Thinking about going to the French Riviera?
Why not go to Nice? Nice is an enchanting city along the French Riviera (also known as the Côte d’Azur) in the South of France. It’s an elegant city with a mix of both a cosmopolitan feel and old-world charm. In the summertime the weather is perfect, and it’s the ideal home base for taking day trips to other cities along the French Riviera.
Nice has beautiful beaches, world-class museums, and a fun and lively old town. It is generally a bigger city than Cannes for example. Nice has a historic vibe. And, it is on the main train line to visit other towns in the French Riviera.
An Italian and French Town
I speak Italian, and it is one of my favorite accents (of course I think all the romantic languages sound beautiful). Well, when I was walking around Nice, I felt like I was in Italy with the number of people I heard on the streets speaking Italian. Nice has a prominent Italian feel to the town because up until 1860 Nice was ruled by the Republic of Italy. The street signs in Nice still have the street names in both Italian and French. The food in the restaurants that I went to on my trip provided a mix of both Italian and French cuisine. Every day I loved where I ate in Nice, which doesn’t always happen when you travel. If you need a real Italian feel, then go to Italy! You can take a train to Italy to the towns of Ventimiglia (50 minutes away), Bordighera( 1hr 30minutes away), or Sanremo( 1 hr 40 minutes away)
How To Get To Nice
#1. By Plane: Nice Airport( Nice Côte d’Azur Airport) is around 4 miles away from the center of town. Travelers can take an Uber or taxi to get to their accommodations. A flight coming from Paris would take around one hour and a half.
#2. By Train: When I went to Nice, I had taken a train from Avignon which only took around three hours. I love trains, so I did not think three hours was a long time. If you take the TGV (France’s intercity high-speed rail service) train from Paris, it will take about six hours. For planning your train travel in France visit https://www.sncf.com/en. The SNCF is France’s state-owned railway company and the official site for booking tickets. When you arrived at the Nice- Ville Train Station I would recommend you call an Uber and not take a taxi. Why?
Taxi’s in Nice are notoriously bad for scamming customers. When I arrived in Nice, I took a taxi who told me a fixed rate which I thought was reasonable. But, after it took only three minutes to get to my hotel, I realize I was scammed with how much I paid( I was tired, and forget how close my hotel was to the train station). So, my advice would be only to take Uber in Nice, because it works just as well as in the United States.
Getting Around Nice
1. Take Uber- Uber in Nice works just as well as Uber in the US. Most of my time while I was in Nice with my family I used Uber as I mentioned before.
2. Buses/Tramway: Buses and the tramway are easy and convenient to use in Nice. The tramway takes you from one end of town to the other. You can purchase your ticket on the bus/tramway if you have exact change. Or if you are by a tram stop that has a ticket kiosk its a great place to purchase day/week passes for the tram/buses. I would recommend you either get a 1-day pass or a 7-day pass. If you plan on using the buses, I would suggest you use their metro app called “Lignes d’Azur” with up to date bus times to plan your journey.
What To See and Do In Nice
1. Promenade des Anglais
This famous stretch of road is 2 miles long and runs along Nice’s beach. It is a beautiful street to stroll down on a summer day. There are plenty of people either jogging, biking, walking their dog, or riding their bikes. Plus, you get to see the beautiful view of the Mediterranean as you stroll.
2. Go To The Beach
Nice is known for having a pebbly beach. There are sections of the beach that are private. I like going to the private part of the beach where you pay for an umbrella and beach chair. But there is, of course, another section of the beach that is public. I find the beach to be beautiful, but if you require sandy beaches go to Cannes. Cannes is a resort town that is smaller than Nice.
3. Explore Old Town/Vieux Nice(Vieille Ville)
My favorite time in Nice was spent wandering around the Old Town area of Nice. It’s the historic area of town that has old buildings and narrow streets. There are quaint little restaurants, and cafes to choose from on your trip. The area is a must-see on any Nice trip. Nice as I mentioned has a very French-Italian vibe to it. There’s a photo op around each area of Vieux Nice. And, I loved the pastel-colored buildings.
