Top Things to Do in Nice, France: A Complete Guide

Nice has a Mediterranean waterfront, a tangle of old lanes behind it, a hill with a view that explains the city's layout, and a train line that connects it to some of the most well-known towns on the Riviera. Most things to do in Nice, France fit into a comfortable walking day, and the Riviera stops beyond the city need nothing more than a cheap regional train ticket and a morning start. This guide covers 8 experiences that, between them, give a first-time visitor the seafront, the food, the views, the beach and the wider coast.

Key Takeaways

​What Are the 8 Things to Do in Nice and Why Were They Chosen?

These 8 cover the seafront, the Old Town, the views, the beaches, the local food and three Riviera towns beyond Nice itself. A visitor who does most of the following fun things to do in Nice, France, will leave understanding both the city and the stretch of coast it sits on.

• Promenade des Anglais: See Nice's famous seafront, the Bay of Angels and the Mediterranean in one long walk
• Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya: Walk the narrow lanes of the Old Town and visit the daily flower and produce market
• Castle Hill: Get the wide view that puts the sea, the Old Town, the Promenade and the port together in one frame
• Nice Beach: Sit on the Mediterranean with the city behind you, on pebbles rather than sand
• Traditional Niçois Food: Eat the dishes Nice is actually known for, in the places that serve them properly
• Eze Village: Visit a medieval hilltop village above the sea, 25 minutes from Nice by train
• Monaco and Monte Carlo: See a separate country that fits into a half-day Riviera outing from Nice
• Antibes: Walk a quieter Riviera old town with a harbour, ramparts and a Picasso museum

Also Read: French Riviera Guide: Best Places to Visit, Stay & Experience

What Are the Best Things to Do in Nice for First-Time Visitors?

Walk Along the Promenade des Anglais

The Promenade runs for 7km along the Bay of Angels, lined with palm trees, blue chairs, hotels and the sea on one side. It is the most recognisable part of Nice and the first thing most visitors do. The walk between Castle Hill and the Hotel Negresco covers the busiest and most photogenic stretch. Early morning is the quietest time. Late afternoon catches the best light on the water.

Best For: Everyone. First-time visitors, couples, families, photographers

Approx. Cost: Free

Opening Timing: Open at all times. Best walked early morning or late afternoon.

Wander Through Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya

Vieux Nice is the Old Town, a tight grid of narrow lanes, coloured buildings, small shops, gelato counters and restaurants that opens onto Cours Saleya, the main market square. The flower and produce market runs every morning except Monday (when an antiques market takes its place). The lanes are best experienced without a plan. Walk in, get slightly lost, and eat something when you find a place that looks right.

Best For: Couples, food lovers, anyone wanting local character rather than landmarks

Approx. Cost: It's free to walk here, but making market purchases and buying food are a separate thing.

Opening Timing: Cours Saleya market runs approximately 6 am to 1.30 pm daily (except Monday). The lanes are accessible at all times.

Climb Castle Hill for the sea-to-city vista view

Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau) sits at the eastern end of the Old Town and gives you the photograph that explains Nice. The Promenade curves to the left, the Old Town rooftops sit below, the port is to the right, and on a clear day the Alps are visible in the distance. You can walk up the stairs from the Promenade side or take the free lift near the port. There is no castle, just a park, a waterfall and the view.

Best For: Photographers, couples, anyone wanting to understand the city's layout

Approx. Cost: Free, including the lift

Opening Timing: The park opens daily. Meanwhile, the lift remains active approximately from 9 am to 6 pm (later in summer)

Spend Time at a Nice Beach

The beaches run along the base of the Promenade des Anglais and are pebble, not sand. That surprises most first-time visitors. Public sections are free and sit between private beach clubs that hire sunbeds, umbrellas and serve food and drinks for approximately EUR 15 to 25 per person per day. The water is clear and swimmable from roughly June to September. Opera Beach and Castel Plage are two of the more popular spots.

Best For: Beach time from June to September, couples, families (bring water shoes for the pebbles)

Approx. Cost: It’s free to get on the public sections. However, for hiring a private beach club, you have to pay approximately EUR 15 to 25 per person

Opening Timing: Public beaches are always accessible. Private clubs operate approximately May to October.

Eat Traditional Niçois Food

Nice has its own food identity, separate from the rest of France. Socca is a hot chickpea-flour pancake cooked on a large griddle and eaten standing up. Salade Niçoise is tomato, tuna, egg, olives and anchovies. Pissaladiere is a slow-cooked onion tart. The best places to eat are in the lanes of Vieux Nice and around Cours Saleya.

Best For: Food lovers, couples, anyone wanting to eat locally rather than generically

Approx. Cost: Socca costs approximately EUR 3 to 5 per portion. However, for a sit-down meal at a Vieux Nice restaurant, you have to pay approximately EUR 15 to 35 per person.

