming and passionate about olive oil. Everything is homemade by the owner and his wife. Located in the Old Town. Open for lunch only. Reservations strongly suggested.

Farmers Market : The Farmers Market is a great place to get all kinds of fresh produce and prepared food — from cheese and bread to bruschetta and fruit. Open every day, from 6 am to 5.30 pm except Mondays, Sunday afternoons and public holidays.

L’Autre Part : This hip and welcoming wine bar run by a nice couple is a great place to escape the tourist crowds. They serve organic wines as well as excellent charcuterie and cheese. Located in the Port neighborhood.

Ice Cream and Gelato

There are quite a few gelato/ice cream places around Nice but our friend from Nice (she’s Italian so she knows her gelato) gave us a few of her favorite spots.

Cesar Milano: Our friend’s favorite gelato place in Nice was easily Cesar Milano in the New Town. We literally tried about 10 different flavors — each was excellent. The owner/chef is usually on-site and he’s happy to suggest flavor pairings. He makes both classic and a few more creative flavors so don’t be shy about asking to sample a flavor you might normally shy away from.

Oui, Jelato : Our friend also recommended Oui, Jelato in the Old Town. They have mostly classic flavor offerings. We both enjoyed our gelato.

Fenocchio Glacier : Fenocchio is easily the most popular ice cream shop in Nice — there is always a crowd of people jostling for a spot to get their scoops. They have a ton of flavors. We both got ice cream here and enjoyed it. Located in the Old Town.

Nice Day Trips

Nice is surrounded by a number of small cities and towns which make great day trips. Even better, each is easily connected to Nice via bus or train — both of which are very inexpensive. You can also take a ferry from Nice to a few of the towns (it’s a bit more expensive but the views are priceless).

French Riveria Seaside Towns

Below is a list of the most popular cities to visit from Nice — each is located along the coast of the French Riveria.

To the east of Nice , there’s Villefranche-sur-Mer , St. Jean  Cap Ferrat , Eze-le-Village , Monaco , and Menton . To the west of Nice , there’s Antibes and Cannes . There are a few other small towns but these are the most popular destinations.

Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat

Villefranche-sur-Mer is a laid-back port town that’s less than a 10-minute train or a 20-minute bus ride (#81 or #100 / €1.50) from Nice. A separate village, Cap Ferrat, is a short bus ride away and are often seen on the same day.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small seaside postcard-perfect French fishing village with a picturesque port. The cute old town is very small so it takes less than an hour to wander through all its tiny streets (maybe a little more if you get a drink down by the harbor). Perched above the city is an old citadel with thick, imposing walls that you’re free to explore. But the harbor is Villefranche-sur-Mer’s main attraction. Its super deep waters make it a favorite parking spot for mega-yachts. There are a number of restaurants along the port so it’s a great place to have a quiet drink or bite to eat.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a 45min-60min hike up to F ort   du   Mont – Alban — an old fortification that has great views of Nice, Villefranche and the rest of the Cote d’Azur. You can also take a bus/uber if you’re feeling lazy.

From Villefranche-sur-Mer, you can take a 15-minute bus ride (Bus #81 / €1.50) to the peninsula of  Cap Ferrat . There isn’t too much to see in the town of St. Jean Cap Ferrat. That said, there are a few fun seasides walks around the peninsula — a walk around the entire peninsula will take a little under 3 hours or a smaller walk (which we took) will take about an hour at a leisurely pace.

The main reason for most people visit is to see the impressive Rothschild Mansion and Gardens . Some people go straight from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Rothschild Mansion (~10minute via bus from Villefranche) and skip the town. The grounds of the Rothschild Mansion are very beautiful and it’s easy to spend a few hours soaking in the views.

Eze-le-Village

Eze is actually separated into two parts — Eze-le-Village and Eze-Bord-de-Mer. We only visited Eze-le-Village (which is perched high in the hills over the ocean) because we were told Eze-Bord-de-Mer (which is located along the coast) doesn’t offer much to see.

From Nice, take bus #82 or #112 and enjoy the views on this 30-minute ride (sit on the righthand side of the bus) to Eze-le-Village. Be sure to check the bus schedule. There is supposed to be one or two buses every hour but for us, it was only once every two hours — which was kind of annoying (maybe since we went off-season).

In Eze-le-Village head up to the Old Town of the village — specifically the Eze Gardens. The views from gardens are well worth the €6 entrance fees. There is a super expensive restaurant/bar (Chateau Eza) with world-class Cote d’Azur views or there are a few cheaper options as well.

There isn’t much more to see in Eze-le-Village (other than two touristy perfume shops) so after getting a quick bite we hopped on the quick bus ride to Monaco.

Monaco is the playground to the ultra, ultra-wealthy so spend a little time looking at the megayachts and fancy cars. From Nice, it’s a quick and cheap 20-minute train ride to Monaco. You can also take the bus but the train is easier, faster, and only a bit more expensive.

Monaco is basically split up into three parts — the Palace Square, the Old Town/Port, and the Monte Carlos Casino. The country is tiny so all the neighborhoods are within walking distance (but there is also a city bus).

• Palace Square:   The palace/Palace Square overlooks the Port and Old Town. The neighborhood also has a nice cliffside garden. The famous Monaco Oceanographic Museum is also in the area.
• Old Town/Port: This is the place to do a little shopping or get something to eat/drink at one of the many sidewalk cafes. Take a look at the yachts.
• Monte Carlos Casino: Blow all your cash for your entire vacation at the Monte Carlos Casino… or win a ton of money and never stop traveling. After 7 pm you probably won’t get into the casino unless your we’ll dressed — i.e. blazer and dress pants for guys. From 2-7pm normal-dressed people can walk around the atrium free-of-charge but it’s a pretty quick visit.

To the east of Monaco is the lovely French seaside town of Menton (which is near the border of Italy). Not many tourists venture to Menton so the town feels much less commercialized than many of the other towns. Spend an hour exploring the pastel buildings of the hilly, medieval Old Town. Have a drink at a quiet sidewalk cafe. The  Jardin botanique exotique du Val Rahmeh is a lovely exotic garden that’s worth a wander. Menton also has a nice sandy beach.

Menton, thanks to its close proximity to Italy, offers quite a few restaurants serving up quality Italian food.

Monton a quick bus or train ride from Monaco and it also has frequent trains to Nice.

Antibes and Cannes

Antibes and Cannes are both located to the west of Nice. It’s a quick 20-minute train to Antibes and a 30-minute train ride to Cannes. There is also a bus but it takes quite a bit longer so the train is recommended.

Antibes has a number of beaches — everything from soft sand to painful pebbles. The beaches can get pretty crowded during the summer. Most of the beaches are public there are a few private beaches if you’re looking for a little more luxe experience.

After you soak in the sun, head to Antibes’ charming Old Town and stroll around the city’s 16th-century ramparts that offer amazing views of the sea. Many people check out the Picasso Museum (€6). Don’t forget to check out Port Vauban — the largest port in the Mediterranian and home to many of the biggest yachts in the world.

