The French Riviera’s capital pairs a sun-baked old town and pebble beaches with easy day trips to Monaco and beyond. Here are the best things to do.
The 8 best things to do in Nice
The famous seafront stroll along the Baie des Anges.
Ochre lanes, the Cours Saleya market and socca (chickpea pancake).
Climb for the classic view over Nice’s rooftops and blue bay.
The artist’s work in a villa in leafy Cimiez, near Roman ruins.
Sunbathe on the pebbles or rent a lounger at a beach club.
The glamorous principality and the clifftop village, 20–30 minutes away.
Flowers and produce by morning, antiques and dining by night.
The modern and contemporary art museum (Warhol, Niki de Saint Phalle).
Suggested itinerary
Day 1: Old Town, Cours Saleya, Castle Hill, Promenade. Day 2: Monaco and Èze, or Antibes/Cannes by train.
Tips for visiting Nice
- Nice is the Riviera’s transport hub — day-trip by train to Monaco, Èze, Antibes
- Try socca and pan bagnat in the Old Town
- The beaches are pebbles — bring water shoes
The market locals actually shop at (and the socca rule)
Cours Saleya looks like the soul of Nice and functions like a film set. The flower stalls are gorgeous, but the produce is marked up for tourists and several of the terrace restaurants ringing it serve mediocre food at a premium because they’ll never see you twice. Locals do their real shopping at the Marché de la Libération, up the tram line a few stops north of the train station. It runs Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, the fish and cheese are cheaper, and nobody’s performing for a coach group.
Socca, the chickpea-flour pancake, is the dish that separates visitors from regulars. The rule: eat it standing, blistering hot off the copper pan, never reheated. A portion at Lou Pilha Leva in the old town runs about €3, and you tear it with your fingers.
- On transport, don’t buy the €10 airport round-trip ticket out of habit. A single tram fare is €1.70 with 74 minutes of transfers; you just need the reusable card (€2) first.
- Tram 2 links the airport to the centre directly, so a taxi for that run is money wasted.
Nice FAQ
How many days do you need in Nice?
Two to three — the city, plus Riviera day trips.
Is Nice a good base for the French Riviera?
The best — frequent trains reach Monaco, Cannes and Antibes in under 40 minutes.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.