Things to do in Nice: The 17 Best places to visit and highlights
You’re planning to visit Nice during your next trip to France?
Between sea and mountains, Nice, the city where I was born and where I spent more than 20 years of my life is full of tourist attractions and great activities to do.
In order to help you plan your stay, I have created a guide of the best things to do and see in Nice and around.
At the end of the article, you will also find itineraries to visit Nice in 1, 2, 3 days or even a week as well as my list of the best places to stay in Nice depending on your budget.
So, what are the best things to do in Nice? Where to stay?
Let’s find out!
Sommaire
- Things to do in Nice: The 17 Best places to visit and highlights
- Visit Nice: The 17 Must-See Attractions!
- 1. The Promenade des Anglais
- 2. Discover the Old Town of Nice
- 3. Enjoy an Italian ice cream
- 4. Have a go at Nice local food
- 5. Nice Castle Hill
- 6. Going to the beach in Nice
- 7. Cimiez neighbourhood
- 8. Nice Russian Orthodox Cathedral
- 9. Nice Carnival
- 10. Rest in the shades at Park Vigier
- 11. Do the Nice coastal walk
- 12. Boat trip from Nice
- 13. Nice walking tour: From the Promenade des Anglais to Coco Beach
- 14. Take a stroll at the Mont Boron
- 15. Go to the Phoenix Park
- 16. Visit Nice museums
- Things to do in nice when it rains
- Things to do around Nice
- What to do in Nice for a day
- What to do in Nice for 2 days
- What to do in Nice for 3 days
- A week in Nice
- Where to stay in Nice?
- Renting a boat in Nice
- Nice tourist map
- You’re traveling in France? These articles will help you!
- Visit Nice: The 17 Must-See Attractions!
Visit Nice: The 17 Must-See Attractions!
1. The Promenade des Anglais
It’s impossible to talk about Nice without mentioning the famous Promenade des Anglais (English Promenade). Formerly a favourite resort for English people during winter months, it’s today the most famous tourist attraction of the city.
This world-famous 7km promenade runs from the Castle Hill (La colline du Château in French) to Nice airport.
If you are coming to Nice for the first time, I strongly recommend you to at least walk on the part that goes from the old town of Nice to the Negresco hotel, passing through the Jardin Albert 1er and the Palais de la Méditerranée.
If you want to do the whole Promenade des Anglais, it’s best to rent a bike or rollerblades!
And even better than biking or rollerblading, you can also enjoy a Segway tour on the Promenade des Anglais!
This 2 hours guided tour will allow you to discover the famous Promenade as well as wander through the streets of the old town and go to the top of the Castle Hill.
To book your guided visit of Nice by Segway, you just have to click on the button below:
2. Discover the Old Town of Nice
Another must see in Nice is its old town with its shady alleyways, colourful facades and typically Mediterranean shutters.
Impossible to talk about Nice Old Town (le Vieux Nice) without mentioning the Cours Saleya, where is held almost every morning (except on Monday) the famous market and flower market.
On Monday morning, the Cours Saleya becomes a big open-air flea market! It’s also the ideal place to have a drink or eat something at one of the many terraces.
When you visit the Old Town of Nice, I also recommend you to see:
The Courthouse Square (Place du Palais de Justice)
The Rossetti Square (Place Rossetti), where the magnificent Saint Reparata Cathedral is located. There is also the city’s best ice cream shop, I will tell you more about it below
The Saint Francis Square (Place Saint François) and its small fish market.
It’s also possible to go to the Castle Hill through the Old Town. I will tell you more about it a bit further.
3. Enjoy an Italian ice cream
While you are in the Old Town of Nice, you should take advantage of it to enjoy a traditional Italian ice cream.
I recommend “Azzurro”, which is located on Rossetti Square, not far from another ice cream shop that is well known by tourists but less good, Fenocchio.
The quality of the products used is much better at Azzurro, and their cones are home made, it has absolutely nothing to do in terms of taste!
Needless to say that eating ice cream is one of my favorite activities when I come back to Nice 😋.
4. Have a go at Nice local food
Visiting Nice also means discovering the local food specialities, the “cuisine Niçoise”, during your stay, which is the pride of the niçois (inhabitants of Nice)
- Socca: It’s one of the most famous culinary specialities of Nice and one of the most representative of the city. Made from chickpea flour, you will find very good ones in the old town of Nice. Ideally, a good socca should’nt be dry, but slightly creamy inside.
- Panisse: Another speciality made from chickpea flour, most often fried. A delight!
- Pissaladière: A “pie with onions and anchovies”, that’s how we could sum up the pissaladière! Try it during your stay in Nice! (Available also in an anchovy-free version)
- Salade niçoise: The great classic of Nice: Tuna, tomatoes, salad and other raw vegetables, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives niçoises and of course olive oil vinaigrette (from Nice too, otherwise it’s sinful).
- Pan Bagnat: This is a sandwich version of the niçoise salad: tuna and/or anchovies, raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, niçoise olives and olive oil, all in a round bread.
- Farcis niçois (Stuffed vegetables), daube niçoise (Beef stew) etc.: In Nice, we like everything that is “Niçois”, so we have a Niçoise version of many dishes. It’s the same as the classics, but better. (Surely thanks to the “niçoise” olive oil ……. well, except for the stew, probably, or some people have been hiding things from me!)
You’re going to Nice?
You probably know it: the hardest part of planning your trip is to find an hotel offering a good value for money!
The closer you get to your travel dates, the harder it will be to get a good deal. Lots of people will be visiting Nice on the same dates as you, so you can be sure that the best deals are booked extremely quickly!
Hopefully, there is a pretty simple solution to this problem: do like me and book your hotel as early as possible!
So, my best advice is to take 5 minutes (now) to have a look at the list of travelers’ favorite hotels in Nice.
And if you see a good offer, book it!
Most hotels offer free cancellation, so it’s quick, easy, and you will avoid the the inconvenience of finding nothing but mediocre rooms at exorbitant prices.
To check the current best deals for your hotel in Nice, simply click on the green button below 😎:
Once you’ve booked your hotel, it will be time to continue reading this guide and find out more about the best things to do in Nice!
5. Nice Castle Hill
The Castle Hill park (le parc de la Colline du Château) is located on the hill overlooking Nice Old Town. It owes its name to the military fortress that overlooked the bay of Nice from the 11th to the 18th century.
You should go to this park for the stunning viewpoints it offers over the city, the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges), the harbour and the mountains.
Here are the 5 best viewpoints of Nice Castle Hill:
- At the top, with a view of the airport and mountains
- Close to the children’s playground area, view of the harbour and the hill of Mont Boron,
- Bellanda Tower: View over the Bay of Angels
- Belvedere near the exit of the elevator
- Cascade du Château, an artificial waterfall, but still very pretty!
You can walk up and down the castle on foot or use the elevator. I recommend you to take the stairs for at least one of the way as this allows you to pass by the Bellanda Tower lookout I mentioned earlier.
If you go down on the other side of the castle, you should take a walk through the castle cemetery, which also offers a beautiful view of the city. It’s even better if you can do it at the end of the day to enjoy the sunset!
You understood it, the Castle Hill is really one of the best places to visit in Nice (and my favourite in the town center for its amazing view!).