If you’re rich and famous then feel free to visit Cannes — otherwise, we suggest skipping it. It’s expensive and there isn’t a huge amount to experience if you don’t have deep pockets.

How To Visit These Seaside Towns

All these cities are located very close to each other and are well-connected via public transportation and tickets are cheap — although it can be a bit tricky since there are multiple bus lines. You can easily visit 1-3 towns in a day.

Via Car/Bus (Corniche Roads)

There are three beautiful scenic “Corniche” cliff-roads that run along the coast from Nice to Monaco/Menton. Bus routes connect the cities (listed below) but they’re less frequent than the train and they take a little longer — but you get beautiful coastal views (if you’re on the righthand side of the bus). That said, the Nice to Monaco bus (which is essentially the longest route) will take about an hour.

Note: All bus tickets cost €1.50 and can be purchased on the bus.  Check the bus schedules since they can change. The Nice Tourism Office should have up-to-date schedules. For example, when were visited, the #82 & #112 bus from Nice to Eze toMonacoo was only running once every two hours.

• The Lower Corniche (Inférieure Corniche) runs along the coast but doesn’t offer great views and is often congested with traffic. It’s served by #81 and #100 bus.
• The Middle Corniche (Moyenne Corniche) has beautiful views of the cliffs/ocean and it’s connected via the #82 and #112 bus.
• The Higher   Corniche (Grande Corniche) is considered one of the most beautiful roads in Europe — which is best explored via car since public transportation isn’t really available.

The train is the easiest/fastest way to get from town to town but you miss out on most of the French Riviera views. For example, the train from Nice to Monaco takes 20 minutes and costs around €4. Also, not all the towns are accessible by train (so you may have to transfer from train to bus for some locations).

More Nice Travel Tips

Trésors Publics is a fun concept store in the Old Town that only sells products made in France. They put a little label on each product to show where in France its made. It’s not exactly budget-friendly but it’s still a fun place to pick up some unique gifts. [ See On Google Maps ]

Head to  La Maison Auer to feed your sweet tooth. This confectionery and chocolate shop has been serving up goodies since 1820. We highly recommend the caramels. And chocolate. And everything else. Located in the Old Town. [ See On Google Maps ]

Take a Free Walking Tour of Nice . The company Beach Riviera Bar Crawl and Tours offers 11:00 am tours every Tuesday till Saturday morning from March 1st to September 30th. Don’t forget that the tour guides work on tips. See their Tripadvisor Reviews .

Meet the locals . Nice is full of friendly locals who are proud of their town and there are a few local volunteers who are happy to show visitors around for two or three hours. Simply request at least a week before arrival and they’ll do their best to pair you up with someone depending on availability. Visit  http://en.nice-greeters.com for more information.

Visit the Nice Tourist Office  for city maps, bus times, and brochures on things to do & see in Nice — plus they have free wifi. The Nice Tourism Website also has a lot of information what’s going on in Nice.

The  Negresco Hotel is Nice’s most high-end hotel and it has a beautiful cocktail bar with authentic walnut woodwork dating back to 1913. The drinks are expensive (€20 for cocktails, ouch) but it’s still a fun way to pretend like you’re living the jet-setter lifestyle for an hour.

The Best Time To Visit  Nice is probably March/Mid-May or September/October as the weather is still nice but the crowds are smaller. The summers can get pretty hot but that’s perfect if you’re spending most of your time at the beach.

For a less-touristy beach experience , we recommend checking out La Réserve or Coco Beach. They’re both a bit outside of town (20-minute walk or a short bus ride). Again, these are rocky beaches so bring proper footwear.

A big breakfast isn’t really a thing in Nice so do like the locals do and head to a boulangerie for croissants, pain aux chocolate, and coffee .

More European Travel Resources

• We’re big fans of Travel Guidebooks and we highly suggest both Rick Steves’ Provance and French Riveria Guidebook & Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote d’Azur . We found that both books had a lot of great information and self-guided walking tours.
• Traveling Europe by train ? Check out our guides to Train Travel In France and Train Travel in Italy .
• Need some packing tips? See our list of the Best Travel Backpacks check out our Europe Packing List .
• Don’t forget to pick up some Travel Insurance .
• Check out our popular  Europe City Price Guides to help estimate your travel costs.

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Nice france travel blog — the fullest nice travel guide for first-timers.

Nice is a beautiful coastal city located in the South of France and is the second largest tourist city in France after only Paris with many interesting tourist attractions. It is known as the Queen of Côte d’Azur (The French Riviera). Nice attracts visitors by its perfect blend of tradition and modernity with its beautiful mountains, amazing hills, charming landscapes, stunning beaches, unique local culture, unique cuisine, etc. Are you planning a long-awaited trip to Nice but don’t know where to start? We are here to help. So, what to do in Nice France? Let’s check out our Nice France travel blog (Nice France blog, Nice blog, Nice travel blog) with the ultimate Nice France travel guide (Nice city guide, Nice France guide, Nice travel guide, Nice guide, Nice tourist guide) from how to get there, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit and things to do in Nice France to find out the answer!

• What to buy in Paris? — 25+ must buy souvenirs, gifts & best things to buy in Paris
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• Where to take best photos in Paris? — 17+ good spots & best places to take pictures in Paris you should know

Not only crowded, vibrant, bustling, beyond the beautiful appearance, Nice also owns hidden ancient beauty, romance, a wonderful mixed culture. Any visitor also want to come here once to experience walking barefoot on the long pebble beaches, enjoy the beautiful hilltop views, soak in the cool waters of the Mediterranean sea or explore the vibrant flower market color.

Nice France travel blog: Overview of Nice

The city of Nice is located in the coastal province of Alpes-Maritimes, in the Provence–Alpes–Cote d’Azur administrative region of the Southeastern France. Nice is the 5th most populous city in France after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse. Favored by nature with a mild and fresh climate, a long stretch of beach with bright golden sunshine, every year Nice attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world.

Nice was once part of Italy’s Savoia and then the Kingdom of Sardinia until Nice was ceded to France in 1860 by a huge vote, against the will of the population. Therefore, in Nice, there are many scenes that still retain the colors of poetic Italy. Incorporated into France in 1860, Nice at that time, with a population of 500,000 people, was still imbued with Italian architecture along the Riviera, especially the old town. Nice has the river Var flowing to the west, overlooking the beautiful Bay of Baie des Anges to the south and leaning against the Alps to the north.

This French Riviera destination always makes a special impression in the hearts of tourists. Therefore, this place always welcomes a large number of tourists to explore annually. For those who have a great passion of travel, the attractiveness of Nice is second only to Paris. Thus, the city of Nice is always the French most attractive tourist destination today. This place has fresh air and pleasant weather, so traveling will be very comfortable and pleasant. The beach here is very beautiful with clear blue water and long pebble beach.