Opening Timing: Restaurants open for lunch from approximately noon and dinner from approximately 7 pm

Visit Eze Village

Eze is a medieval perched village on a clifftop above the sea. The village is small, steep and built entirely from stone. The Jardin Exotique at the top has cactus gardens and a view along the coast in both directions. It is the most photogenic day outing from Nice and can be done in the morning or afternoon. The train goes to Eze-sur-Mer at the base; from there you can take a bus (approximately EUR 2 to 3) or walk the steep Nietzsche Path (about 40 minutes uphill).

Best For: Couples, photographers, anyone wanting a Riviera hill village

Approx. Cost: The train costs around EUR 4 to 6 return. However, entry to Jardin Exotique is about EUR 7.

Opening Timing: Village is open at all times. Jardin Exotique hours vary by season.

Visit Monaco and Monte Carlo

Monaco is a separate country, 25 minutes from Nice by train. Monte Carlo sits within it. The Casino Square, the harbour full of large yachts, the Prince's Palace on the rock, and the Oceanographic Museum are the main draws. It is compact enough to walk in a half day. The train runs frequently and costs approximately EUR 4 to 6 return. Monaco feels genuinely different from Nice in atmosphere and price, which is part of the point of going.

Best For: Couples, sightseeing, anyone curious about the Riviera's other face

Approx. Cost: The train costs around EUR 4 to 6 return. Casino entry is about EUR 17 for viewing, not gambling. However, walking around the city is free.

Operating Timing: Trains run approximately every 20 to 30 minutes from Nice Ville station

Visit Antibes

Antibes is 25 minutes west of Nice by train and offers a quieter Riviera old town with a harbour, stone ramparts, a covered Provencal market and the Picasso Museum (housed in the Chateau Grimaldi overlooking the sea). The old town is walkable in a couple of hours. The beaches south of the town (Plage de la Gravette and Juan-les-Pins further along) are sandier than Nice. It pairs well with a morning in Antibes and an afternoon back in Nice.

Best For: A quieter Riviera town, art lovers (Picasso Museum), couples, families

Approx. Cost: The train costs around EUR 4 to 6 return. However, entry to the Picasso Museum is about EUR 12 for adults. 

Opening Timing: Picasso Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays

Also Read: How to Make a Night in Paris Truly Memorable

How Can You Group These Nice and Riviera Experiences Geographically?

• Central Nice (full day): Promenade des Anglais, Castle Hill, Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya. All within walking distance. The natural first day
• Old Town and food: Cours Saleya market in the morning, Niçoise food for lunch, lanes in the afternoon
• Waterfront: Promenade walk and beach time. Combine on a warm afternoon.
• Eze and Monaco: Both sit east of Nice on the same train line. Can be combined in one full day (Eze morning, Monaco afternoon)
• Antibes: West of Nice on the train line. Best as its own half-day outing

Tribe Travel Tip: The Promenade, Castle Hill, Vieux Nice and a Nicoise lunch all sit within a 15-minute walk of each other. Do them together on your first day, and you will understand the city before venturing out to the Riviera towns.

What Should You Know Before Doing These Nice Activities?

The following tips can save you from unpredictable issues that could affect your holiday experience in Nice, France.

• Bring water shoes for the beach. Nice's beaches are pebble, not sand. Walking on them barefoot is uncomfortable, and the pebbles are hot in summer.
• Go to Cours Saleya before 11 am. The market is at its best early. By noon the stalls are packing up, and the restaurant tables have taken over.
• Use the regional train for Eze, Monaco and Antibes. It is cheap (EUR 4 to 6 return), frequent and runs along the coast. Driving and parking in these towns is harder and more expensive.
• Eat in the lanes of Vieux Nice rather than on the main Cours Saleya restaurant strip. The prices of main-strip restaurants can be higher on the busiest tourist-facing streets. One street back, the food improves, and the prices drop.
• Castle Hill's free lift saves energy for the rest of the day. The stairs are fine if you enjoy the walk, but the lift is there for a reason, and most visitors who take it use the extra energy better elsewhere.

Also Read: Loire Valley Travel Guide: What to See, Do and Know

8 Experiences, One Riviera Base

Nice gives a first-time visitor a seafront, an Old Town, a hilltop view, a beach, a food culture and a train line to three of the best-known towns on the Riviera. The 8 things to do in Nice in this guide cover all of that without needing a car, without spending heavily, and without crossing the city more than once. The trick is grouping the central Nice experiences together, saving the Riviera trains for separate days, and eating in the lanes rather than on the main strip.

At Holiday Tribe, we build Nice and the French Riviera into structured France holiday packages that cover accommodation, transfers and sightseeing. If you prefer something customised around your own pace, our holiday advisors can put together a plan that fits. Flights are not included unless you want them added.