Ohh, and one more thing: It’s also possible to go to the Castle by taking the Nice mini-train tour! The departure point is on the Promenade des Anglais, in front of the centenary monument of the Jardin Albert 1er.
Due to the Castle hill opening hours, it’s not possible to watch the sunset from there all year round.
Opening hours:
From 01/10 to 31/03: 8h30-18h
From 01/04 to 31/09: 8h30-20h
So you will be able to watch the sunset from the Castle hill only the following months
– September, November, December, January and up to around 15th of February.
6. Going to the beach in Nice
If Nice beach looks good in photo, with its big pebbles, it’s not necessarily the most comfortable beach in the world!
As far as swimming is concerned, it’s the same thing. In Nice, the water gets very deep very quickly, so it’s not really an ideal spot for snorkeling or playing in the water for example.
For this reason, I recommend you go to Villefranche sur Mer or Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. I will tell you more about theses cities later in this article.
And if you like to get a tan for hours on the beach, you can go to one of Nice private beaches, like Castel beach (Castel Plage), located at the foot of the Castle Hill. Other beaches allow you to do nautical activities like parasailing, stand up paddle or tubing!
And speaking of nautical activities, here are the best water sports to enjoy during your trip to Nice.
Simply click on the links below to book them at the best price:
- Parasailing in the Bay of Angels, near Nice Old Town
- First dive, with 2 dives of 20 minutes or opt for a freediving class!
- 3-hour Snorkeling tour to go fish-watching
- Stand up Paddle
- Jet ski
- Flyboard
- Kayaking down the Var river
- Canyoning – Here are the best canyons to explore around Nice Cramassouri Canyon – Riolan Canyon – Canyon of the Riou de la Bollène – Gorges du Loup Canyon – Imberguet Canyon.
7. Cimiez neighbourhood
Cimiez neighbourhood is at first a residential place, so you will not find many shops or restaurants. Nevertheless, you have some nice points of interest to visit:
- Cimiez Arena Park (parc des arènes de Cimiez)
- The Cimiez arenas (les arènes de Cimiez), located at the entrance to the park
- Cimiez monastery gardens (jardins du monastère de Cimiez), from which you will have a panoramic view of Nice and the Bay of Angels.
- Cimiez archaeological museum and it’s Roman ruins.
- The Henri Matisse museum, which is located in the arenas park.
- Marc Chagall National Museum
To go to Cimiez, you can take the bus number 5, 33 or 70.
8. Nice Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Nice Russian Orthodox Cathedral, listed historical monument, is the most important Orthodox worship religious building outside Russia. It thus clearly deserves its place in this list of the best places to visit in Nice!
Even if quite far from what you were expecting to do in Nice, it’s worth a look, even just to appreciate the contrast between the architecture and the Mediterranean vegetation, or even the palm trees just around the corner!
It’s also possible to visit the inside of the cathedral.
You can get there on foot or with bus number 8.
9. Nice Carnival
Nice Carnival, largest carnival in France and one of the world’s most famous, takes place every year in February for 2 weeks.
Every year, the festivities attract several hundred thousand of spectators, coming to enjoy the monumental floats and the famous flower parade (also called flower “battle”) on the Promenade des Anglais.
10. Rest in the shades at Park Vigier
Totally unknown by other tourists, the park Vigier, close to La Réserve and the “Coco Beach” restaurant is the ideal place to take a nap or read a book in the shade of palm trees, during the hottest hours of the day.
The right part of the park is always very quiet, as the children are mostly playing in the left part of the park.
11. Do the Nice coastal walk
This walk, that most tourists don’t know about is in 2 parts and allows you to walk from Nice to Villefranche sur Mer, while following the sea for 90% of the time.
- The first part starts from Coco Beach and takes you up to the Cap de Nice by a series of stairs, to bypass the cliffs of the Materlinck Palace (Palais Materlink).
- The second part of the coastal path begins with a descent down the stairs in the big turn after the Materlinck Palace. It allows you to reach the port of Villefranche Darse.
The walk isn’t very long, if you want to do it all the way from Nice, count about 1h30-2h depending on where you start from. It’s also possible to make only one of the 2 parts. If you only want to do the second (30-45 minutes), you can take bus number 100 from Nice harbor to the “English hospital” stop. The beginning of the coastal walk is about 200m further on, in the big turn.
To get back to Nice, take bus 15 or 100 in Villefranche sur Mer.
A section allowing passage through the cliffs was being studied, which would allow to walk from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer entirely by the seaside, but it seems that the project is unfortunately at a standstill.
If you prefer, you can also discover the coast between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer with a boat trip.
Starting from Nice, you will first sail to Villefranche and then continue to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, where you can admire superb villas from the sea.
The cruise to the bay of Villefranche needs to be booked by clicking on the button below:
And if you prefer to enjoy a small group boat tour (on a Zodiac) at sunset, you should rather book this excursion (click here).
12. Boat trip from Nice
In addition to the cruise to Villefranche bay I told you about, there are a few other great boat trips to do from Nice. (Simply click on the links to book them):
- An evening sea trip on a solar boat
- Boat trip from Nice to St Tropez, with free time in St Tropez to visit the town
- Boat tour to the Lerins Islands, with a visit to Sainte-Marguerite island (walking tour of the island, swimming, picnic)
- A round trip transfer Nice-Monaco by boat
- A 4-hour fishing trip.
For more details about these boat trips, you can read my detailed article: The 8 best boat trip from Nice
In addition to these boat tours, you have 2 other options that will allow you to discover Nice surroundings by boat, away from the other tourists.
To enjoy a VIP experience, you can:
1) Book a private boat trip from Nice
In my opinion, this is the best way to make the most of your day at sea in Nice!
You will rent a boat with an experienced skipper that will take care of showing you the most beautiful places of the French Riviera.
Motorboat, sailboat, catamaran or even yacht: choose the boat you want to spend a dream day!
As you can imagine, this type of VIP day at sea is extremely popular, so you should rent your boat with skipper as soon as possible. It would be a shame to miss this day because all boats are already rented!
You can find all boats with skipper in Nice by clicking on the button below:
2) Rent a boat to discover Nice’s surroundings
If you have a boat license, your second option for a great day at sea is simply to rent a boat!
To do so, it’s very simple: you just have to click on the button below:
13. Nice walking tour: From the Promenade des Anglais to Coco Beach
For those who wish to discover the city on foot, here is an itinerary that will allow you to pass by the must-see places in Nice.
Start your Nice walking tour in Nice Old Town and the Cours Saleya, then continue on the Promenade des Anglais to the Negresco Hotel and Villa Massena (which houses the excellent Massena Museum). Go back for about 300m and take the Congrès street (rue du Congrès). Then, take the first street on the right, and you will arrive in the pedestrian zone, a good place to shop, have a drink, or eat in one of the many restaurants.
At the end of the street, you will reach Place Massena, with the Sun fountain (fontaine du soleil) located at its south, in the centre of which is a 7m high statue of Apollo. On your right is the Jardin Albert 1er with its monumental arch of 115.5 degrees.
Continue along the Promenade du Paillon, where the Nice water mirror is located. This park leads you directly to Garibaldi Square.
As it will certainly be lunch time, if you would like to taste a Niçoise speciality like socca, I recommend you to briefly go back to the old town of Nice located 2 steps away to fill your stomach! And why not finish with a good ice cream from Azzurro, on Rossetti Square?
