10 WONDERFUL THINGS TO DO IN NICE
Nice is one of the most popular holiday destinations on the French Riviera, and it’s easy to see why, with it’s clear blue waters and 4 miles of beaches. Nicknamed ‘Nissa La Bella’ – Nice the beautiful, in French – this Mediterranean seaside city benefits from an all year round warm and pleasant climate. With all the amazing things to do in Nice and the surrounding areas of the South of French, Nice is one French city that is on many peoples travel list.
Whether you want historical neighbourhoods, museums, beaches, hiking Nice has it all. Let’s check out some of the attractions Nice is famous for.
What are the best things to do in Nice?
Place Massena
This square is located in the centre of Nice and even if it’s not on your list of places to see in Nice it’s pretty likely you’ll just stumble across it as you’re walking around.
It’s a fun, bustling square with trams running through it, gardens and fountains and it’s a great place to easily idle away an hour or two simply sitting and people watching. If you fancy a spot of shopping make sure you head to the nearby Avenue Jean Medecin which is the liveliest shopping spots in Nice with 900 metres of designer clothing stores, traditional French boutiques, shopping malls and supermarkets.
If you fancy staying near this bustling square check out this accommodation which is in the heart of Nice.
Location: Place Massena, Nice
Open: all day, everyday
Cost: free
Promenade des Anglais
Promenade des Anglais or ‘Walkway of the English’ stretches for around 5 km along the Mediterranean coast between Nice Airport and Quai des États-Unis. It’s arguably the most icon symbol of Nice. It’s that photo you see and think ‘Ah, that’s Nice!’ It’s a beautiful, wide walkway lined with palm trees, the famous Nice blue benches to rest on and watch the world go by and many Velo Bleu stations where you can rent a bicicyle from.
It’s a spot that gets pretty busy, particularly in peak season as the thousands of tourists and locals alike head down here for a stroll, a jog, to cycle or even in-line skate or skateboard.
There’s a huge selection of bars and restaurants you can wander in to if you’re feeling peckish or just need to stop for a quick refreshing drink on a hot day.
Location: Nice seafront, France
Open: all day, every day
Nice Old Town
Nice Old Town (or Vieux Nice in French) is to the eastern side of Nice and the Bay of Angels, between Albert the 1st Garden and the famous Castle Hill.
It’s one of the most beautiful parts of the city with it’s narrow cobbled streets and red roofed old houses. You don’t need a specific plan of where to go or what to visit when you go to Vieux Nice, the best thing to do is to simply casually stroll around and you will undoubtly stumble across some beautiful places such as the Nice Opera and Lascaris Palace.
There is a lovely little market selling flowers, fruit and veg, pastries and breads. There’s also many quaint little restaurants to stop for a bite at or lively night spots if that’s your thing.
Just amble around the place and take in all the sights or book yourself on to a walking tour around Vieux Nice. You won’t regret it.
Location: Vieux Nice, France
Open: all day, every day
Castle Hill
The short hike up to the top of Castle Hill is a must do when you’re in Nice. It’s located just to the east of Old Town and is the highest point in Nice at 92 meters above sea level. If you don’t fancy hiking up to the top you can use the lift, the Little Tourist Train or segway tour to the top.
Once at the top, you’ll find ruins of Nice Castle, a historical cemetery, a large waterfall as well as a bar/restaurant where you can grab a relaxing refreshment. The ruins up here are definely worth checking out. It was once an active military citadel which was destroyed in the early 1700’s by Louis XIV. The main draw of Castle Hill though is the fanastic viewpoint which overlooks the whole of Nice. You get panoramic views of the city and the Bay of Angels to the west and the port to the east.
The park area, which is Nice’s most popular public garden, is a pleasant place to while away some time and if you have children they can burn off some excess energy in one of the playgrounds there.