This city is divided into 2 different areas: The old town and the new town. In addition, this old town is also called Vieille Ville. This is the most beautiful place in the city of Nice. When visiting this place, you will always feel the closeness and familiarity of this place. Today, Nice has become the world’s leading resort town.

Many tourists visiting Nice have the same feeling that this place has the beauty of a charming and gentle girl in her twenties. Here lies mystery and infatuation. Therefore, anyone who comes here does not want to return.

Nice France travel blog: When should you visit Nice?

The city of Nice is located in the Mediterranean climate zone, so the weather is mild and warm all year round, the atmosphere is extremely pleasant, suitable for sightseeing and travel leisure.

Spring (March to June): Spring is the best time to visit Nice. The weather in this season is pleasant and mild. Temperatures range from 8°C to 20°C.

Summer (June to August): With 300 days of sunshine, nice climate and mild sunshine. Temperatures range from 17°C – 27°C. This is a very ideal time for a beach trip in Nice, which attracts a lot of tourists from all over Europe every year. Therefore, the summer in Nice is very crowded, and the price of the service is also higher. One thing to note is that the weather can be a bit hot, it will be a bit tiring if you visit and walk around the city.

Autumn (September to November): Autumn is the best season to visit Nice. Temperatures range from 17°C – 24°C in September and drop to 8°C – 16°C in November, with an average rainfall of about 50 mm. The streets are also sparser with tourists at this time. In the autumn, visitors can easily book good hotels and resorts at affordable room rates.

Winter (December to February): Although it is winter, the climate is still warmer and more comfortable than other French cities. Coming to Nice at this time, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the Nice Carnival, one of the biggest events in the city held in February every year. As well as enjoy the exciting Christmas atmosphere here.

Nice France travel guide: Getting to Nice

Visitors can reach Nice by plane, train, bus or self-drive.

The airport in Nice is Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) airport, located in the southwest of the city, about 6km from the city center. If flying from European cities, you can fly with Air France, Luxair, Finair, Easy Jet,… To find the suitable routes as well as good airfares from your departure point, you can access Google Flights or SkyScanner .

From Nice airport, you can take bus (No. 98, 99), taxi/uber, airport shuttle service to getting to the city center.

From many French or European tourist cities, visitors can reach Nice by train such as TGV, EuroStar, etc. There are direct train lines but there are also train routes that have to transfer trains. You can use online multimodal transport search engines such as Rome2rio , Google Maps, etc. to find the train route you need.

Bus routes from European cities to Nice also operate daily, making it easy for visitors to find and book a bus to Nice. Famous and popular bus companies are Flixbus, Eurolines, Lignes d’Azur,…

Rome2rio or Google maps are convenient tools to search for buses for your journey.

Self-driving

Self-driving car services are very popular in Europe, you can rent a self-drive car to get to Nice from European cities if you meet the European driving requirements. Self-driving car rental companies in Europe can be mentioned such as Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, and Sixt.

Nice France guide: Getting around Nice

To explore Nice or travel between attractions visitors can choose to walk both saving money while see many interesting things along the way. The tourist attractions in the central area of ​​Nice are basically close to each other, so walking is also convenient.

The public bus system called Lignes d’Azur which operates routes in the city, airport and surrounding areas. The bus operates from 7am to 9pm.

I think to admire the beautiful scenery of Nice is to take a bus up on some high roads in the mountains, when looking down at Nice, you can see the sea and the city. This is the most beautiful scene that I like in Nice, coming to Nice without seeing the scenery from above is really a pity, so you definitely try at least once.

There is Bus 82 (towards Eze Village) going from Palais des Exposition Tram Station (this is the starting point of bus routes to Eze, Monaco…). Every hour and a half with a trip, so the first day we waited for the bus, but on the next day of travel, we took odd trips. That means on the route of Bus 82, there will be Bus 14 and 84 passing by.

We took Bus 14 first because it’s a regular bus, runs every 15 minutes, so we can take advantage of the time when we wait for the bus to stop on the side of the road to admire the scenery, which is more convenient than just standing in one place and waiting for the bus, which is very time consuming.

Bicycle/Scooter

In Nice, there are also many bicycle or scooter rental services for visitors to use for travelling and sightseeing. The rental price is also quite reasonable, but you need to ask carefully about the deposit policy by credit card, cash, etc. Currently in Nice there is also a shared bike service called Vélo Bleu – visitors can easily rent one for themselves and return bike at the stops of Vélo Bleu.

Mainly used when tourists want to go to Corsica. There are two companies serving this ferry route.

Taxis in Nice are not chosen by many tourists to travel because of the expensive price and basically it is not necessary to take a taxi to travel in Nice. In case you need to go, you can call Uber instead of taxi because the price is cheaper.

Nice’s tram system passes through many areas of the city and its vicinity. The tram in Nice has been open since 2007, operating every day from 4:25 a.m. to 1:35 a.m. the next morning. Visit http://tramway.nice.fr for more details on tram routes.

Nice France travel blog: Where to go & what to do in Nice France?

The city of Nice can be divided into four main areas: The old town (Vieux Nice), the city center, the beach area and the port area (there are a few more but the four above are popular with tourists).

Promenade des Anglais Coastal Road

The Promenade des Anglais is a coastal road for walking along the sea about 7km long in Nice, it is a great place to stroll, watch the sea, cool off, relax for locals and tourists. The place attracts a lot of domestic and foreign tourists to visit. You will be immersed in the fresh, pleasant natural space, enjoy the sea breeze, watch the waves from afar, …

Along this road are restaurants, cafes, shops, hotels, etc. From the Promenade des Anglais, visitors can also easily navigate the direction of attractions. The locals call this street is Promenade or La Prom.

Old Town (Vieux Nice)

Vieux Nice is a small old quarter loved by both tourists and residents in Nice. The old town captivates visitors with its cobblestone streets, typical Mediterranean houses, unique local markets, etc. They bring with historical values as well as distinctive cultural features.

Like Italy and Spain, Nice has narrow Mediterranean-style streets surrounded by tall houses painted in warm colors like red, yellow, pastel and ocher. These Mediterranean-style poetic old streets will remind you of the streets of Hanoi built in the French era.

Place Massena

It is the Nice’s main square, located between the Old Town and New Town. The fountain in the middle of the square depicts stories from Greek mythology, with a 7-meter-tall statue of Apollo in the center. Around the square are old buildings painted red with blue windows typical for the Mediterranean region.

Massena Square (Place de Massena) is a place that visitors can go back and forth many times when visiting Nice because the location of the square is almost in the center compared to the sightseeing areas, this is also the main square. Place Massena is the site of many major events in Nice such as the Christmas market and the French Independence Day parade.

Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

Inhabited by the Greeks two millennia ago, Castle Hill has now become a park with beautiful natural scenery and extremely romantic. When coming here, in addition to admiring the natural beauty of Castle Hill, you can also discover many other interesting and attractive landscapes such as: Baie des Anges, Vieille Ville and the harbour.