After the meal, go back to Garibaldi Square and head toward the port of Nice by Cassini street.
Go around the harbor by the Quai des Deux Emmanuels and take Boulevard Franck Pilatte, which will lead you to La Réserve (it’s on this beach that Brice de Nice lives, in case you know the movie!), Parc Vigier and Coco Beach, in that order.
From Coco Beach, you can continue along the coastal path, and even reach Villefranche sur Mer. In this case, you will need to take the bus number 100 to go back to Nice.
Finally, at the end of the day, you can go to the Nice Castle Hill, walking up the stairs or using the elevator, in order to enjoy the sunset!
Other itineraries are available on the city of Nice website (in french).
14. Take a stroll at the Mont Boron
Mount Boron is a Mediterranean forest located on the east of Nice.
It’s also the place where you can find the very photogenic Fort Mount Alban. It offers many walks with beautiful views of the Bay of Angels and the Bay of Villefranche.
You should really go to the Mount Alban Fort, at the top, the view is amazing! For me the best place in Nice. Going there is a great activity with a rewarding view!
To get to Mont Boron, take the city bus number 30 from Nice.
15. Go to the Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park (Parc Phoenix), also called “Nice Floral Park” is a botanical and zoological garden located near Nice Airport, in the Arenas district.
On 7 hectares, you will find a very high biodiversity, both fauna and flora, with aviaries, marsupials, porcupines, otters and a pond.
One of the major attractions of the site is the large greenhouse, which has several tropical climates with tropical plants and various bird specimens including pink flamingos.
In the park, you will also find a children playground area. Phoenix park is a great place to spend an afternoon with your family in Nice!
The entrance fee for the Phoenix Park is 5 euros per person. Discounts are available for families and students.
To get there, you will need to take the Tramway line 2 and stop at “Parc Phoenix” station.
16. Visit Nice museums
I have already talked about a few of Nice museums, especially in the paragraph about the district of Cimiez, but there are many others worth seeing. Here are my 5 favorites!
- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Nice, called MAMAC, near the Garibaldi Square.
- Asian Arts Museum, located right next to Phoenix Park
- The Museum of Art and History of the Massena Palace, a superb “Belle époque” style mansion on the Promenade des Anglais.
- The Palais Lascaris, in Nice old town, has a very beautiful collection of musical instruments, and some of them are really unusual!
- Jules Chéret Fine Arts Museum, located in the magnificent setting of Villa Thompson, on Baumettes hill.
And as a bonus, if you like photography, I recommend the Charles Nègre photography museum, which is small, but offers high quality exhibitions. Moreover, it’s located in the Nice old town, so you don’t need to need to go far away to find it!
Good to know: In Nice, it’s not possible to pay museum’s admission fees one by one, you have to buy the “Nice Museums Pass”, which gives you access to all the municipal museums:
- 24h pass: 10 euros
- 7 days pass: 20 euros
You can find more information about the museums included in the Nice Museums Pass on the official Nice museum website.
Things to do in nice when it rains
Us, Niçois (inhabitants of Nice), don’t dare to talk too much about it, but sometimes… it’s raining in Nice. Yes, for real! Well, that’s not what you’ll see on postcards.
If, in a pure moment of bad luck, this happens during your vacation on the French Riviera, I have prepared a list of activities to do in Nice if the weather isn’t good:
- Visiting one of the many museums in Nice: When it rains, it’s certainly the first thing that will come to your mind. I’ve made you a list of the best ones a little higher up in the article. Don’t forget to take the Nice Museums Pass.
- Bowling: There is a quite large bowling alley in Nice, which also has a few arcade video games: the Nice Acropolis bowling alley, here is the address: 5 Esplanade Kennedy, 06000 Nice
- Ice skating: head for the Jean Bouin ice rink, close to the Acropolis and bowling for a short gliding session! There is also a swimming pool in the same building. All equipment can be rented, gloves included.
- Play an escape game: it’s a fun experience to do with family or friends. There are several in Nice, including “I Lock U” and “Fox in a Box”, which are in the city centre. A great activity to do in case of bad weather.
- Going to Monaco and visiting the Oceanographic Museum: it’s simply one of the best museums in the region.
- Play laser tag: The only laser tag game of Nice is located in the plain of Var (Plaine du Var), at the Lingostière shopping center
- Cinema: There are 3 cinemas in Nice city center : The Pathé Masséna, the Pathé Paris and the Varieties. The first two are located on Avenue Jean Médecin, and the third on a perpendicular street, the Avenue Victor Hugo.
- Experience video games in virtual reality: It’s raining? Well, this is a great opportunity to try out virtual reality. A VR playground,”Game Over”, opened in Nice. Here is the address: 14 boulevard de Riquier – 06300 Nice
- Go to the fair: If you are in Nice in December, you will have the opportunity to go for a walk in Luna Park, a temporary amusement park. As most of it is located indoor, in the exhibition center (Palais des Expositions), it’s a great activity to do when it’s raining in Nice
Things to do around Nice
If you’re going to Nice, I strongly recommend that you go for a trip around Nice, as the area around the city is full of beautiful places to discover. Here are someone of my favourite places to see around Nice:
- Villefranche-sur-Mer: A very pretty little Mediterranean town. Don’t miss: The Villefranche Old Town, the darse (it’s port) and most important, the citadel St. Elmo (Citadelle Saint-Elme), also simply called “Villefranche citadel”.
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: The peninsula of billionaires, with incredible luxury villas like the villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. To do: the coastal walk tour of the Cap Ferrat, which starts from the beach “Passable”. You can also swim in one of the pretty little coves along the way!
- Eze village: This small village perched above the sea is one of the most beautiful villages in France. Also worth a visit: the exotic garden of Eze.
- Menton: A small town on the Italian border, known for its lemon festival and sunshine. The old town of Menton is quite pretty.
- Antibes: Known first and foremost for its Square fortress (Fort Carré), a 16th century military fort by the sea, the old town of Antibes is also worth a visit, with excellent restaurants. Another thing to do in Antibes: the Cap d’Antibes tour and its magnificent residences.
- Cannes: The city where the famous film festival takes place every year. Don’t miss: The walk on the famous “Croisette”! and the visit of Lerins islands
- The Principality of Monaco: Monaco, famous for it’s luxury lifestyle! To see: The palace, located on Le Rocher, the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the Oceanographic Museum and if you like beautiful cars, Prince Rainier III old car collection. You can read my guide about Monaco here: The 25 best things to do in Monaco
- Beautiful villages to visit around Nice: Peille, Saint Agnès (highest perched village on the coast), Coaraze and its sundials, and the ruins of Châteauneuf-Villevieille.
- Enjoy a boat trip to admire Nice and the bay of Villefranche from the sea. You need to book it here!
- The wineries around Nice, where you can taste excellent wines of the PACA region. You will find the list of all the wineries offering visits near Nice by clicking here!
If you want to discover the best of the French Riviera in one day such as Eze, Monaco, Antibes and Cannes, you can opt for an organized day trip.
It needs to be booked my clicking here:
There are of course many other things to do around Nice, this being a non-exhaustive list, which should nonetheless keep you busy for a good week.
What to do in Nice for a day
If you only have one day to visit Nice, I recommend that you take a walk around the area, with the itinerary I describe at #12 of this top. Nice is not very big, so a walking tour is clearly the best way to discover the city!
