Nice

Understand

Nice's origins can be found among the Gallo-Roman ruins of Cimiez, in the hills up the boulevard de Cimiez from downtown. Cimiez also contains a monastery and some museums, but nowadays, most of the city's inhabitants live closer to sea level. Nice was part of the Italian Duchy of Savoia and then the Kingdom of Sardinia until it was ceded to France in 1860. The ancient local language is Nissart, and some of the street signs are bilingual. However very few people speak Nissart, and even the elderly know and speak French. Don't assume everyone you encounter will speak English — an effort at French will always be appreciated.

Climate

Nice has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers. Due to the movements of the winds, the winter months are generally characterized by chilly, sunny days alternating with periods of milder, cloudy weather. Compared to other Mediterranean climates in the area such as Marseille or Genoa, Nice’s spring features quite a slow warm-up, and there can still be winter-like temperatures well into April. Summer is warm, dry and sunny, assuring beach weather on most days. The autumn months have very distinct temperatures, with September staying generally warm, October being variable, and November presenting a mix of mild and cool weather.

Local information Nice City Council website

Getting there

By plane 1 Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE IATA). It is one of the busiest in France and has frequent daily flights from Paris, and direct from most major cities in Europe, including Istanbul, as well as flights from New York City, seasonally from Canada, and from several destinations in North Africa and the Middle East. The airport is at the western end of Nice on a landfill. Arrival and departure in good weather often provides beautiful views of the French Riviera. (updated Jul 2022) Most airlines use Terminal 1 (the older terminal) while Terminal 2 is used primarily by Air France (and partners) and Easyjet. The new tram connects Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and the Grand Arénas interchange (where the relocated regional train station Nice St-Augustin is located) for free. There is also a frequent free shuttle bus between the terminals.

Airport to Nice The Tram 2 is now the primary option between the city and the airport. Tram line 2 serves the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) and connects the city centre at "Jean Médecin" station. A tram carriage goes to the airport every 8 minutes on weekdays. The city now uses a top-up card (no more single use paper tickets). When arriving at the airport, the choice is to either get a €10 "l'Aéro" pass for a one-way trip to town or to take the tram to Grand Arénas interchange for free (1 or 2 stops), to get off and get a regular top-up card with a €1.70/74 min ticket there. You can continue your journey from the same spot. Second option is the cheapest and without much hassle. Both can be bought with contactless credit card or coins from black vending machines. Do not forget to validate your card when entering the tram. You can also buy tickets using a mobile app if your phone supports NFC. Regular bus 12 – Alternatively the local bus service 12 connects the airport to the old town via the seafront "Promenade des Anglais", costing €1.70, and running between 05:30 and 21:00. The bus stop is on the main road outside Terminal 1, and called 1 Aéroport/Promenade. Outbound, the stop is on the opposite side of this busy highway, use the underpass to reach the Terminal. To reach to the main railway station (Gare Nice Ville), it takes about 30 min by bus and then 500 m by foot from the bus-stop "Thiers/Gambetta". Trains – Convenient for some destinations, there is also a small regional train station close to the airport (Nice St Augustin) where you can pick up a TER train one stop eastward to Nice, Monaco and all stations to the Italian border at Ventimiglia, or west back to Antibes and Cannes. The station ca

