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Nice

Nice is a sunlit city on a curved blue bay where everyone ends the day on the same long seafront.

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Photo: Txllxt TxllxT / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nice

Nice is the capital of the French Riviera and the fifth-largest city in France, but for most of its history it was not French at all. It belonged to the House of Savoy and only joined France in 1860, which is why the old town looks Italian, the local dialect, Nissart, still appears on street signs, and the food leans towards Genoa as much as Provence. In the nineteenth century wealthy British and Russian families came here to escape northern winters and left behind the Promenade des Anglais, belle époque hotels and grand villas; in 2021 UNESCO listed Nice as a World Heritage Site as the winter resort town of the Riviera. Today it is a lived-in city of around three hundred and fifty thousand people, with students, market traders and office workers alongside the visitors. For a traveller it is easy to read: the sea on one side, the hills on the other, a compact centre you can cross on foot, and a seafront where locals and visitors share the same benches every evening, which makes it a natural place to meet people.

Places to visit

The Promenade des Anglais

The seven-kilometre seafront that curves along the Baie des Anges from the airport to the foot of Castle Hill is the spine of the city. Walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters share the wide pavement, and the famous blue chairs face the sea for anyone who wants to sit and watch the water change colour. Along the way you pass the pink-domed Hotel Negresco and a string of belle époque facades. Walk it in the early morning when it belongs to joggers, and again at sunset when half the city is out.

Vieux Nice and the Cours Saleya

The old town is a maze of narrow lanes between tall ochre and yellow houses, with laundry overhead, baroque churches and small squares like Place Rossetti in front of the Sainte-Réparate cathedral. Its long central square, the Cours Saleya, holds a flower and produce market most mornings and an antiques market on Mondays, then fills with restaurant terraces in the evening. Get lost on purpose here; every lane eventually leads either to the sea or to Castle Hill.

Castle Hill (Colline du Château)

There is no castle left on this rocky hill between the old town and the port, only a shady park with an artificial waterfall, ruins and the best views in Nice. From the top you see the whole sweep of the Baie des Anges on one side and the colourful houses of the port on the other. You can climb the stairs from the old town in around fifteen minutes or take the free lift near the eastern end of the Promenade. Bring water in summer and come back for the evening light.

Place Masséna and the Promenade du Paillon

Nice's main square, with red-ochre arcaded buildings and a chequerboard pavement, links the old town to the modern centre. Above it, seven figures by the artist Jaume Plensa sit on tall poles and glow in changing colours at night. From the square, the Promenade du Paillon runs inland as a long green park built over a covered river, with lawns, fountains, play areas and a shallow water mirror where children run through jets of mist. It is one of the city's favourite places simply to sit.

Cimiez: Matisse, Chagall and the Roman city

On the hill north of the centre, the quiet residential district of Cimiez holds two of the city's best museums. The Musée Matisse occupies a red Genoese villa next to the ruins of the Roman town of Cemenelum, with an olive grove in front, and Matisse himself is buried in the nearby cemetery. A short way down the hill, the Musée Marc Chagall was built to house his cycle of large paintings on biblical themes. The monastery gardens of Cimiez, with views down to the sea, make a calm finish.

Port Lympia and Mont Boron

East of Castle Hill, the old harbour is framed by tall houses in Italian red, yellow and orange, with fishing boats, yachts and ferries to Corsica. The streets behind it have become one of the city's most relaxed areas for food and drinks. Beyond the port, the forested hill of Mont Boron has walking trails, pine shade and views down to Villefranche, and the coastal path around the Cap de Nice leads to small rocky swimming spots.

Where to go out

The old town after dark

When the day visitors leave, the lanes of Vieux Nice fill with a younger crowd. Small bars, wine bars and pubs sit close together around Place Rossetti and the streets near the Cours Saleya, and in summer people drink outside on the steps and squares. It is lively rather than wild, it moves from place to place, and talking to strangers at the next table is the normal way the evening goes.

The port quarter and Rue Bonaparte

The streets between Place Garibaldi and the port are where many locals prefer to spend their evenings. Rue Bonaparte and the surrounding lanes, sometimes called the Petit Marais, have a mix of cocktail bars, wine bars and restaurants with a relaxed, welcoming and LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere. Around the harbour itself, terraces stay open late and the crowd is a mix of residents, students and travellers.

Opéra de Nice

A red-and-gold Italian-style opera house just behind the seafront in the old town, with a season of opera, ballet and symphonic concerts. Tickets are usually easier to find than in larger cities, and an evening here followed by a late walk along the Promenade is a good shared plan that does not depend on drinking.

The Nice Carnival

Every February, Nice holds one of the oldest and largest carnivals in the world. Giant papier-mâché figures parade around Place Masséna, and during the Battle of Flowers, decorated floats pass along the Promenade des Anglais while performers throw fresh flowers into the crowd. Some stands are ticketed, but the atmosphere spills into the whole city for two weeks, and it is the busiest and most sociable time of the winter.