And if you don’t want to walk all day, you can in the afternoon:
- Go to the beach
- Visit some museums in the city centre, such as the MAMAC, the Palais Lascaris or the photo museum, very close to each other.
- If you choose to visit museums, don’t miss the Masséna Museum in the morning, as you will pass by!
No matter which itinerary you choose, go to the Castle Hill at the end of the day, you won’t regret it, it’s a must see in Nice.
What to do in Nice for 2 days
In 2 days in Nice, you will have the time to visit the surroundings! In addition to the first day described above, here is one of my favorite itinerary, very little known to tourists:
- Start in the morning with the coastal path (#11), which goes from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer. It’s a really beautiful stroll by the water!
- Visit the Villefranche old town, its port, its pretty beach, the magnificent St-Elmo citadel and its free mini-museums.
- As it will certainly be lunchtime, you can eat in one of the seaside restaurants or in the old town.
- Then, I recommend that you climb up the hill of Mont Boron, a very beautiful pine forest with many amazing viewpoints on Nice on one side, and on the bay of Villefranche on the other.
- From Villefranche-sur-Mer, start by going to l’escalier de verre ( Google map link – Glass stairs, it’s just a name, it’s not made of glass!), about 15 minutes walk.
- Then go to the Fort of Mont Alban, for the great view over the bay of Villefranche, then turn back to the southern part of Mont Boron, which overlooks Nice.
- To return to Nice, you can walk down (30 to 45 minutes) or take bus 30 from the Plateau du Mont Boron.
To easily plan your 2 days in Nice, you should read my dedicated article: The best 2-day itinerary in Nice.
What to do in Nice for 3 days
To be done in addition to the 2 previous days. Spending 3 days in Nice is having time to make another unforgettable excursion in the surroundings: a superb itinerary that will take you from Eze village to Monaco, passing by Menton. Make sure you have good shoes, as the paths are quite rocky.
- First, take the bus 82 from Nice to Eze village.
- Visit this magnificent perched village and the exotic garden of Eze
- To go back down to sea level, take the Nietzsche Trail, which offers a magnificent view of the sea and surrounding cities. It will take you to Eze Beach.
- Then take the bus number 100 of the “lignes d’Azur” to Menton.
- Visit the old town, and grab something to eat!
- Then, walk around Cap Martin along the seaside trail.
- Continue with the Promenade Le Corbusier, which will take you from Roquebrune to Monaco
- Visit Monaco, and to finish, take bus number 100 from Monaco bus station to go back to Nice.
Another busy day around Nice!
A week in Nice
You have a week in Nice? You’re really lucky! You will be able to visit a lot of things around Nice, and discover the majority of the places presented in this guide. In addition to the previous days, here is an itinerary:
Day 4: to avoid the impression of running everywhere, make this day a little more tranquil: In the morning, head to the Hill of Cimiez with its park and museums (#7). For the afternoon, you can go to the beach in Nice, stroll again in Nice Old Town, have a drink on the Cours Saleya or shop on Avenue Jean Medecin.
Day 5: let’s go to Antibes with the bus 200 or by train from Nice, to see the Fort Carré, the old town and the Cap d’ Antibes. To mix once again with swimming for a successful day!
Day 6: a day trip to Cannes (bus 200 or train), coupled with a boat expedition on the Lérins islands.
Day 7: take the 15 bus from Nice to Saint-jean-Cap-Ferrat, do a tour of the Cap (in part or in full) and, most important, relax in one of the small coves, the beach of Passable or the one of Les Fosses.
This itinerary of one week on the French Riviera is the best way to get a good overview of the region!
Where to stay in Nice?
- Hôtel Ozz by Happyculture: Located about 15 minutes from the beach on foot. Nice place, very friendly staff, great location and comfortable beds. Only 20€ per night in dormitory. Double room at 55€. This is the best hostel for a budget stay in Nice!
- Hôtel Brice Garden: Located in the hear of Nice, 5 minutes walk from the beach and Promenade des Anglais. Very well furnished and clean room from 80€ per night. Excellent value for money. Friendly and welcoming staff. The best value hotel if you want to stay in the city center! Needs to be booked as soon as possible, lots of demand.
- Hôtel le Saint Paul: Located 50 meters from the Nice harbor, in a quiet area, with an amazing sea view. Large bright room from 95€ per night, buffet breakfast for 12€. Plus: free private parking. My favorite in Nice!
- Hôtel Le Royal Promenade des Anglais: Located right on the Promenade des Anglais in a historic building. Prestigious room decorated in a classic style, very bright, from 135€ per night, breakfast at 15€.
- Hôtel Negresco: Located on the Promenade des Anglais, this exceptional hotel is simply the best in Nice. The rooms are magnificent, the view is stunning, the staff is amazing and the restaurant is one of the best in town. It’s the best choice for a luxury stay in Nice!
Renting a boat in Nice
If you want to rent a boat for a nice day at sea during your stay in Nice, you should book it with Samboat.
Motorboats, sailboats, yachts, small boats without a license, with or without a skipper: they simply have the most complete offer for boat rental!
So, what are you waiting for to book your boat trip in Nice? 😊
Nice tourist map
I have made for you a tourist map of Nice, listing all the must see attractions and activities as well as the 2 itineraries I talked about. You can display the map legend by clicking on the top left button, the one with a little arrow on it.
You’re going to travel to Nice? What do you plan to visit?
🚗 Rent a car
🗽 Book entrance tickets and guided visits
🏄 Book your sports activities
🚤 Book your rental boat
🌍 Take a travel insurance
🙎 Book a tour
🚅 Book your train tickets
✈️ Book your flight
France travel Guides
- Buy the Lonely Planet France guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk
- Buy the Rick Steves France guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk
You’re traveling in France? These articles will help you!
Discover all our articles about France: All Voyage Tips articles about France are listed here.
French Riviera
- Itinerary: 1 Week in French Riviera – the definitive guide for your 7-8 days trip
- Antibes: Top 20 best places to visit
- Cannes: The 20 best things to do and activities
- Monaco: 25 Best places to visit
- Nice: 15 things you must do and see
Other French Cities
- Annecy: 12 things to do and see
- Honfleur: Top 15 things to discover
- La Rochelle: Top 15 things to do and must-see attractions
- Lyon: 21 Best things to do
- Marseille: Top 33 best things to do and see
- Nantes: The 15 best things to do
- Reims: Top 15 things to do and see
- Rennes: The 15 things you must do!
- Strasbourg: The 25 must-see attractions
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Discussion72 Comments
I am planning to go to France in June and I think I will spend a few days in Nice.
It’s funny how I can really tell you love your hometown when reading this article.
By the way, do you think it’s worth spending a few days in Cannes too?
Ahahahah yes, I love my hometown, Nice is a very beautiful city for sure.
For Cannes, honestly it’s not worth it, there is nothing to do except a bit of (expensive) shopping there. There are much more beautiful places to see around Nice. If you would like to visit a “luxury” city, I would rather recommend Monaco, it’s a lot more interesting!
When you will be around Nice, I strongly recommand you to visit Villefranche sur Mer, Saint jean Cap Ferrat, Eze village, Menton and Antibes. They are really the Top 5 places you shouldn’t miss on the French Riviera!