Location: 06300 Nice, France
Open: October–March: daily from 8.30 am to 6 pm. April–September: daily from 8.30 am to 8 pm
Musée Matisse
Henri Matisse ws a prominent French Visual artist and the Musee Matisse features an extensive collection of his paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures. It’s a must visit whilst in Nice for any art lovers.
He spent the last 40 years of his life in Nice and is buried in the cemetery of the Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez, in the Cimiez neighbourhood of Nice.
Matisse and his heirs donated many of his work to the museum so it now has 68 paintings, over 400 drawings and prints, 57 sculptures and 100 photographs. There are also over 200 personal artifacts including documents, ceramics and stained glass.
Some of his more famous works that you can see in the museum are Blue Nudes, Le Bonheur de Vivre and Woman Reading.
Location: 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France
The many beaches of Nice
One thing to note about Nice is that it has pebbley beaches so don’t forget your swimming shoes! They are, however, beautiful beaches with crystal clear water. There are both private and public beaches in Nice. One of best private streches is Blue Beach on the Promenade des Anglais. It’s open all year round and if you’re a water sports fan you can enjoy parasailing, waterskiing and wakeboarding.
If you’re visiting Nice with children Le Voilier Beach is great with it’s fine gravel, clear waters and small waves. Half of this beach is private and half is public. The private side offers daybeds, a restaurant, hot showers and a playground for the kids so if you’re spending the day there it might be worth shelling out the cost.
If you’re looking to escape the crowds a little you’d do well to head to La Reserve, a tiny, lesser-known public beach to the east of town popular with locals.
Lascaris Palace
If you love music and more specifically musical instruments this is the place for you. If you’re in to history as well then you really are in for a treat at Lascaris Palace. It is a 17th century aristocratic building and just also happens to be a musical instrument museum. There is a huge array of instruments on display as well as fantastic architecture and beautiful decor. Admission is free so head down and take a look.
Location: 15 Rue Droite, Old Town Nice, France
Open: Daily from 10:00 am to 6.00 pm except Tuesdays and major holidays
Nice Cathedral
Nice Cathedral is located in the Old Town and if you’re wandering around the Old Town you will probably just stumble across it. It’s definitely something you shouldn’t miss out on whilst in nice. Whilst it looks very unassuming on the outside when you step inside it’s a completely different story.
It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in the Baroque architectural tradition although there have been a few alterations over the years, most notably a campanile built between 1731 and 1757 and a Baroque revival facade replaced the original west front side between 1825 and 1830.
The interior includes 10 chapels dedicated to different Saints is intricately designed with lots of gold gilding. It’s still an active cathedral where mass is attended so check the schedule if you do want to attend for mass.
Parc Phoenix
Parc Phoenix is a huge botanical garden and zoo that is home to one of the largest greenhouses in Europe which contains 6 different tropical climates. It is a fantastic place to visit for both children and adults. There are over 20 themed gardens where you can see many different animals such as lemurs and caimans. There’s so much to see and do at Parc Phoenix, it’s definitely a full day trip with so much flora and fauna to see.
Location: 405 Promenade des Anglais, 06200 Nice, France
Open: April–September: daily from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm. October–March: daily from 9.30 am to 6 pm
Cost: Full price: €5.20 Reduced price: €3 with a Pass Musées de Nice card, the student card and for young people aged 12 to 18 Free for children under 12 (up to a maximum of 3 children per paying adult)
Parc du Mont Boron
Parc du Mont Boron or Mont Boron Park has everything you need for a great, active day out including 7 miles of hiking trails (ranging from an easy hour long excursion to some more strenuous paths that take almost an entire day to finish, a 1 mile exercise circuit, picnic areas and pétanque pitches. The highlight of Mont Boron Park is the 16th-century Fort du Mont Alban at the summit. It offers breathtaking views of the Port of Nice to the west and Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula to the east. It takes about 45 minutes of hiking to get there from Nice Old Town, but you can also get to the park by bus.
Location: 4 Boulevard Maurice Maeterlinck, 06300 Nice, France