Castle Hill (Colline du Château) is a hill facing the sea. Most of Castle Hill’s original structures have been largely destroyed, and now it’s a park with trees, waterfalls, and some remains. However, it is a very interesting spot to visit.

Matisse Museum (Musée Matisse)

Address: Palais Fénelon, Pl. du Commandant Edouard Richez, 59360 Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France Hours: 10AM–6PM/Tuesday: Closed Established: 1952

The Matisse Museum is located in the Cimiez neighborhood of ​​Nice, close to the Regina hotel, where the painter Henri Matisse once lived. Matisse lived in Nice from 1918 to 1954. The building where the museum is housed is the Villa des Arenes, a 17th-century building in the Genoese style. This residence is also known as Gubernatis Palace after its owners and is set in a peaceful olive grove in Cimiez Gardens. This collection is one of Matisse’s largest in the world and shows the evolution of his art over time.

Henri Matisse draws inspiration from the vibrant colors and lines of the city of Nice to create masterpieces of art. Just look at a sketch of his balcony window, and you will surely see the Mediterranean coastline. The Musée Matisse is an art museum that houses many valuable collections. Currently, this museum has about 70 paintings, 56 sculptures, 236 designs and many very interesting sketches.

This large museum displays Matisse’s works from the early days to the end of his career. It can be said that this place bears the imprint of Henri Matisse. Art-loving visitors to Henri Matisse can get their hands on some of the artist’s masterpieces, as the museum’s souvenir shop sells numerous photographs of Matisse’s artwork.

Pathé Masséna Cinema

Address: 31 Av. Jean Médecin, 06000 Nice, France

The cinema is a house displaying photographic artworks, a separate building from the busy Avenue Jean Medecin. The museum specializes in global works, such as a portrait exhibition of famous Hollywood artists over the decades or a photo exhibition of American Indians. Free admission.

Archaeological Museum of Cimiez

Address: 160 Av. des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France

The Russians are not the first to devote themselves to the alluring beauty of Nice. The ancient Romans also considered this place as their homeland. Visitors to the museum can admire the ruins of the Colosseum, pedestrian streets and even very old public baths of the Roman period. The Archaeological Museum is a blend of the history and archeology of the region. The museum is located in the Nice Cimiez area (right next to the Matisse museum).

Rue De France Pedestrian Zone

Nice’s pedestrian zone is considered a “trap” to tourists. Because the shops here have many attractive forms, from the unique store layout, music, discounts, fashion products, to the cute service of the sales staff. Therefore, visitors who miss coming here cannot help but buy things for themselves or souvenirs for their loved ones.

This is a center of leisure and entertainment activities. Street performances are always take place in this area. For locals and tourists, this is an area for walking, skateboarding, rollerblading because there is no traffic. And of course eateries, cafes, clothing stores, book stores are indispensable. Enjoy a latte or munch on crêpes and watch the people pass by, or stop by the Rue de France for a hearty Italian meal. This is truly an ideal place for tourists.

Port of Nice

Nice’s port is an interesting place to visit. Just standing at a corner of Nice’s old town, near the Quai des Etát Unis street, visitors can watch the Corsian ferries leave. Although it is always busy with ships coming in and out, the boats anchored here are very orderly, neatly. Around the port are very crowded night clubs, busy shops and traffic.

The St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral

Address: Av. Nicolas II, 06000 Nice, France Hours: 10AM–6PM/Sunday: 12–6PM Architectural style: Russian Revival architecture

In the mid-19th century, the Russians came to Nice to travel, trade and live. They needed a place to pray and that’s why the St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral was built in Nice (French name: Cathédrale Orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas de Nice). It is the largest Russian Orthodox church in Western Europe.

The beach is one of the main attractions in Nice. Currently in Nice there are about 15 private beaches and 20 public beaches. There is a fee to enter the private beaches, guests are not allowed to bring in food or drinks. Public beaches are free but have no amenities.

Nice’s mild weather with clear blue skies and clear sea are what captivate and keep visitors. Nice has a coastline stretching 7km and in particular this coast is not made of sand but by pebbles and pebbles from the Var and Paillon rivers. With its emerald-green waters, Cote d’Azur beach looks like a landscape from a fairy tale.

Cours Saleya Flower Market

Address: Cr Saleya, 06300 Nice, France Hours: 6AM–5:30PM/Sunday: 6:30AM–1:30PM/Monday: Closed

Saleya Square is located parallel to the US harbor (Quai des Etats Unis). In the past, this was the residence of the rich in the city of Nice. The Palace of the Kings of Sardinia is also located in this square. When visiting the Saleya flower market, you can admire the colorful flowers and freely to choose, interspersed between the rows of flowers are stalls selling fresh vegetables and tubers with colorful trays of chili, fresh squash trays, not only that, here visitors can also enjoy the specialties of the region. This place is rated by visitors as a paradise of macarons and lavender.

Eze Village

This is the scene on my way to Eze Village, stopped at Bus 14 to play and wait for Bus 82 to continue to go, so I took this photo. But in my opinion, you should take Bus 84, get off at La Leopolda station, the scenery is very beautiful. You can stand here and wait for Bus 82 to continue.

Eze Village is an ancient village, up here you will see ancient French architecture, houses close together, like a castle with many families living together. Here, locals sell lavender flowers and perfumes, food and all kinds of things. Actually, I still prefer the scene by the roadside than the old village.

La Leopolda Station

That day, we took Bus 14 from Galibadi station to Col de Villefranche station, then got off to admire the scenery for a while and then took Bus 84 to continue to La Leopolda stop and waited for Bus 82 to go to Eze Village (this station is far from Eze Village only 3 stops, but the distance between 3 stops are long so it’s impossible to walk).

Especially the scene at La Leopolda station is very, very beautiful. I see a lot of cars stop at this station to take pictures and admire the scenery. Unfortunately, we didn’t notice that day, we went more than 1 station because we couldn’t find the stop button on Bus 84 (This bus has the same form as auto). So the two of us got lost on the highway and still had decided to walk back, because it took 30 minutes to wait for Bus 84 to return to the old place, so we risked going. Fortunately, going about 200m, me and my friend were transported to Eze Village by a local.

Nice France travel blog: What to eat?

Nice is quite close to Italy, so the dishes are also a fusion and influence between French and Italian cuisine.

Some popular dishes:

Salade Nicoise: Almost you go into any restaurant, any eatery, on their menu will have this wonderful dish. Salad with tomatoes, radishes, onions, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, tuna and anchovies mixed with olive oil. The recipe is quite simple, using this dish with a little wine will be much more attractive.

Coq au vin (French chicken stew): Coq au vin means “rooster in wine”. This is a delicacy in Nice that is loved by both locals and visitors. The dish is prepared quite elaborately, using delicious pieces of chicken marinated with spices and wine, so that the meat infuses the rich flavor. Then stewed with ingredients such as: Onion, garlic, butter, mushrooms, … to make the dish more attractive. This dish should be served with a special sauce to increase its attractive.