My boyfriend and I are going to Nice in May (19-22). We have 4 whole days, but two of them is on public holidays. What would you recommend to do these days? So far we’ve planned the coast walk to Villefrance-sur-mer/Mont Boron and we also want to visit Monaco, but we haven’t decided which days we do what.
So what should we plan for the two days 20/21st, where most shops are closed?
Best regards Simone
Hello Simone,
For your trip to Nice, i suggest you the following visit planning: (random days order)
1) the Villefranche/Mont Boron day. Can be done during the public holidays, the shops in Villefranche sur mer aren’t super interesting.
2) the problem is this second day where the shops are closed.
You can go to Saint Jean Cap Ferrat for a walk along the see, grab some sandwiches (in Nice before going, there is not much there) and eat the in a cove.
Another option is to go to Italy, as the 21st of april is a working day there. There are direct trains to Ventimiglia, it takes less than 1h. you can also go to San Remo, a bit bigger city. you will need to change train, takes around 1h30 total.
Just be careful, in Italy, shops are usually closed from 12h30 to 16h (nap time!)
3) if you like hiking, you should go to Eze village by bus, and then from up there you can go down all the way to monaco. It is a superb small hike (going down and flat, easy), and a great way to make the most out of your day. Try to leave Nice not too late (around 9am is fine)
4) 1 day in Nice to visit the city by foot, do some shopping etc…
Let me know if you need more info for your stay in Nice!
Hey..
My fiancé and I are planning our honeymoon in Nice end of November and starting December for 4 days.. and would like to understand if it would be a good time to visit the town and would it be possible to do day trips at that time of the year. We do not mind the cold weather.. 🙂
Btw, your article is very interesting and full of insights.. 🙂
Hello,
I am glad my article about Nice is helping you to plan your trip!
You can visit Nice and the towns around at any time of the year, the weather in this area is one of the best in France.
End of November/December is still really enjoyable, especially if you get a few sunny days (it’s not too cold like january/february). You can do everything I mentionned in this article without problem! (Just no swimming, unless you are warriors :p)
Enjoy your honeymoon!
Hello!
Nice article. Im planning to visit Nice next month.
Just a question, walking around old town, is it stroller friendly? My baby is 3months old 🙂
Hello Bee,
Yes, Nice old town is 100% stroller friendly. There are no mandatory stairs, you can go everywhere by just walking in the alleys.
In addition, the ground is flat, (no cobblestones), so it is very easy to navigate with a stroller or a wheelchair.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Hey,
Thanks for the very nice article.
Me and my boyfriend are planning a one week visit to Nice and surrounding areas in December (21st-28th). I want to ask you about the Christmas traditions and also for the days of 24,25 and 26th is everything closed? What do you suggest to do during those days?
Hey,
In Nice, there is a (quite small) Christmas market that takes place every year on the Place Massena. The illuminations in the street at nights are also quite nice!
The only official holiday is on the 25th of December, the other days, everything should be open, so no problem for this.
On the 25th, you should probably opt for a walk, for example you can take the bus #14 and go to the Mont Boron and Mont Alban fort (#13 of this guide). You will love the view from there! You can spend around 2 hours up there, and then if you feel like it, go back to Nice on foot. It just goes down so it’s pretty easy.
Hi thinking of visiting Nice and the surrounding area at the very end of March next year. Not expecting beach weather but would it be pleasant enough for walking around?
Hello Carolyn,
At the end of March, you have good chances to have a nice weather in Nice. Not super hot (probably around 15-17°C during the day), but good enough for walking around and enjoying the French Riviera.
If you have any other questions about your stay in Nice, don’t hesitate 🙂
Hi! We are planning to be in Nice in April 16 and after that we going to Monaco for a cruise on April 20 . Will you please give us your recommendations how to spend this time ? rent a car or not?
Hi Mina,
Renting a car isn’t mandatory in Nice as public transportation is pretty good in the French Riviera. You can easily go to every place I have mentioned in this guide by bus or train.
For your stay in Nice, you should do the activities I mentioned: in the “Visit Nice in 1, 2 or 3 days” part of the article.
If you don’t want to walk too much, you can also take the bus.
From Nice:
– Bus #82 to go to Eze Village
– Bus #100 to go to Villefranche Sur Mer
– Bus #14 to go to the Mont Boron
– Bus #200 to go to Antibes (or train if you prefer, it’s faster)
In addition to the visit of Nice, these are really the 4 best places to see around.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Hello,
I am going to Nice end of May 2019 for 4 days. it will be 4 adults. I red all your recomendations, its very well informative. I prefer to have a private guid with a mini van for 2 days to see some places. Do you know anyone or how and where to find this option.
Thank you
Hello Jane,
The best way to find a private guide to visit Nice and the French Riviera is to ask your hotel. They usually know drivers and/or guides and can recommend you someone.
Have a great trip!
Hello Vincent,
Hope you’re well!
I’m surprising my boyfriend and taking him to Nice for the weekend this Friday for his birthday (my birthday is also next week, so two birds with one stone!) and just wanted to say what a lovely article with great inspiring ideas and full of information. Love the map as well! Wish I could download it as a PDF on my phone though. I can’t wait to explore the beautiful places! Fingers crossed it doesn’t rain!
Many thanks again!
Hello Irina,
I am great thanks, and you?
I am really glad my Nice city guide is helping you to plan your trip in and around the city.
If you have any specific question, don’t hesitate, I will gladly help you.
Have a great day!
Hi
I’m going for 3 days is it best to visit both Cannes and Monaco or just one of them and can you get around without knowing any french.
Thank you
Hi Jay,
There isn’t much to do in Cannes except walking on “La Croisette” next to the sea. And you can do the same in Nice on “La promenade des Anglais”.
So it will be better to visit Nice and maybe do a day trip east of Nice, to Monaco and Menton (the old town of Menton is very nice).
Don’t worry if you don’t speak French: the hotels staff always speak English and can help you to organize your day trips, telling you which bus to take and where to take it.
As it’s quite touristic city, you shouldn’t have too much trouble to find an English speaking person in the street neither!
If you have more questions about your trip to Nice and the French Riviera, don’t hesitate to ask me.
this list of things to do in Nice is wonderful and well written from the heart.
I’m excited that a few of us are going to be there late May.
Your article is Magnifique.
Hi Mike,
I am glad you like my article about Nice and find it useful!
If you have any specific question, don’t hesitate to ask me. Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Hi Vincent,
Great Page! I will use your weekly guide.
I have a question on buses and trains. I may get a bus or train to visit Cannes and Monaco. How do the tickets work?
Thanks for your help.
Richard.
Hi Richard,
For the bus tickets, you can buy them directly in the bus. No matter where you go, it’s 1.50 euros one way.
When going to Monaco with the bus, the scenery is really nice, so try to sit on the right side of the bus if you can 🙂
About train tickets, you can get them at the automatic machines at the train station. Else, you can also book them online in advance on Oui Sncf, the official french railways website.
Enjoy your trip in Nice and around the french Riviera!
Thanks Vincent
Must say that its pretty good article. Liked the way everything is described. I am sure you love your city.
Same as we, so we plan to visit the French Riviera for 4 full days at end of June.