4. Visit Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate
Located in Place Rossetti in Old Town is this baroque church which dates back to the 17th century. I enjoyed walking around the church viewing the many side altars and chapels.
5. Cours Saleya Flower and Vegetable Market
I love their kind of pizza in Nice
Located in Old Town is the famous Cours Saleya Flower and Vegetable Market with stalls lined with its well-known striped awnings. I adore outdoor food markets in Europe, and this one was wonderful. It has a beautiful selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cheese. Also, it has many ready-made Nice specialties like socca and nice pizza. It is open from Tuesday to Sun, and the food stalls tend to close by the afternoon. I enjoyed walking through the market filled with the scent of flowers, and the fresh food. I’d recommend going there by 10 am so you can beat the crowds, and have enough time to go around leisurely.
6. Place Masséna
Place Massena is a big square in Nice filled with sculptures and fountains. The area has many restaurants, and shops to fill everyone needs.
7. Take the Le Petit Train de Nice (Mini Tram)
I love these types of mini-tram tours in every city I visit. Everyone can listen to an audio guide while on the one-hour tour that costs €10. The tram goes around Nice giving you an overview of the city, and it drops you off on Castle Hill for a fantastic view of the city. I thought it was an excellent way to get acquainted with Nice and see areas I had not visited yet.
8. Castle Hill of Nice
I took a mini-tram that took me up to the hill. If you want to see a gorgeous panoramic view of the city, then I would recommend to anyone to go up to Castle Hill. It’s a beautiful place to visit on a clear day to see Nice down below. If you don’t take the tram, you can get up to Castle Hill by taking the lift which is right off the Promenade or by walking up the stairs.
9. Shop at Molinard ( if you are a perfume lover)
In 1849 in the town of Grasse, France the perfume house of Molinard was founded. Queen Victoria herself happened to be a fan of Molinard. Now, when I travel, I don’t like to buy liquid products for fear of them breaking in my luggage or getting ruined in the heat. But, since I was in France, I figured I needed to take home some small bottles of their famous perfumes. At this location, you can sign up for a 1.5-hour perfume workshop. At the workshop, you can learn about the history and production of French perfume. The best part of the workshop is that you can make your own perfume to take home. The ladies who work in the shop are accommodating when it comes to picking a fragrance to take home.
Where To Eat In Nice
Whenever I travel, there are some cities where I end up going to restaurants I don’t like, despite how the fantastic reviews they had online. But, while in Nice everywhere I ate I had a great meal. Here are the places in Nice I loved to eat.
Snacks/Quick Bite/Socca
While in Nice I enjoyed lunches at places for a quick sandwiches/ meal in some small cafe’s I don’t recall the names of now. But, I did enjoy the city’s favorite snack called Socca. Socca is a chickpea pancake like crepe. Now, I am not a socca expert having only eaten socca while visiting Nice. But, for me, both places made delicious socca.
Lou Pilha Leva – 10 rue du Collet, 06300 Nice, France
Lou Pilha Leva has a variety of options to choose from for lunch, but many visitors I noticed come here for the socca. It’s a nice quick stop to get some street food. I thought the socca tasted good, as it was fresh and hot. It was crispy from the outside with a creamy interior. It was my first socca I had on the trip, so I didn’t have any other socca for comparison.
It’s a rustic place with tables and benches on the street. The food was served on paper plates, but I didn’t mind due to the fact this is a fast food type of place. I think many tourists come here because of its prime location in Old Town.
Chez Rene Socca – 1 rue Pairoliere, 06300 Nice, France
This was another find while wandering the narrow streets of Old Town. I thought the socca at Rene’s was flavorful being crispy and thin. They have a bigger outdoor sitting area than Lou Pilha Leva. I thought their socca was tasty. When in Nice you have to try socca at least once.
