Nice is one of the most beautiful cities on the French Riviera, the Côte d’Azur, and one of the emblematic cities of the South of France. How to visit Nice in 1, 2, or 3 days? What to see and do in Nice to enjoy your weekend or holidays? Where to stay in Nice? What to do in Nice when it rains? Find out all our tips for visiting Nice!

Best things to do and see in Nice in 1, 2, or 3 days ?
Hotels and apartments where to stay in Nice ?
Good places to eat in Nice ?
What to do in Nice when it rains? ?
What to visit around Nice? ?
How to go to Nice? ?

Visiting the French Riviera? Don’t miss the best things to visit on French Riviera.

1. Best things to do for visiting Nice in 1, 2 or 3 days

In this part, we will present the places to visit and the things to do absolutely in Nice regarding the number of days you want to spend there. Nice is not just the Promenade des Anglais; it’s much more! So, here are our recommendations by the length of stay in Nice.

1.1. Visiting Nice in one day

What to do in Nice in one day? Here is the list of the best things to do in Nice in 1 day:

Walking on the Promenade des Anglais: if there is only one thing to do in Nice, it is to walk on the Promenade des Anglais or take a bike! Several guided tours by electric bike are offered. For example, this bike tour in English. The advantage is discovering more things than on foot and benefiting from the guide’s advice.

Strolling through Old Nice: the Cours Saleya pedestrian street and its market, Place du Palais de la Justice, Place Rossetti, and Place Saint Francois. For example, to discover Nice on foot and get to know the city better, you can also take a 3-hour guided tour in a small group.

Visiting the Sainte-Réparate Cathedral in Nice, located in the heart of Old Nice.

1.2. Visiting Nice in 2 days

If you want to visit Nice in 2 days, here is what you can do in addition:

Going on a cruise: taking a boat trip is one of the activities you absolutely must do in Nice to mark your stay! There are several possible routes. For example, this one-hour cruise to the bay of Villefranche. It’s an excellent opportunity to discover Nice and its colors in a different way!

Climbing the Colline du Château: You can climb the Colline du Château from Old Nice to admire a magnificent view of the city and the sea! You can climb the Hill on foot, by elevator, or by the little tourist train from the city of Nice. Access to the Colline du Château is closed after 8 pm (6 pm from October to March)

Visiting the Saint-Nicolas Cathedral in Nice: discover this Russian Orthodox cathedral and its bulbs! The Russian community has been vast in Nice since the end of the Russian Empire. Before the pandemic, there even was a direct train from Nice to Moscow every week. It is an interesting and surprising place to visit in Nice! Free entry.

Walking on the Promenade du Paillon: a green corridor linking the Promenade des Anglais to the National Theater of Nice and passing by the Jardin Albert 1er, another excellent place to visit in Nice.

1.3. Best things to do for visiting Nice in 3 days

What else to visit and do in Nice? Here are some ideas for visits and discoveries:

Taking a cruise to Monte Carlo and the village of Eze: discover the Côte d’Azur in all its splendor from the sea! You will admire exceptional views of Nice, Cap Ferrat, and the Mediterranean, but also be able to visit the medieval village of Eze and Monaco. Here is an example of a possible cruise: Cruise with departure and return stops in Nice.

Visiting the Villa Masséna: an architectural gem on the Promenade des Anglais! Sumptuous decorations, pretty paintings, furniture, and artworks: the Villa Masséna is a place that will give you wonderful memories of Nice!

Walking on the coastal path: take a pedestrian walk from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer and enjoy the exceptional sea views! If you visit Nice in summer, it is better to take the trail in the morning when the temperature is still cool. The walk can take up to 2 hours.

Discovering the Cimiez area in Nice: take a walk in the Jardin des Arènes or visit the Cimiez Monastery, the Archaeological Museum, or the Museum of painter Henri Matisse.

1.4. What else to visit or do in Nice?

Some more ideas that can inspire you:

Villa Kerylos: a dwelling built on the model of the villas of ancient Greece (skip the line ticket)
Palais Lascaris Museum: 17th-century aristocratic residence located in the heart of Old Nice.
Observatory of the Côte d’Azur: at the top of Mont Gros, you can test your knowledge of the solar system!
Nice Botanical Garden: a place for walking and discovering more than 3000 plants!
Sunset cruise: to better discover the surroundings of Nice, you can take a sunset cruise in Cap Ferrat.
Fort du Mont Alban: military fortification built in the 16th century and well preserved: an interesting visit in Nice.

2. Hotels and apartments where to stay in Nice

Nice is very well located for visiting other fascinating places on the French Riviera: by boat, train or car. Lots of excursions and activities depart from Nice. If you want to visit the Côte d’Azur, you can, therefore, choose Nice as your base camp from where you can visit the other places.

2.1. Hotels in the heart of the old town of Nice

Palais Saleya Boutique hotel: it is a 4-star hotel in the heart of Old Nice which offers suites and apartments with one, two, or three bedrooms. It is an excellent place to stop in Nice as a couple or with the family.

