French Riviera Charm

Nice: Pearl of the Côte d'Azur

Pebble beaches, pastel sunsets, and the bluest water you'll ever dip your toes in.

Hi, I'm Sophie. I've called Nice home for five years, and I still pinch myself every time I walk the Promenade at sunset. This guide was last updated in August 2026.

7 Days / 6 Nights
Nice, France
All Travelers
City Walking
$$$ - High
April-June / September-October
Promenade des Anglais Cours Saleya Colline du Château Monaco Day Trip French Riviera

Beach Note: Nice beaches are pebbles, not sand. Bring water shoes or your feet will hate you. The pebbles are smooth but they get hot in the afternoon sun. A cheap pair of aqua shoes from a Promenade vendor saves the day.

Why This Journey is Extraordinary

Local Secrets

Eat socca at the Liberation market where actual Niçois shop, not the tourist stalls

Mediterranean Views

Climb Castle Hill for the best free panorama of the Baie des Anges

Matisse & Chagall

Stand inches from Matisse's Blue Nude IV and Chagall's Biblical Message

Three Countries

Base in France, day-trip to Monaco and sip wine with monks on Île Saint-Honorat

Daily Journey Inspiration

1

Promenade des Anglais & Baie des Anges

The iconic blue chairs and the bluest water in France

Morning
Promenade des Anglais
Start on the 7-kilometer Mediterranean waterfront built in 1822 by the English community who wintered here. The blue chairs, or chaises bleues, are an iconic landmark, and you'll spot the Hotel Negresco from 1913 glowing pink in the morning light. The beach is pebbles, not sand, but the palms and the color of the water make up for it. Rent a bike and roll the whole length.
Pro tip: The free public showers near Ruhl Beach wash off the salt and pebble dust. Bring water shoes.
Afternoon
Colline du Château
Climb Castle Hill, the 93-meter park with a waterfall and the ruins of an 11th-century castle that Louis XIV destroyed in 1706. This is the best panoramic view of the Baie des Anges, hands down. There's a free elevator near the harbor if you don't want to tackle the 200-plus steps.
Evening
Sunset on the Promenade
Walk the Promenade at sunset when the sky turns pink and orange over the Mediterranean. Have dinner at La Petite Maison for Niçois cuisine, where the daube niçoise and stuffed vegetables are worth the €40 to 60 per person. Book ahead because walk-ins don't happen here.
2

Vieux Nice & Cours Saleya

Old Town alleys and the market that's been feeding Nice since 1897

Morning
Cours Saleya Market
This daily flower and food market has been running since 1897. Tuesdays switch to antiques. Grab socca, the chickpea pancake, from Chez Pipo, and pissaladière, the caramelized onion tart that's Nice's answer to pizza. The flowers alone are worth the trip, with buckets of mimosa and roses.
Afternoon
Vieux Nice
Wander the narrow medieval streets of the Old Town. Palais Lascaris is a 17th-century Genoese baroque palace with a collection of 500 antique instruments. The Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate from 1650 sits in the heart of Old Town, and the baroque architecture around it makes you forget what century you're in.
Evening
Place Masséna
End at Place Masséna, the main square with red-ochre Italianate buildings and the Apollo statue fountain. The seven contemporary kneeling sculptures by Jaume Plensa light up at night and change color. Grab a glass of rosé at a terrace cafe and people-watch.
3

Museums & Matisse

Two of the best small museums in France

Morning
Musée Matisse
Housed in the 17th-century Villa des Arènes, this museum holds works donated by Matisse himself. You'll see paintings, drawings, sculptures, and cut-outs, including Blue Nude IV. The villa and its gardens are worth the visit even if you're only a casual fan. It's a 10-minute bus ride from the center.
Afternoon
Musée Marc Chagall
This holds the largest collection of Chagall's works anywhere, centered on the 17 Biblical Message paintings. The stained glass and mosaics bathe the galleries in color. It's small, powerful, and you can see it all in 90 minutes. The audio guide is excellent and free.
Evening
Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Built in 1912 for the Russian aristocrats who wintered in Nice, this is the most ornate Orthodox cathedral outside Russia. The blue-and-white tiled exterior and golden domes are stunning at dusk. It's a 15-minute walk from the Chagall museum.
4

Day Trip to Monaco

Casinos, palaces, and a whole other country

Morning
Bus or Train to Monaco
Take bus 100 along the coastal Grande Corniche road for €1.50, or the train in 20 minutes. The bus ride is slower but the cliffside views of the Mediterranean are unreal. Get a window seat on the right side of the bus.
Pro tip: Bring your passport. Monaco is a separate country and while checks are rare, you want to have it on you.
Afternoon
Monte Carlo & the Palace
Visit the Monte Carlo Casino from 1863, €17 to enter the gaming rooms. See the Prince's Palace, the Oceanographic Museum perched on a cliff, and the Japanese Gardens. Sunbathe at Larvotto Beach if the weather's good. Monaco is tiny, you can walk the whole principality in a day.
Evening
Return to Nice
Take the train back to Nice and have dinner in the Carré d'Or, the golden triangle of restaurants between the Promenade and Old Town. The area is packed with solid Italian and Niçois spots, and the outdoor seating is perfect for a warm evening.
5

Cap Ferrat & Villa Ephrussi

A pink palace and a coastal walk fit for royalty

Morning
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Take the 30-minute bus to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, built in 1912, is a pink palace surrounded by nine themed gardens, each representing a different country. There's a tea room with a view. Entry is €15, and the gardens alone are worth it. Catch the fountain show set to classical music.
Afternoon
Cap Ferrat Coastal Walk
Walk the Chemin des Douaniers, the old customs path around the Cap Ferrat peninsula. It's flat, scenic, and takes about two hours. Stop at Paloma Beach for a swim in a cove that feels private, and check out the lighthouse at the tip. This is where the rich and famous have their villas, so keep your eyes peeled.
Evening
Nice Port
Return to Nice and spend the evening at the port, where yachts the size of apartment buildings bob in the water. The restaurants here are less touristy than Old Town. Grab a pastis and watch the sunset behind the yachts.
6