Dinner
La Rossettisserie ( located in Old Town: 8 rue Mascoinat) http://www.larossettisserie.com/en/)
If you are a fan of roast meats, come to La Rossettisserie situated in Old Town. They have a simple menu, but a delicious one. The inside of the area is tiny, but they have a nice downstairs which feels like a cozy cave. We were seated on the top floor by the entrance on a big communal table. My family and I ordered: roast chicken, roast veal, and roast lamb. Everything was amazing. Included in our meal was homemade mash potatoes and fried potatoes. Plus, I loved their desserts. I think it is a traditional and quaint French restaurant that makes high-quality food. It is a little gem in Old Town.
Attimi( located in Place Massena, 10 Place Massena ) http://www.attimi.fr/
While walking around Place Massena, I found this excellent Italian restaurant. Attimi has a great atmosphere, providing seating both outside and inside. The pizza was delicious, the pasta was flavorful, and the dessert was the perfect sweet treat to end a delightful dinner. The food was fresh and made with quality ingredients.
L’Ecurie Restaurant( located in Old Town,4 rue du Marche) http://www.restaurantlecurie-nice.com
Another find when I was walking around Old Town on a beautiful afternoon was L’Ecurie and decided to stop by for dinner. L’Ecurie is another divine French/Italian restaurant in Nice which I enjoyed. They have an extensive enough menu to satisfy anyone taste buds from fish dishes to beef dishes. The fish I ordered tasted fresh, the gnocchi was homemade with a creamy sauce, and the fried veggies were crispy to perfection. I didn’t get pizza on my visit, but people love coming to L’Ecurie for their high-quality pizza. Both the inside and outside of the restaurant has a vibrant atmosphere.
Ice Cream
They love ice cream in Nice, and the only two places I went to on my visit were Fenocchio’s and Gelateria Azzurro. Both ice cream shops were fantastic in my book.
Fenocchio-2 Place Rossetti, 06300 Nice, France
Fennochio is family-owned and have been making ice cream since 1966. They have a wide range of flavors(over 100 I believe) to choose from, which leads to a hard time deciding what to get. Also, they have a sitting area outside if you want to get any type of sundae or smoothie. It’s in a lively area of old town which is nice to walk through at night.
Gelateria Azzurro- 1 rue Sainte Reparate, 06300 Nice, France
Not far from Fenocchio’s is Gelateria Azzurro. I thought they had creamy and flavorful ice cream. It is definitely another favorite ice cream shop in town.
Where To Stay In Nice
I would recommend staying close to Old Town so that you can be both close to the beach and a close walking distance to explore Old Town. I stayed at a great hotel called Splendid Hotel & Spa. It has a great location to restaurants nearby and is very close to Promenade des Anglais. I thought it was a very comfortable, and modern hotel. Plus, it had a great staff. I would recommend Splendid Hotel to others.
Here’s a list of other hotels I would recommend that are both quality hotels, and located in ideal areas for your visit to Nice.
Mid- Range Hotels
- Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee( 13 Promenade des Anglais, 06000 Nice, France) https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/france/hyatt-regency-nice-palais-de-la-mediterranee/ncehr
- Hotel Suisse Nice (15 quai Rauba Capeu Promenade des Anglais, Nice France) https://www.hotel-nice-suisse.com/en/
- Splendid Hotel & Spa( 50 boulevard Victor Hugo corner Gounod Street and Boulevard Victor Hugo, Nice France )https://splendid-nice.com/en/
Luxury Hotels
- Hotel Le Negresco( 37, Promenade des Anglais, Nice France) https://www.hotel-negresco-nice.com/en
- Hotel La Perouse (11 quai Rauba-Capeu,Nice, France) https://www.hotel-la-perouse.com/en/
- Boscolo Exedra Nice, Autograph Collection (12 Boulevard Victor Hugo, Nice, France) https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nceak-boscolo-exedra-nice-autograph-collection/