What should you visit in Nice during your holidays? In this article, you’ll find all the spots to see during your visit to the Riviera.. Explore exceptional sites: our favourites!
1/ Promenade des Anglais
Known throughout the world, for the residents of Nice it’s the ideal spot to revitalise year-round! Famous for its blue chairs and white beach umbrellas, the promenade takes its name from the numerous English aristocrats who at the start of the 18th century made it their holiday destination during the winter months.
It is the not-to-be-missed spot in Nice, in winter for meditation and strolling, and in summer for its beach and water sports!
Discover the activities to do around this place
2/ Old Town in Nice and its marvels
After your stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, dive into the colourful little streets of old Nice! A must-do site where you’ll come nose-to-nose with the legendary Cours Saleya and its flower market (except Mondays when the Cours is transformed into an open-air flea market.)
Stroll and you’ll enjoy exploring out-of-the-ordinary locations, art galleries, squares, and churches!
This charming neighbourhood is rife with terraces and restaurants where you can eat local specialities such as socca, pissaladière, stuffed vegetables, and more.
And to finish your stroll, don’t forget to go by Castle Hill which offers a magnificent view of the city and surrounding area.
Here are our tips to find the ideal and typical restaurant in the old Nice
3/ Port of Nice
To continue your visit, and after having admired the city’s panorama from Castle Hill, take your time coming down and head to the marina.
It’s a very interesting place to visit and you’ll discover a beautiful architectural ensemble: colourful facades reflected into the water along with the blue of the sky!
We invite you to walk around so you can see the multitude of colourful boats called “pointus” which are the wooden boats used by fishermen at the beginning of the century and typical of the Mediterranean basin.
Along the port, you’ll find very good restaurants specialised in shellfish!
4/ The city centre
From the port, head towards place Garibaldi by way of Rue Cassini, a 5-minute walk. This square is composed of a monumental civil and baroque architectural ensemble that is not to be missed. This square is bursting with cafés where you can take a break! At the end of the square, you’ll find “le petit marais niçois”, a trendy neighbourhood with corner shops and restaurants.
Then take the Promenade du Paillon. Inaugurated in 2013, it is truly the city’s lungs and separates the old town and the more contemporary city centre. This 12,200-hectare park is composed of areas for ambling, and even a 1400m2 misting system.
Continue in the same direction and you’ll come upon Place Massena where the Nice Carnaval is staged every year. This square will remind you of Italy with its buildings built on arcades and Ligurian red facades.
5/ Avenue Jean Médecin
This is the city’s primary high street more than enough for a shopping break! All the big-name stores are present (Galeries Lafayette, H&M, Zara, Nice Etoile, and more). We recommend that you do your shopping during the week. The avenue is a favourite for locals over the weekend!
6/ Carré d’Or
The Nice Carré d’Or is part of the city centre; it’s the upscale neighbourhood where you’ll find all the fashion brands. This area is bordered by Avenue Jean Médecin and Place Masséna. The shopping streets that are an absolute must-see: Avenue de Verdun, Rue du Paradis, Rue Alphonse Karr, and Rue Massena better known as the “pedestrian zone” and filled with restaurants.
That should be enough for you to make a nice walking visit in Nice. If you want to go even further, head towards the Nice heights and more specifically the hills of Saint Roman de Bellet, Mont Boron, and the hills of Cimiez.
Read also our article on the essential points of view of the French Riviera