Steak Tartare: This is minced raw beef, mixed with onions, pepper, sauce and egg yolk, then served with rye bread. This is a rather picky dish, because if you are not used to it, it will be difficult to eat, but there are many people who eat it once and want to come back to enjoy it again.

Crepe: Referring to French cuisine in general and Nice in particular, it must be mentioned Crepe cake. Although it is just a simple cake made from flour, barley mixed with eggs, milk, butter, then thinly coated black, golden brown and served with cold cream, chocolate sauce, caramel,… but the taste of this cake will easily conquer the taste of diners.

Socca: A type of thin, unleavened pancake made from chickpea flour – a fairly popular dish in Nice.

Le Pan Bagnat: A sandwich filled with garlic, tuna, anchovies, sliced.

Pissaladière: A pizza-like pie but with onions, anchovies and olives on the ingredients.

La daube niçoise: Beef stew in red wine with onions, carrots and herbs.

Ratatouille: A vegetables stew dish, originally from Nice.

Soupe au pistou: A famous bean soup of Provençal.

The cost of dining in Nice is quite expensive, the average price for a regular meal will range from 9-13 EUR, dessert on the menu is 5-10 EUR, wine around 4-9 EUR/glass.

Nice France blog: Shopping

The shops in Nice are many: From small shops to large shopping malls, from souvenirs to high-end and luxury fashion brands. What to buy as a gift in Nice? Handicrafts, extra virgin olive oil and handmade soaps… are items often chosen by tourists. You can “get” them from anywhere: markets, souvenir shops in the old town… Or if you want to buy famous high-end appliances, you can go to the shopping places below.

Popular shopping places:

• Market: Selling many things from crafts, postcards, books, etc. The old town is full of shops.
• Cours Saleya Flower Market as mentioned above.
• Centre Commercial NICETOILE (Address: 30 Av. Jean Médecin, 06000 Nice, France)
• Galeries Lafayette Nice Masséna (Address: 6 Av. Jean Médecin, 06000 Nice, France)
• Polygone Riviera Shopping Center (Address: 119 Av. des Alpes, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France)
• Carrefour Nice Lingostière Shopping Center (Address: 202 Rte de Grenoble, 06200 Nice, France)
• Nice TNL shopping center (Address: 15 Bd Général Louis Delfino, 06300 Nice, France)

Nice France travel blog: Where to stay?

Traveling to Nice, visitors can stay at hostels, motels, budget or high-class hotels. Depending on the type of accommodation, the price will vary, for example, if staying in a hostel, the cost for a dorm bed is about 14 EUR/night, in a guesthouse or budget hotel, the price ranges from 35-40 EUR/room/night.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Hotel Monsigny ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Hotel Le Negresco ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• easyHotel Nice Palais des Congres Vieux Nice ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Hotel La Perouse ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Hotel Aston La Scala ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )

Check out more top and best hotels in Nice on Agoda.com or Booking.com .

Nice France travel guide: Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Nice you can refer to

• French Riviera Full Day Tour from Nice
• The Best of the French Riviera Day Tour From Nice or Cannes
• Nice Segway Tour
• French Riviera Countryside Full Day Tour from Nice
• The Historical Nice City Half Day Tour from Nice, Cannes, or Monaco
• French Riviera Art de vivre 4-Hour Tour from Nice

Read more Paris travel guide here and France here .

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Nice Travel Guide: Tips for this French Riviera City

Looking for a nice Nice travel guide? (Get it? I know, I’m clever.) Since I just planned a weekend here, I’m putting all my best advice below!

Back when I was planning my big Asia and Europe trip, I knew my friend, Elissa, and I would want to plan at least one weekend in May for travel. She wanted to go somewhere in southern France, and we, luckily, ended up in Nice!

I say luckily because one of the other places we considered was Cannes, which would’ve coincided with the Cannes Film Festival and been a crowed nightmare. And if we had booked one weekend later, we’d have been competing with the Grand Prix in Monaco , which would’ve also been a crowded nightmare.

Anyway, I really didn’t have many expectations for Nice besides knowing I just wanted to walk around and relax, which is pretty much exactly what I did. It wound up being so lovely! Full of buildings designed to be French but colored to be Italian, there’s quite a bit to do, see, and eat, making it the perfect introduction to the French Riviera. If you’re planning some Nice travel, here’s all you need to know below.

Nice Travel Tips for First Time Visitors

A Brief History of Nice

Nice as we begin to know it first came about around 350 BC. Colonists from Phocaea in Greece began settling here and gave it the name Níkaia after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Given its prime location on the Ligurian coast, it became a bustling port city.

Despite being French now, much of Nice’s history during the Middle Ages actually has much more in common with the chaotic formation of Italy. It’s during these times that things like the Castle of Nice (Castle Hill) were built. From 1388 through 1860, Nice was tied to the Duchy of Savoy and even adopted Italian as its official administrative language in 1561 when the Duke abolished Latin.

This mix of Italian and French histories is most evident in the architecture! If you take a look at many of the buildings, you’ll notice the pastel colors are more reminiscent of other Italian Riviera cities. However the designs are still very much French.

This all ended with the Treaty of Turin in 1860, when the area was ceded to Napoleon III. Nice was again a part of France which also caused something called the Niçard exodus, where a many Nice locals left the city for other parts of Italy.

For the early part of the 1900s, Nice was pretty quiet. Two notable events happened when the Tramway de Nice was built and then when the city hosted Formula Libre, Formula One’s predecessor.

As with other European cities, Nice felt the effects of World War II in 30s and 40s. During the early, pre-Vichy Regime years, it provided a bit of a safe haven for Jews fleeing Nazi occupation. Later it would deal with both Mussolini’s Italy and Nazi Germany. Even during these takeovers, two men, Angelo Donati and Friar Père Marie-Benoît, helped thousands of Jews escape.

Post-World War II, which happened when American troops liberated the city in 1944, Nice began to grow more into the French Riviera resort town we know it as today. Jean Médecin, followed by his son Jacques, each held mayorship from 1928 to 1990. Although Jacques was later arrested for corruption, for the most part under their leadership the city grew and modernized.

It recently became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 and sees thousands of visitors yearly.

When to Visit Nice

You know, Elissa and I visited in May when the weather sat around 70-80F and was really pleasant with just a touch of humidity. She learned from her tour that the weather is pretty lovely year round. The coldest months of January – March rarely drop below 50F and sometimes get as warm 70-80F. All that’s to say:

Plan your visit in the off season.

Elissa’s tour guide warned her that the city’s population quadruples in size during the summer months, which I think would make it a pretty unpleasant place to be. You’re not really going to want to relax on the beach here as there isn’t sand but full on rocks, so there’s no need to come in the hottest, most humid, and most crowded months of the year! Save Nice for the off season or even a shoulder season like we did with May, and you’ll have good weather and walk around without feeling claustrophobic.

