Things to do in Nice, France: the essentials

The essentials

• Vieux Nice — the old town: narrow streets, painted facades, and the densest concentration of places to eat in the city. Best walked without a plan.
• Cours Saleya — the market square at the edge of the old town. A flower, fruit and vegetable market runs Tuesday to Sunday, opening around six in the morning: it trades on into the late afternoon from Tuesday to Saturday, and only Sunday is a morning-and-early-lunchtime affair. On Mondays an antiques brocante takes the same space instead, running through the day.
• Promenade des Anglais — the seafront walk along the Baie des Anges. Free, open always, and the single most characteristic thing about the city.
• Colline du Château — the park on the headland between the old town and the port, with the widest view over the bay and the rooftops. A public park rather than a castle; the fortress itself is long gone.
• Promenade du Paillon — the green corridor running inland from the seafront through the middle of the city, linking the old town to the modern centre.
• Port Lympia — the working harbour east of the headland, ringed by restaurants and a good deal quieter than the seafront.

The museums on Cimiez hill

Two of the reasons people come to Nice specifically are both up on Cimiez, the hill above the city, and they are minutes apart from each other.

The Musée Matisse holds the collection Matisse left to the city, in a villa surrounded by an olive grove. The Musée national Marc Chagall, a little lower down, was built around the artist's Biblical Message cycle and is a national museum rather than a municipal one.

Both close on Tuesdays and both change their opening hours between the summer and winter seasons, so check the current times on their own sites before going up. They pair naturally into one half-day, with the bus up from the centre.

Getting around, and getting out

Tram line 2 runs from Nice Côte d'Azur airport into the city and on to the port. Allow roughly 25 to 30 minutes from the airport to the centre, and about 35 minutes end to end if you are going all the way to Port Lympia — still direct enough to make a taxi from the airport genuinely optional. Tram line 1 covers the north–south spine, with a stop at the edge of the old town.

The coastal railway is the other reason to base yourself here. Trains run east and west along the shore all day, putting Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes within an easy ride, and the line itself has some of the better views on the coast. Buy at the machine, validate before boarding, and check the return times if you are staying out for dinner.

• Nice city hub
• Festivals in France

When to go

Summer is hot, expensive and busy, and the pebble beaches are full. Late spring and early autumn are the better trade: warm sea, working restaurants, and a city that still belongs partly to the people who live in it.

Winter is quiet and mild, and the museums are at their most pleasant. The city's carnival fills a stretch of February and turns the centre and the seafront over to parades — dates are published by the city each year, so confirm them before planning a trip around it.

FAQ

How many days do you need in Nice?

Two full days covers the old town, the seafront, the Cimiez museums and the headland viewpoint without rushing. Three or four lets you add day trips along the coast, which is what most people actually come for.

How do you get from Nice airport to the city centre?

Tram line 2 runs from the airport into the centre in roughly 25 to 30 minutes, and continues to the port at about 35 minutes end to end. It is the standard route and removes most of the case for a taxi.

What day is the market at Cours Saleya?

The flower, fruit and vegetable market runs Tuesday to Sunday, starting early in the morning. From Tuesday to Saturday it trades into the late afternoon; on Sunday it wraps up around lunchtime. On Mondays the same square hosts an antiques and bric-à-brac market instead, which runs through the day.

Is Nice worth visiting in winter?

Yes, if you are there for the city rather than the beach. Winters are mild, the museums and markets run year-round, and both prices and crowds are a fraction of the summer. The carnival falls in February.

Can you visit Monaco and Cannes from Nice?

Easily. Both are on the coastal railway that runs through Nice, with frequent trains in each direction through the day, which makes Nice a practical base for the whole stretch of coast.