Getting around

By bus and tram Warning: The following text is outdated as of 2026. Each main town on the French Riviera has its own local bus network, for Nice it is Lignes d'Azur (Antibes has Envibus, Cannes has Bus Azur, and so on), and the 100 or more Lignes d'Azur routes are the main form of urban transport for locals going to work or school. Of more interest to tourists, an inter-urban network, Zou! connects all the Eastern Riviera towns between Cannes and Menton and all the main villages like Èze and Vence. Its terminal is at 16 Avenue des Diables Bleus. Bus fares are only €1.70 (2023) with a change to a non-return connecting service also permitted within 74 min, so it is worth mastering the bus system to get around. The Lignes d'Azur and Zou! routes overlap in and around Nice, so the ticket and tariff system is integrated to a common ticket zone, in which the local Lignes d'Azur tickets and passes are accepted on the longer distance Zou! buses (only between Cagnes-sur-Mer to the west and Cap d'Ail short of Monaco to the east). The fare is identical on both networks - €1.70 for any distance - but with Zou!, you must always tell the driver your intended destination, so he can judge whether you should purchase a Zou! ticket or a Ligne d'Azur. Outside the common zone, Ligne d'Azur passes are not valid and you need to pay the €1.70 fare in cash. Tram line 1 takes a U-shaped route from Las Planas to the northeast to Pont St Michel to the northwest. It links the main train station, bus station, downtown and the university, but it is primarily a mass transit system for commuters and shoppers. Trams use the same tickets as the buses, but you need to buy them from the machines at tram stops (unlike buses, where it is usual to pay the driver or show your pass on entering the bus). Always validate your ticket, especially card-like tickets with magnet bands. Another innovation is the hourly "commuter express" bus service direct to Monaco via the Autoroute, the 100 Express, though visitors may still prefer the slower and more scenic 100 route along the coast. The SNCF rail service also links all the main coastal towns, so which is the best way to get around - bus or train? The journey from Nice to say Cannes by the 200 bus at €1.50 is considerably cheaper than the train, which is over €5. The buses are liable to dreadful overcrowding and have the prospect of standing for nearly 2 hr as it is slow with frequent stops and many traffic lights along the route. If you're short on cash and don't mind discomfort, take the bus. If you're short on time and prefer to sit, take the t

See

The greatest thing to see in Nice is the views along the Promenade des Anglais, which skirts the seacoast for over 5 km, then ends at Nice Airport. These are the views you will have seen in dozens of postcards and in paintings by the 20th-century artist Henri Matisse, who spent so many years living in Nice, but whether you've seen pictures or not, you owe it to yourself to walk along some of this stretch if you have made it to Nice. The old town (Vieux Nice) beneath the hill is a maze of streets and alleys, with many picturesque houses, boutiques and home to the daily flower and fruit market of the Cours Saleya. In addition, the local cathedral, the Baroque Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, in the heart of Vieux Nice, is pretty. You'll want to walk through the Place Sainte-Réparate, anyway, while you're in the old city. If the doors are open, go in and look at the interior and paintings.

1 Colline du Château. The castle hill overlooking the Baie des Anges and harbour offers a spectacular vantage point overlooking the city. Not much is left of its ruined castle besides crumbling walls. Still, climbing up the stairs to reach the platforms 90 m above Nice is well worth the view. There is also a lift (ascenseur) which will take you three quarters of the way up. The castle hill park closes at around sunset. Expect to be escorted outside if you stay longer. 2 Parc Phoenix, 405 Promenade des Anglais, ☏ +33 4 92 29 77 00, fax: +33 492 29 7701, [email protected]. Daily, Apr-Sep: 09:30-19:30, Oct-Mar: 09:30-18:00. 2500 different plants in botanical garden and tropical glass house. Also various animals. €5.20, 12-18 €3, under 12 free, Nice museums pass-holder €3. (updated Oct 2023)

Museums and art galleries Nice is also known for several museums. Some of the most famous are in Cimiez, the older, upper part of the city which in a previous century was a favourite of Queen Victoria. Pass for all City of Nice museums provides access for 4 days for €15 per person (2023), one entry per museum, to MAMAC, Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre, Musée Matisse, Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret, Anatole Jakovsky Naive Art Museum, Masséna Museum, Palais Lascaris, Nice/Cimiez Archeology Museum, Terra Amata Prehistory Museum, Natural History Museum, and Priory of Vieux-Logis.

3 Musée des Arts Asiatiques, 405, Promenade des Anglais (just across the street from the airport), ☏ +33 492 293700. Jul Aug: W-M 10:00-18:00; Sep-Jun: W-M 10:00-17:00; closed Jan 1, May 1 and Dec 25. Indian, Chinese, Southeast Asian, and world art in great architecture on a lake. Free visit, confe