We are family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 young kids (One is 6 yrs and another 10 months baby). Wanted to check some suggestions for family friendly places to see and things to do. and also if will there be problems with stroller ?
We are staying at Nice and plan to visit Nice and the nearby places these 4 days. Can you plz suggest a good itinerary?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Akash,
I am glad you found this article about Nice useful!
You can really go everywhere in town with your family, even in the old town, there is no stairs, so it’s quite stroller friendly 🙂
For the itinerary with your family, you can do the following (adapted for young kids compared to the one in the article, no walking on non-stroller friendly paths)
– Day 1: Follow the “visit Nice on Foot” itinerary suggested in the article (here). You can go up to Garibaldi square, or if you are motivated, also go on the harbor up to Coco beach.
If you decide to go up to Coco beach, you can do it at the kid’s pace, and maybe take bus 38 to come back to city center, if the kids are tired.
Visiting Nice on foot is the only way to visit the heart of the city, as it’s quite small!
You can go to the Castle Hill around 3 or 4pm, there is an elevator that will take you up there. It’s located in “Rue des ponchettes”.
– Day 2: Go to Menton with the bus #100 or train (faster). Visit the old town, then take bus #100 to Monaco.
Visit Monaco
Take Bus #100 or train to get back to Nice. If you still have the time, you can stop by Villefranche sur Mer, but the old town is quite steep and it’s stairs only.
You should take the bus for at least 1 way, as the #100 ride offers a quite nice view over the French riviera coast.
– Day 3: I would do something more relaxing, as “day 2” was a big one. For example, go back in the old town, enjoy an ice cream, take bus #14 to Mont Boron and walk around in the pine forest, up to the “Fort du Mont Alban”. It’s a great viewpoint!
– Day 4: Take the bus #200 or the train (a lot faster – recommended) to Cannes. Visit the “Croisette” and maybe take the boat to Lerins islands!
If you don’t take the boat, you can then take the train to Antibes to visit the old town or enjoy a good lunch in one of the numerous restaurants located there.
You can also skip Cannes and head directly to Antibes from Nice, as you prefer!
Enjoy your stay in Nice and its surroundings 🙂
Hi Vincent
Love the site, so much useful information!
We’re a couple travelling to the Provence area in September 2019 and we really want to visit Nice and the Riviera whilst we’re here. We’re hiring a car for around Provence and I wondered if you had any tips for safe parking in Nice please? We’re happy to park at a smaller town and travel in by train or bus but we’re not sure of the options.
Do you have any advice please?
Thanks
Jane
Hi Jane,
I am glad my blog helps you to plan your trip in Nice and the French Riviera!
For safe parking, you have a few underground parkings in Nice city center, they are however a bit expensive (25 euros per day or 90 euros for 5 days). You can find the rates and parking location on this website. It’s unfortunately all in French, but the cheapest and most central are Corvesy and Palais Massena, the 2 firsts of the list.
If you are looking for a relatively cheap option to leave your car for a few days (about 10-12 euros per day), your best bet is to go to the “low cost” parking of the airport. From there, you can take the tram to reach Nice city center easily.
You can click here (website in English) to have a look and book it. It needs to be booked in advance.
Enjoy your trip!
Hi Vincent
Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions!
Kind regards
Jane
Hi, thank you very much for your suggestions. I would just like to point out that Castle Hill closes before the sunset (about an hour or more before) so it is not possible to view the sunset from the top. Just thought I would let you know so you can edit your post 🙂
Yes thank you for this comment! My girlfriend and I were traveling in Nice for 5 days. This was going to be the highlight of our trip and we spent all day awaiting the sunset and the perfect moment to hike up. However, upon arrival, we were told it was closed at 8:00 as it does every night, and the sunset does not occur before 9:00 at least!! What a disappointment!!
Hello,
Yes, that’s right, the Castle Hill closes too early in summer to be able to enjoy the sunset.
As it’s not possible to watch the sunset from there all year round, I have edited the post to include the opening hours and the months when it can be done. It will be clearer now 🙂
Hi
I just wanted to thank you for this fantastic article. I used it consistently through my 4 days holiday in Nice. It was super useful, informative and spot on. Thanks again! 🙂
Hi Umberto,
Thank you for taking the time to post this kind comment. I am glad my article about Nice helped you during your stay in Nice!
And I am also very happy you had a good time.
Maybe see you soon on the blog for another destination 🙂
Hello Vincent,
What a lovely article about a beautiful city.
My husband Tony and I fell in love with Nice on our first visit in 2007 and have been very lucky to visit 2-3 times a year since.
We will soon be back in Nice for our 5th of 6 trips this year. I have to say though, I don’t get Monaco, it is far too crowded for us.
We have visited all the places you have mentioned and some you have not. We love to get on a bus and visit the hilltop villages such as Vence, Ste. Jeannet and Biot.
Thank you for a lovely article.
Bonne chance, A bientot Nice
Hello Linda,
Thank you for your kind comment!
I am really glad you enjoy traveling to Nice and the French Riviera, it’s a very nice place for sure, and there is a lot to discover around the city.
The small villages you talk about are very beautiful, and there are many in the region. The bus network is pretty good there, so that’s one more reason to go explore Nice surroundings.
Enjoy your stay and I wish you to discover many hidden places!
Hi my wife and I are going to nice the end of the month, how easy is it to get on the tram from cote d Azur to rue de belgique
Hello Jason,
I am not 100% sure, but I think you are talking about going from Nice Cote d’Azur airport to rue de Belgique?
In that case, as the “rue de Belgique” is located just a few meters away from the SNCF train station, you have 2 solutions:
1 – Take the tram line 2 at the airport, get out at “Jean Médecin” station and go to rue de Belgique on foot (about 10 minutes walk)
2 – Take the tram line 2 at the airport, get out at “Jean Médecin” station and take tram line 2 to “Gare Thiers” (1 stop, will make you save maybe 5 minutes waking). You tram ticket is valid for 74 minutes, so you can take both trams with just 1 ticket.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Hello,
first congrats on this amazing blog . I know that writing something like this is not easy every time 🙂 I am going in Nice this month and following your blog and some other things on the internet i made this plan: 26.12.19
Old Town of Nice
-cours Saleya
-courthouse Square
-rossetti square – Saint Reparata Cathedral+ ice ceam at Azzuro
-the saint Francis square
Castle Hill (the castle Hill Park) with views from:
-at the top
– childrens playground area
-Bellanda Tower
-Belvedere near the exit
-Cascare du Chateau – waterfall
On the way back – castle cementery
Working time 8:30-18 h
27.12.19
Cimiez neigboirhood:
-cimiez arena park+cimiez arenas
-cimiez monastery gardens
-cimiez archaeological museum
-Matisse museum
28.12.19
-Modern art musum
-Palais Lascaris
-Photogpraphy museum
-Massena museum
-Musee des Beaux
– Promnande des Anglais – with rent a bike + Jardin Albert 1 + promenande du Paillon + Place Massena
29.12.19
Eze
Monaco + Monte carlo
30.12.19
Observatory
Mont Boron
Notre Dame de Nice
Ortodox church
D you think it is possible to do this? Or i should change something?
Thank you, and again very nice blog 🙂
Hello Veronika,
Yes, your itinerary seems perfect, you can do it!
However I prefer to warn you that it will be quite busy, especially for the 28/12 and also 30/12 if you don’t have a car.