Cannes & Antibes

Film festival city and a Picasso museum

Morning
Train to Cannes
The 30-minute train to Cannes costs about €10. Walk the Boulevard de la Croisette, the palm-lined waterfront, and see the Palais des Festivals where the film festival happens. You can put your hands in the handprints of stars outside. It's gloriously touristy, lean into it.
Afternoon
Îles de Lérins Boat Trip
Take the 15-minute boat to Île Saint-Honorat, where monks have been making wine and liqueur since 410 AD. The monastery is serene, the fortified tower on the shore is from the 11th century, and you can buy the monks' wine directly from them. It's a peaceful break from Cannes.
Evening
Antibes Old Town
Take the 20-minute train to Antibes and explore the old town walls. The Picasso Museum in the Château Grimaldi is where Picasso actually worked in 1946, and the collection is fantastic. Have dinner in Antibes before heading back to Nice.
7

Nice Food & Farewell

Local markets and a final Mediterranean feast

Morning
Liberation Market
Skip the touristy Cours Saleya and hit the Marché de la Libération, where locals actually shop. It runs 6am to 1pm and has zero tourists. Buy cheese, olives, fresh bread, and socca for a picnic lunch. The vendors are friendly and the prices are half what you'd pay near the Promenade.
Afternoon
Shopping on Jean Médecin
Walk Jean Médecin street for shopping, with Galeries Lafayette and Nice Étoile mall. Pick up Provençal soap, olive oil, and lavender to take home. The street is wide and tree-lined, a pleasant stroll even if you're just window shopping.
Evening
Farewell Dinner
Go all out at Le Chantecler inside the Hotel Negresco, Michelin-starred and €120 per person for a reason. If that's too rich, Lou Balico does solid Niçois food for a fraction of the price. Either way, toast the Riviera with a glass of local Bellet wine.

Practical Tips

Getting There

Fly into Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE). Tram line 2 reaches the city center in 25 minutes for €1.50.

Transportation

Lignes d'Azur runs buses and trams at €1.50 per ride. A 7-day pass is €15 and covers the whole region.

Visa Requirements

France is in the Schengen Area. Most nationalities get 90 days visa-free. EU citizens need no visa.

Budget Tips

Nice is expensive, so eat at markets for cheap meals. Socca is €3, and a picnic from the Liberation market beats any restaurant.

What to Pack

Swimwear, sunscreen, and light layers. Water shoes are essential for the pebble beaches, trust me.

Best Time to Visit

April-June and September-October for warm weather without the July-August crowds and heat.

Nice Gallery

Nice Promenade des Anglais and blue Mediterranean Nice Old Town narrow pastel streets Cours Saleya flower and food market Monaco Monte Carlo harbor and casino Cap Ferrat villa and Mediterranean coastline Nice beach Mediterranean pebble shore

Traveler Reviews

Lauren K.

Lauren K.

San Francisco, CA | May 2026

★★★★★

The Promenade des Anglais at sunset is everything people say. We rented blue chairs and just sat there watching the sky change color over the water. Bring water shoes though, those pebbles are no joke. My feet were wrecked after day one until I bought aqua shoes from a vendor.

Daniel P.

Daniel P.

Washington, DC | June 2026

★★★★★

Colline du Château gives you the best free view in Nice, hands down. We took the elevator up and walked the steps down. The waterfall and castle ruins are a nice bonus. Do it in the morning before it gets hot, the afternoon sun on that hill is brutal.

Megan T.

Megan T.

Portland, OR | September 2026

★★★★★

Socca from Chez Pipo changed my life. Three euros for a chickpea pancake that's crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. I went back twice. The Cours Saleya market is gorgeous but Liberation market is where the real food is, cheaper and way more local. The guide was right about that.

Rob M.

Rob M.

Boston, MA | October 2026

★★★★★

The day trip to Monaco was easier than I thought. Bus 100 along the Grande Corniche is gorgeous and costs less than two euros. The casino is €17 to get in but the Oceanographic Museum on the cliff was the real highlight. Perched right over the sea, it's stunning. We walked the whole country in a day.

Carla N.

Carla N.

Miami, FL | April 2026

★★★★★

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a pink dream. The nine gardens are each themed after a different country and the fountain show set to music was magical. The coastal walk around Cap Ferrat afterward was my favorite afternoon, Paloma Beach felt like a secret cove. Pack a swimsuit.

Eric S.

Eric S.

Chicago, IL | June 2026

★★★★★

The Matisse Museum is small but powerful. Seeing Blue Nude IV in person is wild. The Chagall Museum was even better, those stained glass windows flood the room with color. Both are must-do even if you're not a huge art person. They're quick, 90 minutes each tops.

Diana V.

Diana V.

Austin, TX | September 2026

★★★★★

The boat trip to Île Saint-Honorat from Cannes was my favorite day. Monks making wine since 410 AD is just cool. We bought a bottle of their Lérins wine right from the monastery and drank it on the beach. Cannes itself was touristy fun, putting my hands in the handprints outside the Palais des Festivals.

James O.

James O.

New York, NY | May 2026

★★★★★

Antibes was the surprise of the trip. The Picasso Museum in Château Grimaldi is where he actually painted in 1946, and you can feel it. The old town walls and the view back toward Nice are gorgeous. We had the best bouillabaisse of our trip there, way better than anything in Nice proper.

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