Do

Beaches If you go to Nice for bathing or general lounging on the beach, you may wish to think again. The beaches of Nice consist entirely of large flat stones (gallets). A few private beaches have added a layer of sand, but the free public beaches are a stony experience. Besides towels or mats, you should definitely bring sandals, since walking on the stones can be painful, and a cushion if you want to sit. Free showers are provided on all public beaches and there is a beach volleyball area that is netted off with white sand. Although the beaches are mainly pebbles, many visitors enjoy the beautiful light blue sea for a swim. If you can bear to walk for a few steps on the pebbles it is definitely an opportunity for swimming rather than playing in the water as the beach drops quickly and the tidal pull can be very strong, and not for beginners. Lying on the beach for a sun tan or relaxation is also manageable as long as you rearrange the rocks/pebbles to a comfy surface for sitting and lying. Private beaches offer various services from restaurants and /bars to the rental of lounge chairs and towels. Much nicer beaches exist in other towns close by, such as Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes and Cannes, which are far more sandy. Villefranche is a particularly preferred beach choice, especially if travelling with children, only 20 minutes away by the Zou! 100 bus. However, for walks by the seaside with great views, the Promenade des Anglais is arguably unparalleled.

Beautiful landscapes For views of Nice the best vantage point is the heights of Mont Boron (bus 14). From the derelict old Fort and the nearby villa of Sir Elton John there are fine views over the city to the mountains and east over Villefranche and Cap Ferat. Go to Èze. It is a small village on the way to Monaco. The village is situated on a small mountain and there is a beautiful cactus garden with a spectacular view (a must see, €5 entrance fee). There is also Fragonard perfume factory which you can visit for free. To reach Eze by bus, take the 82 or 602 to Eze Village (not the 600 which stops at Eze Gare, a 90-minute steep walk away from Eze Village). If you missed an infrequent (up to 3 hours) 115 bus in Eze Village, there is a path that goes down the mountain from Eze Village to Eze Sur Mer (also Eze Gare). This is the Path of Nietzsche (named after the famous German philosopher Friedrich W. Nietzsche), with some fantastic views and a waterfall (if you know where to look). Walking downhill through this path takes about 40 minutes. Buses run from Menton-Monaco through Eze Gare back to Nic

Buy

Most stores and restaurants in Nice will accept the major credit cards, and debit cards from major banks (anything carrying the EC or Maestro or Visa logos). If this fails you can always get money from any of the numerous ATMs. All shops are now allowed to open every Sunday. Postcards (as many other things) vary greatly in price. Do some comparison shopping as the price range is between 20 cents and €1 for a normal postcard. Nice's main shopping street av. Jean Medecin is home to two giant music/entertainment stores, Virgin Megastore and the French FNAC. FNAC definitely has the edge as their many listening stations allow you to "try before you buy" almost every CD in the house, whilst Virgin push only a few promotional selections. Both run near identical pricing policy on new albums. FNAC is closer to HMV, offering most forms of entertainment including books, games, CDs, and DVDs. The 4-storey store on Av. Jean Medecin is well worth exploring! Designer label garments are, as everywhere, notoriously expensive but general fashion goods are really cheap compared to most other European countries, and Galleries Lafayette offers a lot under one roof. If that's not enough for you, they also have a huge superstore at Cap 3000 just next to St Laurent de Var past the airport (Lignes d Azur 52 and Zou! bus 200, 400 and 500, stop La Passerelle). This is also home to Galleries Lafayette Gourmand, a food superstore to rival London's Harrods and Selfridges. The wine selection is brilliant, especially aisles full of Rose de Provence, and there are a half-dozen in-store lunch-time places. Cheap bargain fashions are best sought at Ventimiglia's huge open street market each Friday, accessible by train from Nice Gare Ville to Ventimiglia a few kilometres over the Italian border. Just avoid the tempting fake luxury brands sold by the many street sellers. The war against counterfeiting is taken very seriously by the French border police and big fines are targeted at "innocent" tourists. The central Nice Etoiles is available for anyone pining for a visit to a shopping mall, including three floors of a Dutch brand not seen by British people for 20 years that is still big in France - C&A. More nostalgia can also be found in av Jean Medecins' "Damart" - yes, the people that gave you "Thermolactyl underwear" to keep you warm in winter are also big here. About as sensible as the local Bronzage tanning parlours. The "duty free" shops at Nice airport terminals are the absolute worst value you will ever find and should be avoided at all costs: prices are way over those of even the hi

Eat

Nice specialities Many restaurants and cafés serve local food. You might consider preparing some simple meals chez vous or take home some local Nice delicacies to enjoy on your balcony. Street food is widely available in Nice. A combination of choices could easily replace a lunch without paying restaurant prices.