I would just change a small thing: while you will be in the old town on the 26/12, you might want to visit Palais Lascaris on that day, it order to make 28/12 a bit less busy.
In your itinerary, maybe you wanted to put all the museums in a 24h timeframe in order to benefit from the 10 euros 24h Museum Pass? If it’s the case, i am afraid it will unfortunately be a bit too short to do all you mentionned, and you will have to take the 7 days all Nice museum Pass anyway (20 euros).
Enjoy your trip to Nice, and if you have other questions, don’t hesitate!
Yes i was thinking the same about the pass (that it will be better with the weekly one) and it is okey it is not a big difference ! Thank you very much again 🙂 Have a nice Chrtismas Holidays 🙂 Greetings from Bulgaria 🙂
You’re welcome!
Thanks and enjoy your Christmas holidays too 🙂
Hey!
Thanks for taking the time to write this! Very helpful article. I am going to Nice for a week 29th March – 5th April.
I wanted to ask if you think Saint Tropez is worth a day-trip , since it will be off-season so was thinking that it is better to use the time for places like Menton etc.
Also, is there a weekly bus pass or I would have to buy tickets each time in the bus?
Hope you have a great holidays 🙂
Hello Aleks,
Thanks! I’m glad my blog is helping you to plan your trip to Nice.
Yes, I think it’s better to visit Menton, Eze, Monaco etc…
Saint-Tropez is a bit too far for a day trip and there is not so much things to do.
For the bus, you can buy a weekly pass for about 15 euros. You will get unlimited bus and tramways rides for 7 days.
You can buy it at any tram station.
Have a great stay in Nice!
My husband and I are visiting in late April. It’s our first trip to Europe and unfortunately we are only going to have a half day in Nice when we arrive and one more half day in Nice right before we leave to go back to the states.
What is the best way for us to maximize our time here?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Hello Michelle,
If you only have 2 times half a day to visit Nice, I would suggest you to do the following:
– First half day: Visit the old town (and try some local specialties!), Massena Square and take a stroll on the Promenade des Anglais. As the castle Hill closes at 8 pm in April, you can also go there for 1 hour or so before closing time, as the view is really great!
– For your second half day, it will depend on what you enjoy doing:
– Option 1: If you have a car (or check the #14 bus schedule carefully, as there aren’t many), and want to walk a bit in the nature and enjoy great views over Nice and Villefranche sur Mer, you should go to the Mont Boron, up to the “Mount Alban Fort”
– Option 2: You can spend more time in the city, doing a bit of shopping and stroll around the port, up to “Coco beach”.
Enjoy your trip to Nice!
My family are booked to go to nice 19/7/20 for 1 week, staying air band b in old town.
We are wondering whether to come or not given COVID-19. Is much open? Do you have to wear mask everywhere? Is public transport running as normal?
thank you
Andreas
Hello Andreas,
All the museums and tourist sites have reopened in Nice. Most of the bars, restaurants and shops have also reopened.
You will need to wear a mask in public transport, shops and museums.
Public transports will be using their normal summer schedule from the first of July.
That’s the plan for now, however, no one knows how it will evolve in a few weeks time.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
What a great post. I’m going to use it to enjoy my visit to Nice. Thank you for your effort!
Hello!
Thanks for such an informative article!
I am coming on 02.06.21 and have not really understood whether it is possible to go to Monaco now and, if so, under what conditions.
Do travel restrictions in France also apply to tourists?
Is there anything important I could definitely know when traveling to Nice?
Hello Diana,
Thanks! I am glad my article is helping you to plan your visit to Nice!
If you want to go to Monaco during your stay, here are the COVID related things you should know (at the moment):
– For all travel to Monaco from France, it’s mandatory to present a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old.
– Non-residents are not allowed to enter restaurants in Monaco.
In Nice and in Monaco:
– A 9pm to 6am curfew is in place
– Wearing a mask is mandatory in public spaces, both indoors and outdoors, on public transport and in shops.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Hello Vincent,
Hope you are doing very well.
I am planning for 4.5 days trip to Nice during the second week of July. I have planned out like below. Could you please suggest if this is possible to cover.
Also, Could you please provide your guidance regarding the recent travel restrictions to Nice, Cannes, Monaco etc.
Do you think taking a trip to Monaco is possible if I am completely vaccinated.?
Day 1:
– Nice Castle Hill
– The Promenade des Anglais
– Discover the Old Town of Nice
– Nice Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Day 2:
– Start in the morning with the coastal path , which goes from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Take bus number 100 from Nice harbor to the “English hospital” stop. Do the coastal walk
To get back to Nice, take bus 15 or 100 in Villefranche sur Mer.
– Visit the Villefranche old town
– Visit the hill of Mont Boron,
– From Villefranche-sur-Mer, start by going to l’escalier de verre
– Then go to the Fort of Mont Alban, for the great view over the bay of Villefranche,
– To return to Nice, take bus 30 from the Plateau du Mont Boron
Day 3:
– First, take the bus 82 from Nice to Eze village.
– Visit this magnificent perched village and the exotic garden of Eze
– To go back down to sea level, take the Nietzsche Trail, which offers a magnificent view of the sea and
surrounding cities. It will take you to Eze Beach.
– Then take the bus number 100 of the “lignes d’Azur” to Menton.
– Visit the old town
– Then, walk around Cap Martin along the seaside trail.
– Continue with the Promenade Le Corbusier, which will take you from Roquebrune to Monaco. We can also take bus #100 to Monaco
– Visit Monaco, take bus number 100 from Monaco bus station to go back to Nice.
Day 4:
– a day trip to Cannes (bus 200 or train), coupled with a boat expedition on the Lérins islands.Visit the “Croisette”
and maybe take the boat to Lerins islands!
– take the train to Antibes to visit the old town
– take the 15 bus from Nice to Saint-jean-Cap-Ferrat,
Awaiting your response.
Warm regards,
Raj
Hello Raj,
Hope you’re doing well too!
For your 4-5 days trip to Nice, it’s possible to do day 1, 2 and 3.
For Day 3, keep in mind that it’s a long day: you will need to take the bus to Eze around 8h30-9h in the morning. The full day as detailed in this guide is about 20km walking in total.
As you mentioned, if you want to walk less (8-10km in the day I would say), you can take the bus #100 from Menton to Monaco instead of walking around Cap Martin and taking the Promenade Le Corbusier.
For Day 4, it’s not really possible to do all this in a day, because Cannes and Antibes are located West of Nice while Saint-jean-Cap-Ferrat is on located East of the city.
In my opinion, you should go to Cannes, visit the city and do the boat trip to the Lérins island.
If you are not too tired, you can stop by Antibes in the evening and maybe have diner there before returning to Nice (by train probably).
For Saint-jean-Cap-Ferrat, you should plan another day!
About the Covid restrictions, to go to France (Nice has the same as the rest of France at the moment), it will depend on the country you come from.
For Monaco, even if you are vaccinated, I think you will need a PCR test unfortunately, so that’s not very convenient.
In That case, you might want to do Eze and Saint Jean Cap Ferrat on day 3!
Enjoy your trip to Nice and the surroundings,
Vincent
Hello Vincent,
Thank you for your quick response and all your valuable suggestion. Just to mention, I am a french resident living in Paris and my starting point is Paris itself. Also, I am vaccinated in France and have also completed 15 days after the second shot of the vaccine.
