Promenade des Anglais
1.1 miles from city centre
Scarf, Chanel shades and game-face – check! This 6 km palm-lined coastal promenade has a reputation for glitz. Browse the shops around Cours Saleya, or catch some rays on one of the Mediterranean-facing blue chairs. Then dine at one of Nice’s nicest eateries – Koudou for some colonial chic, Le Méridien for its rooftop terrace, or Le Negresco hotel for Michelin-star cuisine.
Places to stay from £39 per night
Nice Old Town
0.4 miles from city centre
‘Old Town’ has amazing light in every season. It casts shadows of the baroque Cathédrale de Sainte-Réparate, refracts from the ochre-and-harvest coloured houses along its narrow lanes, and swathes in to Place Rossetti. Once here, buy a gelato in classic or new-fangled flavours at Fenocchio, then fan out for dinky boutiques and gourmet eats.
Places to stay from £34 per night
Nice Port
0.7 miles from city centre
Vieux Port is a sepia-toned postcard from the past. European aristocracy came here for getaways during the 19th century and today it's like they've permanently relocated here. Spot the million-dollar yachts, exclusive seaside diners in and around Rue Bonaparte, or shop for curios in the Quartier des Antiquaires ('Antiques Quarter').
Places to stay from £29 per night
Palais des Congres Acropolis
0.7 miles from city centre
An elegant strip within shouting distance of Old Town. The quirky Tête Carrée (‘Blockhead’) sculpture-come-house sets the avant-garde tone for the area. Try the MAMAC (Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art) for its Warhol’s, Klein’s and Lichtenstein’s. The Nice Acropolis satiates the commercial appetite with its constant rotation of trade shows.
Places to stay from £35 per night
Nice City Centre
In the city centre
Centre Ville’s magnificence is best seen from the breezy comfort of a Vélo Bleu bike. Arcaded 17th-century buildings, painted in shades of gold and terracotta, border Place Masséna. Cross the square for a trio of commerce, culture and fine dining, or head to Promenade de Anglais to breath in the real-deal – a vibrantly azure Mediterranean Sea.
Places to stay from £9 per night
Les Baumettes
1.2 miles from city centre
The biggest draw card of this primarily residential area is the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum). Its small but uplifting collection includes the likes of Fragonard, Monet, Degas and more. For the rest, it’s sweet and sleepy – you’re likely to see mothers push their baby buggies gingerly uphill along streets lined with trees.
Places to stay from £31 per night
Arenas
3 miles from city centre
Everything in Arenas circles around Park Phoenix’s gravitational pull. The parkland has fabulous manicured gardens, zoological and botanical gardens, containing rare blooms that will enchant even the most seasoned gardener. The Kenzo Tange-designed Museum of Asian Art - filled with treasures from the far east - lies within the park.
Places to stay from £34 per night
Gambetta
0.7 miles from city centre
Gambetta is a sleepy suburb of Nice. Locally referred to as the ‘Russian District’ after the shops here that cater to the community, it’s also home to a handsome Russian Cathedral on Rue Tsarewitch. Lemon-coloured lo-rise apartment blocks, palms swaying in the breeze, and cheerful mums with kids are ubiquitous sights.
Places to stay from £29 per night
Riquier
0.9 miles from city centre
Riquier is slightly grittier than the suburbs that surround it. However, a recent revitalisation project has injected the area around Palais de L'Esplanade with new life. Sushi shops, no-frills eateries and low-key cafes cater to the large student population. It’s also within easy reach of the centre and the coast.
Places to stay from £35 per night
Located on the scenic shores of the French Riviera, Nice offers something for everyone, thanks to its endless sunshine, sandy beaches and wonderful landscapes. A stroll down the famous Promenade des Anglais is a great way to soak up the best seafront sights, and you can even rent bikes, skates or scooters to explore the four-kilometre stretch.
However, the city's real essence is found in the old town of Vieux Nice. This narrow network of meandering alleyways remains largely unchanged since the 1700s and is full of boutiques, brasseries and bars. The undeniable highlight is the daily flower and food markets of the Cours Saleya, where you can sample local specialities such as pissaladière (onion tarts) and pan bagnat (a bread roll packed with a Nicoise salad filling). On Mondays, a flea market selling furniture and trinkets is held in the square.