Albert 1er: it is a 3-star hotel located on the seafront close to the Jardin Albert 1er. Some hotel rooms have a sea view! ?

2.2. Apartments where to stay in Nice

85m2 apartment for 6 people with a magnificent view! It is a perfect place to discover Nice and its surroundings with family or friends. The apartment is spacious and very nicely decorated. The selling point of the apartment is, of course, the incredible view from its balcony!

40m2 apartment for 2, 3, or 4 people close to the Promenade des Anglais! A lovely apartment well equipped and very well located for visiting Nice.

2.3. Hotels for a romantic trip to Nice

The Boscolo Nice Hotel & Spa is a beautiful place to stay a night in Nice as a couple. By booking a double room, you have free access to the hotel’s spa and swimming pools, including a heated pool! A favorite. ?

Best Western: a safe bet at a more affordable price. A 5-minute walk from the Promenade des Anglais, this Best Western offers beautiful double rooms and a garden with a fountain where breakfast is served.

The Hotel Suisse is a very nice 4-star hotel on the beach with good value for money for Nice. The double rooms have a sea view: perfect for a weekend or a romantic getaway in Nice. From the hotel, you can see the Mediterranean, but also the Promenade des Anglais!

With higher rates, Le Meridien Nice is a 4-star hotel on the beach, offering double rooms with stunning sea views! The hotel will also have an outdoor swimming pool and a terrace with a panoramic view.

2.4. Other fabulous hotels where to stay for visiting Nice

Hotel de France. 100m from the Promenade des Anglais, this hotel offers rooms with attractive decor and a delicious breakfast. There is also a beautiful terrace.

Palm Hotel Nice is a 3-star hotel located 300m from Old Nice. The hotel does not offer breakfast, but there are plenty of places around you can have breakfast, especially on the way to the beach.

Find all the hotels and apartments where to stay in Nice: accommodation in Nice. In addition to hotels and apartments, if you come to Nice or the French Riviera with family or friends, you can rent a villa: selection of villa rentals on the French Riviera.

3. Good places to eat when visiting Nice

Le Panier: This is an excellent place to have a great time in the heart of Old Nice! It is a restaurant with a shaded outdoor terrace. Good value for money, a perfect atmosphere, and terrific holiday memories in Nice!

Chez Acchiardo is a restaurant in the heart of the Old Town of Nice which offers a rustic setting, but above all, meals from Nice! An excellent place to have lunch if you want to visit Nice in one day, 2 or 3 days.

JAN: a delicious restaurant located a few steps from the Port of Nice. The decor and the setting are top, and the kitchen is too! Refined dishes and good quality products.

LES GARÇONS: excellent value for money! Local products and wonderful flavors. On the other hand, the restaurant is on the ground floor with a part in the basement and no terrace.

4. What to do in Nice when it rains?

If you come to Nice in the rain, you will favor places to visit inside.

Here are some ideas of what you can do in Nice when it rains:

Villa Massena
Nice Opera
Nice Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Marc Chagall Museum
Lascaris Palace
Archaeological Museum of Nice-Cimiez
Nice Museum of Fine Arts

To do near Nice when it rains:

Lazaret cave, located down Mont Boron
Maeght Foundation

5. What to visit around Nice?

Nice is a perfect place to spend a weekend on the French Riviera, from where you can visit other towns and villages of the French Riviera by boat, car, or train.

What are the must-see places on the French Riviera to visit from Nice?

Cannes and its famous Croisette (see more here: Tips for visiting Cannes)
Villefranche-sur-Mer: a very pretty little Mediterranean town
The peninsula of billionaires: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (known especially for the city of Ephrussi de Rothschild)
The Gulf of Saint Tropez (find out in this post: Tips for visiting St Tropez)
Grasse: a picturesque and peaceful place, easy to discover from Nice by train (1h) and by car (40min) / More in this post: Visit Grasse in one day
Antibes (see more: best things to do in Antibes)
Monaco (How to visit Monaco: best things to do and visit)
From Nice, it is also possible to visit the Gorges du Verdon and the lavender fields!

The villages to visit around Nice:

Eze: one of the most beautiful villages in France!

Coaraze
Saint Agnes
Shovel
More ideas in our post: Visiting Nice’s countryside
When visiting the French Riviera, take this opportunity to visit the most beautiful villages of the Côte d’Azur.

6. How to get to Nice from Paris, Lyon, Marseille, or Cannes?

From Paris. You can go to Nice from Paris by train (6-hour journey), by car (10-hour journey) or by plane (1h30 flight).

By train. TER trains run between Cannes and Nice and take around 30-40 minutes for the journey. To go to Nice, then Lyon, plan at least a 4h30 journey.

By car. You can go to Nice by car: 6 hours from Toulouse, 2 hours from Marseille, and 5-6 hours from Lyon.

Nice is a beautiful city where you can spend an excellent weekend and part of your holidays on the Côte d’Azur. 2 or 3 days can be enough to visit Nice, but you can also stay there the whole week and travel from here to other places on the French Riviera. Enjoy the sun of Nice, and great discoveries to all!

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Nice: Best things to do and see | Visiting Nice