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The Promenade des Anglais, Nice's palm-lined boulevard along the Bay of Angels.
Photo: Alexander-93 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Nice travel guide
Nice is the unofficial capital of the French Riviera, its curving Bay of Angels framed by the Promenade des Anglais, a palm-lined boulevard built in the early 19th century for wintering British aristocrats. The city's old town, Vieux Nice, preserves a tight triangle of pastel-painted lanes around Cours Saleya's flower and food market, while Castle Hill at the old town's edge offers panoramic views back over the bay. As the rail hub of the Riviera, Nice-Ville connects in minutes to Monaco, Cannes and the wider coast, making the city as much a base for exploration as a destination in its own right.
Neighborhoods
Vieux Nice (Old Town)
A triangle-shaped old town of winding lanes and colourful facades, home to Cours Saleya's market, baroque churches and some of the city's most acclaimed casual dining.
Promenade des Anglais / Quartier des Musiciens
The palm-lined seafront boulevard and the elegant residential streets just behind it, a short walk from both the beach and the railway station.
Cimiez
A hillside residential district above the city, home to Roman ruins, the Matisse Museum, and some of Nice's grandest Belle Epoque villas.
Port Lympia / Le Port
Nice's historic harbour district east of the old town, with a working port, seafood restaurants and ferry connections to Corsica.
Top attractions
Promenade des Anglais
A roughly 7km palm-lined boulevard along the Bay of Angels, built in the early 19th century for wintering British aristocrats and still the city's social and scenic centrepiece.
Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya
The old town's tangle of pastel-painted lanes, centred on Cours Saleya's daily flower and food market, one of the most vivid markets on the Riviera.
Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau)
A wooded hilltop park at the edge of the old town, on the site of a long-vanished medieval castle, offering panoramic views over Nice and the Bay of Angels.
Matisse Museum
A museum in the Cimiez district dedicated to Henri Matisse, who lived much of his later life in Nice, set among Roman ruins and Belle Epoque villas.
Cathedrale Sainte-Reparate
A baroque cathedral in the heart of Vieux Nice, known for its ornate interior and organ.
Food
Nice's cuisine reflects its position between France and Italy: socca, a thin chickpea-flour pancake cooked on large round griddles, is the city's quintessential street food, sold hot at stalls throughout Vieux Nice. Salade nicoise, built on tomatoes, olives, anchovies and hard-boiled egg, is the city's namesake dish, though purists debate the correct ingredients as fiercely as any regional recipe in France. Pissaladiere, a caramelized-onion tart topped with anchovies and olives, and pan bagnat, a pressed sandwich version of salade nicoise, round out the city's signature street food alongside Cours Saleya's produce and seafood stalls.
How long to stay
If you only have one day
From Nice-Ville station, walk or tram down to the Promenade des Anglais for a stretch along the bay, then head into Vieux Nice for Cours Saleya's market and a socca lunch. In the afternoon, climb Castle Hill for panoramic views before heading back down for an evening stroll along the seafront.
If you have two or more
A second day opens up Cimiez's Matisse Museum and Roman ruins, plus a slower wander through the old town's smaller lanes beyond Cours Saleya. A third day is a natural fit for a day trip along the coast to Monaco or Cannes, both reachable by train in under 40 minutes.
Getting around
Trains from Cannes and Monaco arrive at Nice-Ville, the main railway station in central Nice, a short walk or tram ride from the Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice. Nice's tram network covers the wider city efficiently, and the compact old town and seafront are easily walkable once you're in the centre.
Practical tips
- Nice-Ville is the main station for most arrivals, but check whether your onward plans need it or the smaller Nice Riquier or Nice Saint-Augustin stations.
- Cours Saleya's flower and food market runs mornings only, closing by early afternoon - visit before midday if the market itself is the draw.
- Castle Hill has no road access to its summit - reach it via stairs, a lift, or a longer walking path from the old town or the port.
- Socca is best eaten fresh and hot straight from the griddle - it doesn't reheat well, so buy it to eat immediately rather than saving it for later.
- France uses the euro; card payment is widely accepted, though some old-town market stalls prefer cash.
- Nice's train connections to Cannes and Monaco run so frequently that day trips to either require no advance planning - just head to the station.