Socca, a chickpea flour flat bread snack, lightly fried, warm and ready to take away (about €3) in a paper wrap to enjoy on a bench overlooking the sea on the Promenade des Anglais Pan bagnat is a tuna fish sandwich with olives, sliced hard boiled eggs and fresh vegetables Pizza can be a 'street food' take away but might be better served directly from a wood-fired oven. It would be fun to compare. Pissaladiere is a simple form of pizza topped with sweet sauteed, caramelized onion, olives, garlic and anchovies; it does not include tomatoes or cheese. Don't worry about anchovies. Anchovies are salty, offset the sweet onion flavour and add a wonderful complexity to this otherwise simple dish. Tourtes aux blettes sweet tarts are made with Savoy cabbage (Swiss chard), raisins, nuts, and powdered sugar Barbajuan is an appetizer found in the eastern part of the French Riviera and Northern Italy. The dough is stuffed with Swiss chard and ricotta among other ingredients and fried

Glace (gelato or ice cream) No visit to Nice would be complete without a visit to Fennocchio's, 2 place Rossetti (within Place Rosetti), ☏ +33 4 93 80 72 52. Mar-Nov: daily 10:00-12:00 (one store closed on Tuesday). Serves ice creams and Italian-style ices. It's a tough choice to select just one or two of the 94 flavours, which include classics like chocolate or vanilla and less usual ones like thyme, cactus or lavender. 2 locations in the Old Town. €2.50 for glace. (updated Jun 2024) Nice culinary staples - Neither street food nor restaurant dishes, these culinary staples should not be overlooked when visiting Nice. A picnic lunch can be quickly assembled from a market with among other delicacies, olives, cheese, a baguette, a fruit tart and a bottle of light rosé wine. In packing to visit Nice, don't forget to add a corkscrew, pocket knife and napkins for picnics. Borrow glasses from your hotel (but return them, please).

Mediterranean olives Olives are quite varied in the Mediterranean by growth and curing, sometimes with herbs or garlic. Tapenade what can be better than olives? How about a puréed or finely chopped olive spread? Tapenades can be diverse based on the olive type and added ingredients. Tapenades can be used as an appetizer on crusty bread or with crudités.

Drink & nightlife

With the hot Niçois summers, carrying a bottle of water is almost a must. Bear in mind the largest single complaint to the municipal authority tourist department is the offering in restaurants of branded water bottles whose seal has been broken – i.e. refilled with tap water – and charged as Perrier or Evian. You can save a lot of money by buying alcoholic drinks and such in a normal supermarket instead of the vendors geared towards tourists. Carrefour has a huge selection and unlike the other supermarkets has a policy of buying in wine show "prize winners" distinguished by their gold, silver or bronze medal stickers. Wine in restaurants is often ferociously expensive, so do as the locals and order it by the "pichet" – usually a 50-centilitre jug. However, if you fancy quality appellation French wine to drink back home, Les Caves Caprioglio at 16 Rue de la Prefecture in Vieux Nice has a fabulous cellar of the wines you usually only read about in the fine wines books but rarely see. To see French wine making, the Chateau's Bellet and Cremat in the Var are nearest to Nice and will do tours by arrangement (reachable via the tiny narrow-gauge train from the Chemin de Fer de Provence). Some popular places to go out for a drink include:

Ma Nolan's. Right in the heart of the 'Old Town' and next to the opera, Ma Nolan's has everything you would expect from an Irish pub: live music every night, major sporting events on four screens, really good food and very friendly staff. Akathor Pub. — Big Scandinavian/Irish pub with live music every night. On two floors with a large terrace this place is expensive but chill. Many of the larger hotels (such as the Holiday Inn) have 2-for-1 drink coupons which can be easily obtained even if you are not a guest. Wayne's. — An old school bar with live music and theme nights, a bit coyote ugly meets cheers. When the place is crowded, people dance on the tables. It's somewhat expensive to drink here (but Wayne's isn't alone with this characteristic), but definitely one of the most fun/party places in Nice. English-speaking tourists also seem to gravitate to this bar, but you'll also meet lots of French people or locals here. Checkpoint — A cozy bar on the ground level, and a great dance floor underground. Ladies night on Monday offers €0.50 champagne (as of Feb 2013). Master Home — A pub by Wayne's and King's Pub. More "French" than Wayne's and King's pubs and a little more classy. When you order alcoholic drinks, they bring you two or three dishes of nibbles. Even though the price is a little more expensive than the "Englis