Although Nice's coast is mostly made up of pebble beaches, the turquoise waters are still perfect for a swim. If you do prefer a sandy beach, take a jaunt to the nearby towns of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes or Cannes. Offering soaring views over the Baie des Anges and the rest of the city, the Colline du Chateau makes for a great vantage point.
Nice is also renowned for its museums, including Musée Matisse, Musée Masséna and the Museum of Modern Art. For those wishing to experience the glamour of nearby Monte Carlo, you can catch an express train from Nice to Monaco in around 20 minutes.
Tonight
From £59 per night
This weekend
From £166 per night
Next weekend
From £133 per night
Most popular time to visit | October–December |
Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
Local currency | € 10 = £8.57 |
Language | French |
Average weekend price | £85 per night |
Average weekday price | £83 per night |
Typical stay | 2 nights |
Massena Square
0.1 miles from city centre
Place Massena
0.1 miles from city centre
Garibaldi Square
0.6 miles from city centre
Avenue Jean Medecin
0.2 miles from city centre
Allianz Riviera Stadium
3.9 miles from city centre
We liked that Nice airport is just 1.
10 March 2024
We liked that Nice airport is just 1.5 hours from Gatwick, with trams to get us around the city to our hotel, a short and comfortable trip. We enjoyed seeing the old town, cathedral, the sandy beach and walking for miles on the Promenade des Anglais. The old town had interesting shops and a large variety of restaurants. It was lovely to visit the South of France, there was a great atmosphere.
What a lovely place to visit off season.
3 March 2024
What a lovely place to visit off season. We opted to stay here for a few days on the way to Marseille for a rugby match at the start of February and we weren’t disappointed. Lots of lovely things to do while simply wandering around the town. Be warned that most museums are closed on Tuesdays while others were temporarily closed for works.
Nice is great, but it's a big city with all the problems...
2 March 2024
Nice is great, but it's a big city with all the problems that come with big cities, so be very wary of pickpockets especially as you first arrive and may be under pressure with luggage and finding your way. Pickpockets work in teams and may be smartly dressed and have good English and language skills they will offer help at ticket machines etc. BE AWARE I dragged a pickpockets hand out of my wife's bag. That said Nice is a lovely city with many restaurants serving generally very high quality food. Get the card for travelling on the tram network you can load it up on your smartphone. Wayne's bar very good acoustic set 20.00/22.00 house band after that, Shapko after 22.00 for jazz and drinks, Plenty of restaurant's. It is easy to visit Cannes, Menton, Villefranche, Antibes, St Rapheal, Monaco, Monte Carlo by train, all these stations place you very close to the towns centre's. Tip, booking easier on the UK Trainline app. Tip, try to avoid travelling back Monaco to Nice direction, between 15.30/17.30 trains are full of workers on daily commute. Fantastic area but don't let a pickpocket spoil it for you.
First impression of Nice was fantastic, starting at the...
29 February 2024
First impression of Nice was fantastic, starting at the airport. Very clean and modern. We got the tram from the airport as our hotel was a short walk from a stop. We followed others advise to walk to the next tram stop as they do not sell the normal cards at the airport meaning they charge a premium. I would strongly suggest doing your homework on how the tram, card and other transport systems work and once you know then it is great to use. Nice, despite having a small city feel has everything you could ever need. Plenty of shops, bars and restaurants. it has a really nice vibe and the people on the whole were pleasant and friendly...although they must take their lessons on queueing from the Italians! The whole city stretches along the beach. We went for the carnival which I can whole heartedly recommend, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Another huge advantage of Nice is the connections to other places along the coast such as Menton, Eze and Monte Carlo. We travelled by train and bus. Both are very reasonable and the train was fine with service level and timings. The buses are a bit more hit and miss we regards to timings with some routes only offering a bus every couple of hours. The only real downside is the traffic.
Carnival, but there is more advertising in winter.
29 February 2024
Carnival, but there is more advertising in winter. The city is very beautiful because it has everything and you can quickly get from the sea to the mountains. And it seems like a safe city, although there are many communities in this city that think they traffic anything :(
Walking through Nice is unlike any other city, clean, well...
28 February 2024
Walking through Nice is unlike any other city, clean, well maintained, beautifully presented. There is a real sense of pride and a relaxed holiday vibe, particularly along the stunning coast. A walk around the headland to old Nice is highly recommended.
Nice City Centre, Nice
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Nice City Centre, Nice
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Nice City Centre, Nice
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