So, for Monaco, Do I still need a RT PCR before travelling. Please suggest.
Warm Regards,
Raj
Hello Raj,
You’re welcome!
If you’re a French resident, that’s perfect then, no problem to come to Nice (at least for the moment!)
For Monaco, I have checked again and 2 websites are saying contradictory things:
The French government website stipulates that you need a PCR test and doesn’t mention vaccination: French Government website
Monaco government website says that you don’t need a PCR test if you are fully vaccinated: Monaco Government website
I believe the French gov website isn’t up to date!
Enjoy your trip 🙂
Hello Vincent,
Thank you so much for providing all the details. It was indeed very helpful. 🙂
Regards,
Raj
Hello Vincent,
Thank you for your article, it is super helpful.
I will be going to nice and I know that it is not very famous for sandy beaches, but if I am going to chose a beach for laying down and swimming a bit in nice or its outskirts, what would be your recommendations ( not in Cannes please, because this will be another trip following Nice’s).
Thank youuuuu,
Mariam
Hello Mariam,
I am glad my article about Nice is helping you to plan your stay!
If you want to go to the beach, the closest to Nice that is relatively nice is “Marinières beach”, located in Villefranche sur Mer.
You can take bus #100 to get there and stop at Villefranch sur Mer main bus stop. You will then need to cross Villefranche old town on foot, it’s pretty nice even if quite steep when going back up.
Another option is to take the train, that stops just above the beach.
Enjoy your beach day!
Hi Vincent,
I’m so glad to find your website and it’s full of info. I’m planning to travel to Nice in early October this year and I have the following questions. I will be grateful if you could give me a bit of advice.
1). Is it safe for a woman to go around in Nice especially in the evening?
2). Where will be the best area to stay for convenience , like buses , walking distance for major places?
3). Is it recommended to take a French Riviera one day trip?
Many thanks and bonne journée .
Hello,
Thanks, I am really glad my website is helping you to plan your stay in Nice!
1) Yes, it’s safe, especially in the touristy areas. Just like in all big cities, be careful for pickpockets and don’t leave your stuff unattended (Yes, even on the beach if you have something valuable). Also, if possible, avoid the district around the train station at night.
2) Around Place Massena is the best for sure. If you give me your budget per night and the dates of your stay, I can try to find you an hotel that will suit your needs.
3) If it’s your first time on the French Riviera and have a tight schedule, that trip (click here to see it and book it) is a great option to see a maximum of places!
Have a great day too and let me know if you need more help!
Morning Vincent,
Thanks for the reply and info. I am planning to be in Nice between 11/10-15/10/2021. So, I have at least full three days in Nice. Do you think I will have enough time to do the full day boat trip? I would really like to though.
My budget is up to 60euros per night. I will be taking a train from Beziers to Nice. So, would like to know is it just one train station in Nice?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Jennifer Wong
Hello Jennifer,
You’re welcome!
1) I am not sure about which boat trip you are talking about, because the French Riviera day trip I mentioned is not by boat.
You can plan 2 days in Nice and 1 day for the French Riviera excursion yep!
2) I have found a few hotels that might fit your budget. They are located near the city center, so you can visit on foot or to get around by tram/bus.
You can click on the links for details and prices, and see if it’s what you want:
– Hotel Ozz by Happyculture – It’s a hostel with dorm beds but it’s cheap and it’s the best hostel in Nice
– EasyHotel Nice Palais des Congrès – Old Town
– Trocadero
– Hotel 66 Nice
– Hotel Esprit d’Azur
3) From Béziers, the train stops at Nice-Ville Gare Thiers which is the main train station.
Enjoy your stay!
Hi :
I’m visiting Cote D’Azur the next 4 days. I’ll stay 3 night in Nice and 1 night in Marselhe.
I’m going with my husband and 2 couples more.
Could you recomend me some nice restaurants in Nice, to have dinner? Our budget is around 40/45 eur p/person.
Thanks.
Hello Maria,
Please excuse me for my late reply, your comment was in the spam folder and I just saw it today.
I know it’s too late but I hope you had a great stay in Nice and found good restaurants.
Have a great day!
Salut Vincent,
Thank you for this really interesting and clear article!
We’re looking to visit Nice for a week in late November for my birthday and wondered if you could recommend any romantic restaurants in the area?
Thank you!
Kathryn
Hi Kathryn,
You’re welcome, I am glad my article is helping you to plan your stay in Nice!
For romantic restaurants, I would suggest:
– Having a drink at “Le Plongeoir” and then dining at “La Réserve”, the restaurant just next to Le Plongeoir.
– La Chèvre d’Or, in Eze – 2 Michelin stars, one of the best gastronomic restaurant of the French Riviera
– Le Mayssa Beach, in Villefranche sur Mer
– Le Boudoir (Nice) if you like truffles
– Jan (Nice) – 1 Michelin star restaurant located on the port of Nice
Enjoy your stay and have a nice birthday!
Thanks again Vincent, we will definitely be looking at these!
Hi there, love how much thought that has been put into this article!
I am coming for the first time to France on 19th april,
Was wondering if you have any recommendations are on where to get the best local dishes?
I see that only Azzurro was mentioned for the ice cream but do you have recommendations for the best places to try socca, etc ?
Thank you ♡
Hi Vasha,
Thank you!
To taste the best specialities of Nice, I recommend you:
– For the Socca: “Chez Theresa” in the old town – Address: 28 rue droite.
– For the pissaladière: “Lou Pelandroun” – Address: 4 Boulevard Joseph Garnier. The best pissaladière ever, with the real “Nissart” dough. I hope it will be open when you go to Nice because for the moment they are closed for renovation.
– For the dishes (panisses, daube niçoise…): “L’Acchiardo” in the old town. Address: 38 rue droite. You really need to book in advance for this one.
Enjoy your stay in Nice!
Thank u so much!!
I have a couple more questions if you have the time!
I plan to do the eze, menton, monaco day trip.
And for monaco i definitely want to take our time there.
(Oceanographic museum, monte carlo casino, palace, f1, etc)
So do you have any idea to roughly how much time to spend in Eze and how much time to spend in Menton ?
We will take buses in between to save time.
Also is there anything in particular in both towns that is A MUST SEE before we go to Monaco? Just so I can make sure we dont miss it!
I also would like to ask if you have any knowledge on if we will need anything extra to enter Monaco. We are fully vaccinated with booster shots too.
It’s okay if you dont know, I just wanted to ask just in case for some reason you knew 😅😂
Also is it worth visiting the notre dame cathedral? 🙂
Haha sorry for all the questions!
Hello Vasha,
You’re welcome!
You can spend about 1 hour in Eze village: walking through the tiny historical centre and visiting the exotic garden.
If you want to visit the Fragornard perfume factory, allow another half hour.
In Menton, you can walk around the old town to see the Basilica of Saint-Michel, the Halles market and the Herbin jam factory.
It’s quite small too so an hour is enough, maybe 2 hours if you plan to eat there.
To enter Monaco, no need for anything special if you’re vaccinated.
And for the cathedral: the entrance is free and it the visit just takes 5 minutes so you can go and see it quickly.
Enjoy your stay on the French Riviera!
Thank you so much Vincent! Take care ♡!