Sleep

There are a number of hotels within walking distance of Terminal 1 of the airport and a special hotel shuttle bus serves other hotels within Nice itself. The hotels near the airport are a long way away from Nice center (7 km) and it will take a bus journey or taxi to reach the centre. A wide range of modern and traditional French hotels is available in the town, though few in the old quarter itself, which is mainly apartments. Convenient locations are between the main station and the promenade, in particular below Boulevard Victor Hugo and east of Boulevard Gambetta. Hotels further from the seafront are most convenient in the vicinity of the tramway along Avenue Jean Medicine or Avenue de la Republique.

Budget It would seem that the simplest solution is to stay at a youth hostel. There are quite a number in Nice:

Les Camélias, 3, rue Spitalieri, near the shopping centre Nice Etoile, in the heart of the city centre. Villa Saint Exupery, 22, Avenue Gravier. An amazing hostel with a great party vibe, includes free internet and free breakfast. Situated a short way to the north of the town centre in a former monastery. You can easily catch a bus there from Nice Ville train station (1, 2 or 23), the staff are very helpful, knowledgeable and will even pick you up free if you arrive late. Backpacker's Hostel Chez Patrick, 32, Rue Pertinax. A clean, cheap hostel with dorm rooms and a shared kitchen. The host is very kind and helpful and you're just a few minutes from the Nice train station (Gare SNCF) and a few metres away from the next tram station. PV-Holidays Résidence Maeva Nice Les Palmiers, ☏ +33 1 58 21 55 84. A renovated three-floor residence, located in a private garden in the heart of the Fabron district. 500 m from the shops, 800 m from the beach, 4 km from the old port of Nice and 6.5 km from the airport.

Mid-range Being a heavily touristed city, it's easy to find a number of small hotels which are perfectly acceptable, and usually at a decent rate.

1 Hotel Riviera Nice - Best Western Collection, 36 Rue Rossini (close to the Promenade des Anglais), ☏ +33 4 22 13 50 21, fax: +33 4 26 30 38 09, [email protected]. Hotel in an Art Deco building. €190 - 243+. 2 Hotel Anis, 50, Avenue de la Lanterne (near the airport), ☏ +33 4 93 18 29 00, fax: +33 4 93 83 31 16, [email protected]. Swimming pool, restaurant. 3 Le Vendôme, Rue Pastorelli 3. Le Mas des Selves, ☏ +33 4 93291027. Beautiful Bed and Breakfast. Citadines Nice Buffa. Well appointed and plenty of room but, be prepared for a bit of a walk to most attractions an

Go next

Some nice places just to the west of Nice include Haute de Cagnes, Antibes, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. East of Nice the trains stops at Villefranche, Monaco and Menton, and the border town of Ventimiglia. To the North of Nice in the interior of Provence, Vence and Saint-Paul de Vence are worth a visit for their hilltop old towns and boules pitches.

Villefranche is two stops east of the main station in Nice and is a rather nice village with a small beach (and it is much less rocky than in Nice). The village is quieter and more relaxed than Nice. A train ticket from the main station in Nice is just €1.70 each way. You can also get there by bus 81 or 100 — or by taking the scenic walk by the cliffs in little over an hour. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: Among the many expensive villas on this cape, Villa Ephrussi de Rotschild is the most impressive one. You can walk around the cape on a pathway and stop for a swim. Take city bus #15 from Nice, about 40 min. Beaulieu-sur-mer: Right next to Cap Ferrat, this small town is known for the beach and Villa Kerylos, a Greek-style property built in the early 1900s. Take city bus #15 from Nice. Liguria - the Italian Riviera including San Remo that is just a little over one hour away, switch trains in Ventimiglia Èze village — a few hour-long hike (or take citybus #81 from Nice) from Nice, Èze is a medieval village and well worth seeing, if only over a day. Visit the beautiful mountainous Touët-sur-Var, Puget-Théniers, Entrevaux, Annot, and even Verdon Gorge from along the narrow gauge Train des Pignes stops between Nice and Digne-les-Bains. Admire the castles or just hike the surrounding treks of each village.