Where to Stay in Nice

This really depends on which way you come into town and how much you want to lug your luggage around. Luckily Nice has pretty smooth pathways, so even if you have a kilometer to walk, you don’t have to worry about picking up your suitcases or breaking a wheel on cobblestone streets.

To figure out your ideal location, I want you to first imagine Nice on a map with the sea at the bottom and the train station at the top. The stretch along Avenue Jean Médecin is about a 15-minute walk.

If you come by train and want to walk as little as possible, then I’d stay somewhere along close by the station. Thinking we’d both take the train in, we picked the Hotel du Cent r e , which is a really cute little hotel with the most incredible view of the Notre-Dame de Nice. It’s maybe 5 minutes from the Gare de Nice-Ville.

However , we actually both flew in, which means we took the tram in from the airport. In this case, the drop off point is actually closer to the seaside in the south, so you’d be better off finding a hotel around there instead.

How to Get into Nice

If you come in by plane, you’ll arrive at the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport . It’s a pretty small airport and easy to navigate out of. From there, you can take the tram into town, and the whole thing should take around 30-40 minutes.

Pro Tip: Download the Nice Ticket app and just buy a ticket as needed there. Saves time and paper! Wish Paris had adopted something similar.

Like I mentioned above, Nice does have its own train station, the Gare de Nice-Ville , and it sits on the northern side of the main downtown area. It’s easy to walk to wherever you’re staying or need to go from there. You can book on SNCF’s site and if it’s showing sold out, try Omio . My friend found some open seats there when we were looking for another train in France.

How to Get Around Nice

For the most part, the best way to get around Nice is to simply walk. Nearly all of the main things to do and see are within walking distance, and, in fact, a car or the tram/bus would maybe save you 2-3 minutes max.

By tram/bus

For the few things right outside downtown Nice, you may want the tram or pus to get to. Use the same app, Nice Ticket, to buy a ticket and then use Google Maps to figure out your route.

If you want, Nice also has a public bike system known as vélobleu . I’m not familiar with it as we never rented them, but they seem pretty easy to use! Just download the E-vélobleu app .

Notable Sightseeing Places in Nice

If there’s one area that’s the core of what makes Nice charming, it’s the pastel facades of Vieux Nice (or Old Nice). The streets are narrow, the buildings pretty, and the restaurants and cafes abundant. The best way to enjoy it is to just stroll and snap away.

Apollo Fontaine & La Place Massena

If you ever get lost, this is the place you want to look for. Place Massena sits right before you get to the Promenade Anglais and the beaches. Its checkerboard-esque flooring is hard to miss. Though if you do somehow miss them, there’s still the Fountain of the Sun which features a statue of the Greek god, Apollo.

Castle of Nice

When it comes to Nice travel, this is the *main* sightseeing thing to do in Nice. The name, Castle of Nice, is a bit deceiving as it’s not really a castle but more of a park with the best aerial views over the city. Don’t let the stairs scare you – there’s a free elevator that’ll take you right to the top!

The Beaches

While the beaches in Nice aren’t exactly the best for sunbathing, they are still lovely to hang out at. The free beach has nothing in the way of rentals (missed business opportunity if you ask me), but there are two paid beaches that have loungers, umbrellas, and towel rentals. We booked a day pass at Castel Plage , which I’d recommend!

Just a warning, you’ll probably want actual water shoes if you plan on swimming. Getting in and out of the water is no joke.

Cours Saleya Market

Just look for the brightly striped tents of Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice for a fun, outdoor market! Everyday except Monday, you can find a flower and food market and then on Mondays, you can find an antiques market.

Get whatever fruit is in season and enjoy the fresh snack down by the beach! Also most stalls take credit card, which I was pleasantly surprised by.

Port Lympia

Another notable spot in Nice is Port Lympia , the city’s main port. It’s cool to see, though it loses some charm with all the modern looking yachts and boats.

Where to Eat in Nice

I admittedly did not eat very locally in Nice. By the time I got there I’d already spent about a week in France and was craving Asian food as well as quick, easy food (I caved and got a cheeseburger at McDonald’s on my way back to my hotel). French dining is lovely, but sometimes you don’t want to sit and relax for hours while you eat, ya know?

Anyway here’s where I ate and also wanted to eat but didn’t wind up visiting.

TIP: Honestly my favorite meal was when Elissa and I got some picnic supplies and carried them over to where the #ILoveNICE sign is. It’s on a cape, there’s seating all around, and you can’t beat the view. We went to the market to pick up cheese and strawberries, and then we found a boulangerie for a fresh baguette and waters. Absolute perfection!

Restaurants for Lunch or Dinner

Note that I found all the service at these spots friendly! If anyone sucked below, I would’ve probably just left and written a warning about going to the place lol.

• Maido (near Vieux Nice) – Cute spot for Japanese street food-esque dishes like okonomiyaki . Very casual and lively.
• Bistrot d’Antoine (Vieux Nice) – French bistro with really good food. Recommend getting the meat of the day, I’m dreaming about that duck breast. Elissa got the braised pork cheeks casserole and gave it her stamp of approval too – it reminded me a lot of my favorite bo kho in Saigon!
• La Langouste (near Notre Dame) – I went here on my last night when I was alone and after my first pick was full! Very delightful surprise as the seating is in the back patio and the food was delicious. Another spot I got duck breast and am salivating remembering it.

Other Places I Didn’t Go:

• Lavomatique – Really wanted to go here but was just too tired to walk back to Vieux Nice on my last night. It’s set in an old laundromat and the food looks incredible. Two reviews mentioned it would probably be a Michelin star restaurant someday.
• Fournil Zielinska – Sourdough lovers rejoice! We happened to walk by this sourdough bakery when it was closed, but it had to save it because it looked so nice.

Cafes & Dessert Stops

• AZZURRO Aristan Glacier – Busy gelato spot. It was pretty good! Not sure if you’d want to wait in line for it, though.
• Hug Cafe – this cafe was attached to our hotel, so we got breakfast here. The hotel breakfast is okay but the actual food the cafe has looked really good, so next time I’d just get that.
• cafe fino – Trendy cafe on the same street as Maido. I remember breakfast was nice and Elissa liked her egg mcmuffin, though she ordered it with skepticism.
• The Service Course Nice – A bike shop/cafe in Vieux Nice. They offer up milk alternatives, so I got a nice iced almond milk latte and vegan banana bread while sitting outside and relaxing.

Didn’t Go:

• Clay – Cafe near Quartier du Port. Looks like a nice breakfast spot!
• Cafés Indien – Elissa stumbled across this when she was wandering (I was tired and sleeping lol).
• Marinette – Another cute cafe in Vieux Nice that looks like it has some nice breakfast and sweet options.

