Nice pairs Riviera glamour with an old Italian soul: morning market at Cours Saleya, socca hot off the pan at Chez Pipo, and the long curve of the Promenade des Anglais at sunset. Climb Castle Hill for the classic bay view, then use the cheap trains to hop to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Eze or Monaco. It is one of the best-value bases on the French Riviera.
4-day Nice itinerary
- Day 1: Cours Saleya market, wander Vieux Nice, climb Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau) for the bay view, sunset on the Promenade des Anglais
- Day 2: Marc Chagall Museum, Matisse Museum and the Cimiez monastery gardens, evening around Place Massena
- Day 3: Train to Villefranche-sur-Mer for the morning, bus up to Eze village for the perched-village views, back for dinner at the port
- Day 4: Beach morning (rent a lounger or bring a mat), Russian Orthodox Cathedral, last stroll and gelato at Fenocchio
Where to stay: neighborhoods that make sense
- Vieux Nicenarrow ochre lanes, markets and bars, atmospheric but noisy at night
- Carre d'Ornear the Promenade and the smartest shopping, central and comfortable base
- Le Port (Quartier du Port)relaxed harbour quarter with good restaurants, a short walk around Castle Hill
- Liberationlocal market neighborhood on the tram line, cheaper stays and the best everyday food shopping
What to eat in Nice
- Socca (chickpea pancake) at Chez Pipo near the portabout 4 EUR a portion
- Pan bagnat (tuna nicoise sandwich) from a bakeryabout 6 EUR
- Salade nicoise at an old-town bistroabout 14 EUR
- Gelato at Fenocchio on Place Rossettidozens of flavors, about 3.50 EUR for two scoops
- Pissaladiere (onion and anchovy tart) from a market stallabout 4 EUR
Mistakes most first-timers make
- Expecting sandy beachesNice's beaches are pebbles, bring water shoes or rent a lounger at a beach club
- Eating at Promenade-facing tourist menuswalk two streets back into Vieux Nice or the port for better and cheaper food
- Not validating your tram ticket before ridinginspectors are frequent and fines are around 50 EUR
- Cramming Monaco, Eze and Villefranche into one daypick two, the buses and viewpoints deserve unhurried time
Worth leaving the city for
- Villefranche-sur-Mer (10 min by train)one of the prettiest bays on the Riviera, calmer swimming than Nice
- Eze (30 min by bus)medieval perched village with the exotic garden viewpoint high above the sea
- Monaco (25 min by train)the palace, the Oceanographic Museum and the Monte Carlo casino square
Getting around
Tram Line 2 runs from Nice airport to the city center in about 30 min for 1.70 EUR. The center is walkable and trams and buses cover the rest at 1.70 EUR a ride - coastal trains to Villefranche, Monaco and Antibes cost only a few euros each way.
Why this plan won't send you to a closed café
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