What to do in Nice?
Nice is a mix of city spirit and old-world luxury. It is an exceptional location with year-round sunshine. You can cheerfully spend a week in Nice and still be famished for more! Here is a brief list of what you could do in this stunning city.
Wander in the old town
Nice's old town seems like a maze at first sight, but you can wander there quite safely among baroque churches and English pubs. The old town is quite small, in any case, at some point, either the sea, the castle mountain or a bigger boulevard will come into view, so it's easy to navigate! Cathédrale Sainte Réparate, Palais Lascaris, socca venues Lou Pilha Leva and René Socca, flower market, opera house
Castle Hill (Parc du Château)
From the top of Castle Hill, you can see the whole city - the castle itself was destroyed by the Sun King Louis XIV, but in addition to a playground and a couple of cafes, there are still the ruins of the old Sainte Marguerite Cathedral. Up the stairs approx. 10 min. (a path starts from the old town and several other places, e.g. from the end of Rue du Château). You can also reach the top by elevator from the end of rue des Ponchettes.
Cimiez hill
The ancient Romans founded the first settlements on Cimiez hill, the ruins of which can still be admired. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the hill was neglected until Queen Victoria of England "reinvented" the place. Hotel Regina, built for him, is still one of the attractions on the hill, alongside the Franciscan monastery, the archaeological museum, and the Matisse and Chagall museums.
Beaches
French beaches are divided between private and public beaches – private beaches open on May 1. and close on September 30th. During this period there is also supervision and a toilet on the public beaches. Private beach spots charge for mattress rent, which includes a changing room and shower facility, some also have a half-day facility, and run a restaurant.
Shopping areas
- Avenue Jean Médecin and the Nice Etoile shopping center. - The pedestrian street rue Masséna and its side street rue de Paradis. - TNL shopping center on Boulevard Delphino. - Cap 3000 shopping center outside the city, after the airport to the west - fantastic Galeries Lafayette Gourmet food department. There is a beach next to the shopping center. - Polygone Riviera - large shopping area in Cagnes-Sur-Mer.
Day Trips
Monaco
Get there by bus or train. On-site the best way to get around is by walking (elevators and escalators conveniently take you from one block to another) or using local buses. Old town hill: castle and medieval town, stunning views, cathedral, maritime museum, changing of the guard in the castle yard at 11:50. Casino hill: the casino opens at 2 p.m. Remember to take your passport. Opposite the Casino is the famous coffee place Café de Paris. Jardin exotique: exotic plant garden and stalactite cave. Sandy beach after Forum Grimaldi and the Japanese garden.
Cannes
Enjoy a day of shopping and sandy beaches, and visit the old town, and market. We recommend visiting the monastery island opposite Cannes, St Honorat. You can reach the island by boat and enjoy a beautiful lunch there - the monks of the monastery make their own wine and liqueurs.
Antibes
Lovely old town and market. Get inspired in the Picasso museum and enjoy the sandy beaches. Near Marineland - a water animal park
Villefranche-Sur-Mer
The nearest sandy beach to Nice, a charming little village, and a medieval castle.
Eze Village
Medieval village on the hill. Best view from the exotic garden (admission fee). Fragonard perfume factory at the bottom of the village, interesting free guided factory tour. Shop Fragonard at factory prices. There is an opportunity to drive a Ferrari in the shop's yard!
Saint Paul de Vence
Artists' village, before the village you can find the Maehgt Museum of Modern Art.
Italy
Ventimiglia market on Fridays, in charming Bordighera on Thursdays (better to travel by train, on market days it is difficult to find parking spots) - on other days you should, of course, take a car and continue for example to the charming village of Dolceacqua, the principality of Seborga or even further. Pigna spa (only open in summer).
Ski Resorts
There are many ski centers near Nice that can be easily reached by bus. Auron, Valberg, or Isola 2000 (in the ski season, thanks to artificial snow, a large part of the slopes are always open, from around 15.12. - 15.4.). The journey by car is 1.5 hours and by bus a couple of hours.