Day Trips from Nice

If you want to explore more of the French Riviera, there are plenty of cool day and half-day trips you can take from Nice. I wanted to relax, so I didn’t go anywhere, but Elissa did a half-day trip to Monaco, which she said she liked. Monaco itself was kinda bleh, but the tour was cool and she learned a bit more about Grace Kelly on it.

Here are some other tours you could do:

Italian Dolce Vita & Menton

I actually forgot about Menton until it was too late! It’s been on my colorful places bucket list for ever, so I’ll just have to save it for a future riviera trip. Book Here

Gorges du Verdon & Fields of Lavender

This full day tour is for anyone who comes in June and wants to try and see the lavender fields. The Gorges of Verdon are these incredible canyons with aquamarine waters and, of course, the lavender fields of southern France are pretty much photo famous these days. Book Here

French Riviera in One Day

If have limited time and want to see as much of the Côte d’Azur as possible, this tour will go from Nice to Èze, Monaco, Antibes, Saint-Paul de Vence, and then Cannes in one very full day. Book Here

Éze, Monaco, & Monte Carlo

For something a little less intense and only half the day, you can do Éze, Monaco, and Monte Carlo. Book Here

Saint Tropez & Port Grimaud

If you’ve always been curious about the glamorous Saint Tropez, than this should be a cool tour (actually one I’d consider on a future visit if I don’t just go straight there myself). You’ll actually take a boat trip to Port-Grimaud before going to Saint Tropez! Book Here

Shopping in Nice

This is one of those moments where I wished I lived in France and also had an expendable bank account so I could just shop to my heart’s content. There are a ton of cute boutique shops and, of course, the antique market on Monday is every vintage lover’s dream.

I did manage to snag a cute boater hat after Elissa found a nice shop for hers but otherwise didn’t buy anything as I purposely left myself very, very limited space.

There’s also, of course, a ton of regular shopping. Along the main avenue you can find a giant H&M and Sephora; plus all the pharamacies for those of you who want to pick up some iconic French skincare products!

Safety & Health in Nice

I found Nice to feel pretty safe over all, and I walked around at all times of day and all over both with Elissa and totally by myself. Naturally, as it’s more of a city than a town, you’re going to still want to keep an eye on your belongings and not get too cavalier with it all.

One thing that’s that’s really annoying with Nice travel but is endemic in all of France is the casual smoking everywhere outside. I think it’s one of those things that’s slowly improving, but just know that if you eat outside, you also risk being in someone’s smoke path, which is incredibly annoying.

And that’s all my best advice for some nice Nice travel (get it, haha). Let me know if you have any questions below, and I’ll do my best to help!

For more France travel, read these next:

• Visiting Colmar Feels Exactly Like Entering a Storybook
• A Weekend in Paris is ALWAYS a Good Idea if You Follow this Guide
• 16 Splendid Things to Do in Strasbourg
• 13 Magical French Pharmacy Skincare Products You’ve Gotta Try

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Thank you for all your helpful travel tips for Nice. I am traveling 7 May to 14. I have a day trip to Cannes, Monaco, perfumery etc. My question is where can I get cool boater hat there. My hotel is Hotel de Suede, on Avenue de Suede. Kind regards,

Hi Lisa! I wish I could remember the exact store but my friend and I found ours at one of the shops near Cours Saleya Market. When I googled I found La Chapellerie which looks like where we went! Hope that helps!

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My niece and I attended this terrific workshop. We learned a lot and had tons of fun. The bread and pastries were amazing. It was great to get behind the s...

The capital of the Riviera and fifth largest city in France, Nice lives off a glittering reputation. Far too large to be considered simply a beach resort, it has all the advantages and disadvantages of a major city: superb culture, shopping, eating and drinking, but also crime, graffiti and horrendous traffic, all set against a backdrop of blue skies, sparkling sea and sub-tropical greenery kept lush by sprinklers.

Nice beaches

Nightlife and entertainment, the promenade des anglais.

Popularized by English aristocrats in the eighteenth century, Nice reached its zenith in the belle époque of the late nineteenth century, and has retained its historical styles almost intact: the medieval rabbit warren of Vieux Nice , the Italianate facades of modern Nice and the rich exuberance of fin-de-siècle residences dating from when the city was Europe’s most fashionable winter retreat. It has mementos from its time as a Roman regional capital, and earlier still, when the Greeks founded the city. The museums are a treat for art lovers, and though its politics are conservative Nice doesn’t feel stuffy; it has a highly visible LGBT community and spirited nightlife. Of late Nice has been smartening up its act with extensive refurbishment of its public spaces and the construction of an ultra-modern tramway . Conservative it may be, but Nice does not rest on its laurels.

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The area around the station teems with cheap hotels, some of them seedy, though there are a few gems. Sleeping on the beach is illegal and for campsites you’ll need to head west to Cagnes-sur-Mer.

Packed with vast belle époque piles, many of them former hotels, the northern suburb of Cimiez has always been posh. The heights of Cimiez were the social centre of the local elite some 1700 years ago, when the town was capital of the Roman province of Alpes-Maritimae. Part of a small amphitheatre still stands, and excavations of the Roman baths have revealed enough detail to distinguish the sumptuous and elaborate facilities for the top tax official and his cronies, the plainer public baths and a separate complex for women. All the finds, plus an illustration of the town’s history up to the Middle Ages, are displayed in the Musée d’Archéologie .

The seventeenth-century villa lying between the Roman excavations and the arena is the Musée Matisse . Matisse spent his winters in Nice from 1916 onwards, and then from 1921 to 1938 rented an apartment overlooking place Charles-Félix. It was here that he painted his most sensual, colour-flooded canvases of odalisques posed against exotic draperies. As well as the Mediterranean light, Matisse loved the cosmopolitan aspect of Nice and the presence of fellow artists Renoir, Bonnard and Picasso in neighbouring towns. He died in Cimiez in November 1954, aged 85.

The Roman remains and the Musée Matisse back onto an old olive grove, at the eastern end of which are the sixteenth-century buildings and exquisite gardens of the Monastère Notre-Dame de Cimiez . The oratory has brilliant murals illustrating alchemy, while the church houses three masterpieces of medieval painting by Louis and Antoine Bréa. On the north side of the monastery is the Cemetery of Cimiez; the simple tomb of Matisse is signposted on the left-hand side.

At the foot of Cimiez hill, just off boulevard Cimiez, Chagall’s Biblical Message is housed in a museum built specially for the work and opened by the artist in 1972. The rooms are light, white and cool, with windows allowing you to see the greenery of the garden beyond the indescribable shades between pink and red of the Song of Songs canvases. The seventeen paintings of the Biblical Message are all based on the Old Testament and complemented with etchings and engravings.

The beach below the promenade des Anglais is all pebbles and mostly public, with showers provided. It’s not particularly clean and you need to watch out for broken glass. There are fifteen private beaches, clustering at the more scenic, eastern end of the bay close to Vieux Nice. If you don’t mind rocks, you might want to try the string of coves beyond the port that starts with the plage de la Réserve , opposite Parc Vigier.

