Nice Travel Guide

Two nights in Nice is only enough to see the main squares; to experience the city and the Côte d'Azur in balance, set aside three to four full days. Give one day to Vieux Nice–Colline du Château, one to the Promenade–Cimiez, and one to Villefranche, Antibes or Monaco by train. Hopping on and off at three coastal towns on the same day lets you see the views but loses the sense of place.

In summer, devote the midday heat not to hills or museums but to the sea, a long meal or a shady garden. Climb Castle Hill in the morning; see the streets of Vieux Nice at market time and the Promenade at sunset. In the rain, the Chagall and Matisse museums are good alternatives, but their closing days are not the same.

Nice is a strong base for a car-free Riviera. TER trains run along the coast towards Cannes, Antibes, Monaco and Menton; for Villefranche and Èze, the train and bus drop you at different points. Don't mistake Èze-sur-Mer station for Èze Village, which sits on the hilltop; the path up to the village is hot and seriously steep.

From Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, tram 2 runs via Jean Médecin to Port Lympia; line B goes to other central connections. The airport zone between Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Grand Arénas is free. To continue to the centre, compare the current conditions of the airport-specific return product and the standard city ticket at a Lignes d'Azur machine or on the official website; don't use prices from old blogs.

Nice Saint-Augustin railway station is close to Terminal 1 via a walk and the free tram link. If you are heading straight to Cannes, Antibes, Monaco or Menton, it can make sense to take the TER without going back to the city centre first. Nice Saint-Augustin and the main station, Nice-Ville, are not the same place; check which one your hotel is near.

For a taxi at night, use the official rank, and confirm the meeting point for ride-hailing cars on the terminal screen. On your return, check the airport page in case of tram disruption or major events; don't plan to catch an international flight based only on the theoretical time on a map.

The Lignes d'Azur network links trams and buses in the same system. You can load tickets onto the reusable La Carte or a compatible mobile solution; ask at the point of sale about the physical card's deposit/refund conditions. A last-minute ticket from the bus driver is not guaranteed on every line or by card; according to official information, cash may be needed for an emergency ticket. Get your ticket ready in advance from a machine or the app.

Validate every time you board, including on transfers. The transfer window may not give you the right to return on the same route; don't assume you can go to the beach and come back on the same ticket. Purchase/loading functions may not be the same on iPhone and Android; download the app before you travel and check your phone's NFC compatibility.

Riviera day trips are separate from the city pass. Buy TER tickets from SNCF Connect or a station machine; trains can be crowded in summer, and platform changes at small stations are announced quickly. Monaco is a separate sovereign state but easily reached from France by TER; on the way back, allow for the last service and event crowds.

The backbone of Vieux Nice is the Cours Saleya, Place Rossetti and the narrow streets. On the Cours Saleya, the type of market varies by day; the produce market, flower stalls and antiques day are not the same programme. It has a different character in the morning for shopping and socca, and in the evening for restaurant crowds. Go early rather than shopping as the market closes.

On the Colline du Château, it's less about the castle remains and more about the views of the city, the port and the Baie des Anges. Check the current signage for stairs, slopes and the seasonal lift; closing times may vary with the season. Carry water, a hat and non-slip shoes; while watching the sunset, don't miss the exit gate closing.

Head down to the port side via Rue Catherine Ségurane to reach Port Lympia. Colourful boats, antique dealers and places to eat show a different Nice from the Promenade. If you're renting a room in Vieux Nice, check reviews for late-night bars, rubbish collection and the possibility of old buildings without lifts.

The beaches of the Baie des Anges are not sand but large pebbles. Water shoes make getting in and out easier; a thin towel on its own doesn't make a comfortable lounger. The shore can shelve steeply and the backwash can make getting out difficult. Follow the flags and lifeguard instructions, don't go in the sea when the red flag is flying, and don't leave belongings unattended.

Public beaches are free; private plage privée businesses provide sunbeds, umbrellas, showers and restaurant service as a package or for separate fees. Ask about the total without assuming the front row, a towel or a shower is included. In July–August you may need to book ahead; the photo taken from the sea side may not match the row you're given.

For a more sheltered view you can go to the coves of Villefranche-sur-Mer or Cap-Ferrat, but the small beaches fill up in summer too. Sentier du Littoral coastal paths can close because of heat, waves and maintenance. Don't tackle a difficult section in sandals; check the official municipal notice and the bus back.

The Carré d'Or and the area around Jean Médecin are balanced between the tram, the beach and the station for a first visit; there's a difference between the noise of the main boulevard and a quieter side street. Vieux Nice is strong for atmosphere and dinner but difficult in terms of luggage, stairs and night-time noise. The Port area is a lively base for restaurants, the tram and trips along the eastern coast.

Libération offers a market, more local food and drink and tram access to the centre; the walk to the beach is longer. Cimiez is quiet, green and comfortable for families; it needs a bus/taxi plan after evening meals. The area around Nice-Ville station is handy for day trips by train, but choose your street and block using recent reviews.

When choosing a Promenade room for the sea view, ask about road traffic, the balcony's orientation and double glazing. 'Sea view' may be a side angle; confirm that the photo belongs to your room category. A municipal tourist tax may be charged separately depending on the property's category.

Socca is a thin snack with crispy edges made from chickpea flour and olive oil and cooked in a wood-fired oven; it is eaten hot with plenty of black pepper. Pissaladière is onion, olives and anchovies; pan bagnat is a balance of tuna, vegetables, olive oil and bread. Not every tuna sandwich is a pan bagnat, and not every vegetable salad is a salade niçoise.

Petits farcis, daube niçoise, stockfish and tourte de blettes show that the city isn't just about summer salads. Seeing produce at the market and then going to a small restaurant that makes local dishes is the most meaningful comparison. A sweet chard tart may sound strange, but it is a characteristic dessert of the Niçois tradition.

'Menu niçois' written on a touristy street is not proof of authenticity on its own. You can check the current list of places using the Cuisine Nissarde label with the tourist office. Service is included in the price; tipping is optional. Some small institutions, such as La Merenda, may have unusual payment and reservation arrangements; read their official information before you go.

In Monaco, Monte-Carlo station is inside a tunnel and has several exits; your choice of exit makes a big difference in how much uphill walking you do. The Old Town–palace and the Casino area are not on the same hill. If you are going into the casino, check the ID and dress code on the official website; although the border is invisible, Monaco is not France.

Antibes, with its ramparts, Provençal market, Picasso Museum and sandy beach, deserves close to a full day. Squeezing it into the same day as Cannes is possible but costs you museum and market time. Villefranche, meanwhile, can be a lighter half day for a short train ride, old streets and swimming in the bay.

For Èze Village, the bus drops you on the hilltop; the Èze-sur-Mer train stops on the coast. The Nietzsche Path connects the two, but because of the heat, gradient and terrain it's not an ordinary city walk. If you want to do a perfume factory tour, Monaco and Èze in one package, weigh up the convenience of transport against the loss of free time.