With its mix of real-city life, old-world opulence, year-round sunshine, vibrant street life and stunning seaside location, no place in France compares with Nice.
One of the jewels of the Côte d’Azur, Nice really doesn’t need much introduction, and if you’re planning a visit to the French Riviera, there’s no doubt that you’ve already seen countless photos of this charming seaside city.
And what you see is what you get: the sun, the beach, the Mediterranean Sea, and a heavy dose of Belle Epoque glitz and glamor. All of that is what makes Nice world-famous, and it’s a deserved reputation. This is both a wonderful holiday destination for visitors, and also a genuinely lovely place to live. But, as with anywhere, that’s not everything that Nice is; there’s much more to the city than just that.
Nice is an intimate city that invites you to take your time discovering it. And despite being a global tourism hotspot, as soon as you step away from the crowded center, you’ll find authentic life and friendly locals who are happy to stop and chat with you.
Of course, it’s here, in the back streets and local neighborhoods where you’ll find the real atmosphere of southern France and the best bars and restaurants. This is the part of Nice that you need to slow down in and take your time with.
Finally, Nice is also city right on the edge of nature, a fact that few visitors fully appreciate. In just a few minutes, you can reach the heart of the wild hinterland and set off on wonderful hikes through the mountains, stopping to swim in rivers and lounge in the shade of the forest. In other words, this is an ideal base from which to discover this part of the Alps!
How to get here
The best way to get to Nice will largely depend on where in France or elsewhere in the world you’re coming from. If you’re already in southern France or along the Riviera, then the coastal train is the perfect option.
Arriving by air
Nice has its own airport which offers multiple direct daily flights to/from Paris as well as other destinations throughout France and Europe. The low cost carrier EasyJet runs many of these routes, so one-way tickets are often fairly inexpensive (under 100 euros).
Alternatively, you can also fly into the airport in the much larger city of Marseille, which has many daily connections with Paris and throughout the world. Whichever airport you fly into, the flight from Paris will take about 1.5 hours.
If you fly into Marseille, the best way to continue on to Nice is via the train.
Here’s a quick potential 4-day itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive into Nice and spend a few hours strolling around the old town (you’ll be coming back to it often) and the surrounding area. Later in the day, head to the seaside Promenade des Anglais, and enjoy a leisurely walk along the coast. If you’ve got good weather, take a dip in the sea.
Day 2: Take advantage of the cool morning air to head up to Castle Hill (Colline du Château), where you’ll have beautiful views over the city and coastline. You could follow this up with brunch in the old town or at the port. If it’s a market day, head to the Cours Saleya market to check out the local goods. In the afternoon, why not spend some time on the beach or visit one of the many excellent museums?
Day 3: Enjoy a more leisurely morning today, and then head to the beach for a mid-to-late morning swim. Then spend some time wandering around any of the neighborhoods you haven’t seen yet (or ones you especially liked), and grab lunch somewhere.
In the afternoon, take the bus or walk to the upper district of the city, called Cimiez Hill, where you can visit the small but very remarkable archaeology museum, or one of the art museums (Musée Matisse, Musée Chagall, etc.). After, enjoy the view from the top of the hill, and then head back down. In the late afternoon, you can sit on the terrace of a bar on the Cours Saleya or enjoy an ice cream by the sea.
Day 4: If you’re staying here for more than 3 days and have already got the hang of Nice, it’s time to branch out. By train, you can reach Cannes or Antibes to the west, or Monaco or Italy to the east: in both cases, it’s less than an hour’s journey.