Vieux Nice is the centre of Nice’s pub and club scene, much of it anglophone in character. As for nightclubs, bouncers judging how much you’re going to spend, or exclusive membership lists, are the rule. There are two big casinos – the Casino Ruhl (1 promenade des Anglais) and the Palais de la Méditerranée (15 promenade des Anglais). Nice’s LGBT scene is active, and for LGBT visitors the city has a relaxed feel. The annual Pink Parade takes place in early summer. The Mardi Gras Carnival opens the year’s events in February, with the second week of July taken up by the Nice Jazz Festival .

The point where the Paillon flows into the sea marks the beginning of the promenade des Anglais , created by nineteenth-century English residents for their afternoon strolls. Today, along with lots of traffic, it boasts some of the most fanciful turn-of-the-twentieth-century architecture on the Côte d’Azur. At nos. 13–15, the Palais de la Méditerranée is once again a luxurious casino , though the splendid Art Deco facade is all that remains of the 1930s original.

Vieux Nice has been much gentrified in recent years, but the restaurants, boutiques and little art galleries still coexist with humbler shops, there’s washing strung between the tenements, and away from the showpiece squares a certain shabbiness lingers. Tourism now dominates Vieux Nice: throbbing with life day and night in August, much of it seems deserted in November. It is best explored on foot.

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Côte d'Azur - French Riviera Cultural Heritage Food and Wine Couples With Family

Reading time: 0 min Published on 4 January 2023, updated on 16 April 2024

Spend your day discovering Nice, capital of the French Riviera

Fall under the spell of the authentic streets of Vieux-Nice and the Cours Saleya , one of the liveliest areas in Nice. From Tuesday to Sunday, one of the 10 most beautiful markets in France takes place there: local and seasonal fruit, vegetables and flowers from local production compete in shape, scent and colour .

Take the opportunity to taste the pissaladière , a pan bagnat, the socca, a speciality of Nice to be eaten hot, on the go. Then go up to the Castle Hill . You will appreciate this veritable labyrinth of greenery for the freshness of its undergrowth and its surprising waterfall, especially as this site benefits from a remarkable view of the Baie des Anges, the old town and the port, from dawn to dusk.

Running along the Promenade des Anglais for 7 kilometres, this internationally renowned avenue is a must for all visitors, as well as for the people of Nice. The extraordinary colour of the water and its ideal temperature will invite you to take a swim, without leaving the city!

Just a few meters from Place Masséna , the heart of Nice, stroll along the Promenade du Paillon . With its 2,800m2 water mirror equipped with 128 jets, its mist tray, its play areas for children, its central lawn and its themed botanical areas, this 12-hectare green lung has literally changed the heart of the city. Reflections, sparkles, water droplets, refreshing sprays, local and exotic plants will delight you and, of course, your children!

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What to do with a few days in Nice, France

TikTok isn’t lying to you; the water off the coast of Nice, France, really is that blue.

I also came to find that the hype surrounding the French Riviera was not misplaced. Maybe I had rose-colored glasses on and not a Slack message in sight, but there was something magical about the southern French city.

While I’d like to be able to lay out a whole itinerary of my visit (that I, of course, planned beforehand), I can only admit to a penchant for a good stroll, during which I will find the principal of my daily activities.

Besides my internal desire to lead my own walking tours that take me into museums named after people I don’t know of and still won’t understand upon leaving, I have it on good authority that the best way to explore a city is to walk it.

Of course, you can take alternate transportation if you need to speed up your exploration or require other accommodations to make the most of your trip.

With a few days at your disposal, here’s how to get the most out of your visit to Nice.

Visit a museum or two

Now, this likely isn’t news to anyone who’s traveled to Europe before. Museums are probably on a majority of travelers’ lists, but believe it or not, I have specific reasons for including them here that aren’t just about seeing art. If you’re anything like me during my visit to Nice, you have a passable understanding of written French, less so of the spoken language. Museums are an easy way to practice both skills with the abundance of signs (that often have English translations) and docents that will speak to you in French regarding the art and your trip. I conversed in French for an excruciatingly long minute about where I was visiting from and why I was in Nice. Besides the language aspect, walking around a museum can give you a look into Nice’s past as well as the important figures in its history, while also posing a cool reprieve from walking around in the hot sun.

Museums to visit in Nice include:

• Le Musée Masséna : Located just off the Promenade des Anglais, this museum displays the history of the city and artifacts related to Napoleon. Housed in an authentic villa, the museum’s wares are on display for visitors daily, except on Tuesdays.
• Musée National Marc Chagall : Further from the coast, this museum’s offerings are slimmer, though the gallery is more than worth a visit. It traces Marc Chagall’s art and his spiritual/religious journey in tandem.

Dedicate time to multiple neighborhoods

One of the biggest mistakes you could make in Nice is confining yourself to one neighborhood. I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest trying to see as much as possible, but giving yourself a variety of sites allows you to get a better understanding of the city and, of course, more to love.

Due to my haphazard planning style and desire to explore, I made it a priority to see as much of the city as I could.

With only a few days, you are limited, so I’d recommend picking a few areas to spend time in over the course of your trip. For me, that was Le Musiciens, Jean-Médecin, Vieux Nice, Le Port and The Promenade.

Don’t skip the beach

If you’re going to Nice, you’ve probably clocked the beaches already, especially if you’re visiting in the height of summer. This may sound less pleasant, though, to travelers visiting in colder seasons, but I’d argue that there’s still much to appreciate about Nice’s beaches in cooler weather. The water is magically blue (which came as a bit of a shock to this native Californian), the reading on the beach potential is endless and people watching is always entertaining. Even if you aren’t planning on a swim, there’s nothing like bringing a baguette or pastry down to the rocks and watching the water ebb and flow when you’re on vacation. It’s part of the French Riviera experience.

Get that croissant (and then do it again)

One of the best parts about being in France is the access to high quality food, specifically decadent pastries. I am not embarrassed to admit that my pain aux chocolat counter hit 10 (over a nine-day trip), and my chaussons aux pommes counter hit three. On that note, I implore all travelers heading to France in general to find and order chaussons aux pommes. It’s the French version of an apple turnover, but each one I had beat every American apple turnover I’ve tasted by a mile. They say calories don’t count on vacation, but if they did I’d still recommend multiple trips to the boulangerie.

Take a day trip

There’s plenty to do in Nice, but I’d guess a day trip will only enrich your experience. The ideal cities for a day trip include Eze, Menton, Marseille, Monte-Carlo, Antibes and Cannes, though there are various other options. I, for example, made a new acquaintance and walked from Vieux Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer, a small neighboring town. In the high season, this town would have been bustling with tourists, but early November saw small crowds and an easy walk. The unwalkable day trips are made possible by a robust public transit system, which can be used to plan months in advance or the day of, so spontaneous day trips aren’t out of the question.

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