The Nice Jazz Festival

Each July the city hosts a jazz festival with a broad programme that also covers soul, funk, pop and electronic acts, with stages in the centre close to the sea. Summer evenings also bring free concerts and outdoor events around the city. Check the programme before you arrive, as tickets for the biggest names sell out early.

Things to do

Take the coastal train along the Riviera

Regional trains from Nice-Ville station run along the coast in both directions, and the views of the sea are the point of the trip. Eastbound you reach Villefranche-sur-Mer in a few minutes, then Monaco and Menton; westbound you reach Antibes and Cannes. Tickets are inexpensive, trains are frequent, and you can easily visit two places in a day and be back in Nice for dinner.

Climb to Èze on the Nietzsche path

The medieval village of Èze sits on a rock high above the sea between Nice and Monaco. Take the train to Èze-sur-Mer and walk up the steep footpath named after the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who is said to have composed part of a book while climbing it. The ascent takes around an hour through pines and rock, and the reward is a stone village and a view along the whole coast. Wear proper shoes and avoid the midday heat.

Eat like a Niçois

Nice has its own cuisine, closer to Liguria than to Paris. Try socca, a thin chickpea pancake baked in a wood oven and eaten hot with pepper; pissaladière, an onion and anchovy tart; pan bagnat, the local sandwich; and stuffed vegetables. The real salade niçoise has no potatoes or boiled green beans, and locals will happily tell you so. Go to the Libération market in the morning for fresh produce and a less touristy feel than the old town.

Swim from the pebble beaches

Nice's beaches are made of smooth grey pebbles rather than sand, so water shoes or a thick towel help. Public beaches along the Promenade are free; private beach clubs rent sunbeds and umbrellas. For clearer water and fewer people, walk past the port to the rocky coves around the Cap de Nice and Coco Beach. The sea is usually warm enough for swimming from June to early October.

Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, with its green and gold onion domes, was completed in the early twentieth century for the large Russian community that wintered on the Riviera. It is still an active church, so dress modestly and keep your voice down. Combine it with a walk through the nearby Libération district, a residential neighbourhood with a lively market and everyday cafés.

Great first-date spots

Good to know

Best season

May, June and September are the best months — warm sea, long days and fewer crowds than in July and August, when the city is hot and accommodation is at its most expensive. Early October is often still warm enough for swimming. Winters are mild and sunny compared with the rest of France, which is why Nice became a winter resort in the first place, and February brings the Carnival. Short heavy rain is most likely in autumn.

Getting around

The centre is compact and mostly flat, so walking is the easiest way to get around. A modern tram network crosses the city; one line connects the airport, around seven kilometres west of the centre, with the Promenade area and the port in roughly half an hour. Buses cover the hills, and a bike-share system and dedicated cycle lanes along the seafront make cycling simple. Regional trains from Nice-Ville station serve the whole coast from Cannes to Menton and are the best way to make day trips.

Language & meeting people

French is the language, and the local Nissart dialect survives on street signs in the old town and in a few expressions. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and shops, and Italian is understood by many people because the border is close. A simple bonjour when you enter a shop or café is expected and changes the tone of every conversation. People in Nice can seem reserved at first but are relaxed and warm once you start talking, and evenings outdoors make conversations easy.

Where travelers & expats meet

Nice has long had a large international community, including British, Scandinavian, Italian and American residents, along with students from the university and people working at the technology park of Sophia Antipolis nearby. Many expats live around the port, the Carré d'Or behind the Promenade and the Libération district. Language exchange evenings, beach volleyball, running groups along the Promenade and hiking clubs heading into the hills are common ways to meet people, and are easy to find through local social groups.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Nice a good city to visit alone?

Yes. The centre is compact, public transport is easy, and the shared evening routine on the Promenade, the old town squares and the port terraces puts you among people without any effort. Many solo travellers use Nice as a base and take the train to a different town on the coast each day.

How many days do I need in Nice?

Three days is enough for the Promenade, the old town, Castle Hill, Cimiez and a beach afternoon. Add one or two more days for trips along the coast to Villefranche, Èze, Monaco or Antibes, which are all easy by train.

Are the beaches in Nice sandy?

No, the beaches in the city are pebbly. They are clean and the water is clear, but water shoes make getting in much more comfortable. If you want sand, take the train to beaches along the coast towards Antibes or Cannes.

Is Nice expensive?

It is cheaper than Monaco or Cannes but more expensive than most French cities, especially for accommodation in July and August. Markets, socca, picnics on the beach, the trams and the coastal trains keep daily costs reasonable. Booking early or visiting outside the high season makes the biggest difference.

Is Nice a good base for the French Riviera?

It is the most practical one. Nice has the main airport of the region, the largest choice of accommodation and direct trains along the coast, so Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes are all within easy reach for a day trip.

Is it safe to meet someone from an app in Nice?

Nice is generally a safe city, and the same simple rules apply as anywhere: meet in a busy public place for the first time, tell a friend where you are going and arrange your own transport. The Promenade, Place Masséna and the old town stay busy late into the evening, which makes them natural first meeting places. As in any tourist city, keep an eye on your phone and bag in crowds.

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