what to do in nice

by kat & joe

nice

Nice has easily got to be one of our ALL TIME favourite places! Often we ask ourselves “Where would be our favourite place to live” (out of all the places we’ve visited), and Nice always comes out on top of our list for so many reasons!

 

This seaside city just oozes that holiday lifestyle that we wish we could live and breathe daily! Joe has been lucky enough to visit twice, once in the summer and another in November when we went together. Even in November, the sun was still shining and bringing the heat creating a long lasting summer season. Seeing the locals mix in with the holidayers, where they’d be sipping their wines in the sun along with having some cheeses before heading home for the evening is such a normal sight – it is simply ingrained into their culture and way of living! In all honesty, we can’t think of any other cities which offer such stress free vibes! It’s no wonder why the Mediterraneans live longer, happier lives!

what is & where is nice

Nice is located right on the Mediterranean coast in the south of France and forms part of the infamous French Riviera. Being the fifth largest city in France, the city functions all year-round giving you plenty of activities anytime of the year! With warm dry summers, Nice is one of those iconic destinations where people come from far and wide to bask in the sun, enjoy the cuisine and stroll along the picturesque Promenade des Anglais. 

 

With more than 300 sunny days a year, Nice is also a perfect winter’s escape if you’re wanting to escape the cold and be in a more mild climate! When we went in mid-November, we were still in t-shirts! The added bonus of not going in the summer is not having to deal with the crowds and being able to dine wherever and whenever you please. It was great being able to walk into whichever restaurant without a reservation because at the end of a long day, there’s nothing worse than not being able to get a seat anywhere!

how to get there

Nice has an international airport and getting into the city is very straightforward via the tram. As mentioned, the train stations are very well connected, making it incredibly easy to venture out to other areas in the French Riviera including Eze, Menton, Monaco, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cannes, St Tropez and Marseilles (just to name a few!) All valid reasons why this would be a city we would live in. 

local activities

Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Nice is to just relax and walk around. This city is so laid back and is full of restaurants and bars to refresh yourselves after the beach or exploring the old town. Nevertheless, here’s how we would spend our time in Nice:

 

Promenade

You’re finally here and are in the heart of the French Riviera! Drop off your bags and get yourself down to the promenade to soak it all in! We feel like this area is the heart and soul of Nice and you’ll come to understand that there really aren’t many better places to be. By mid-morning through to the late afternoon, the waterfront will have a steady stream of people and by the evening, many people will be having beach picnics while the sun goes down.

 

Beach

If you’re here in the summer, you’ll definitely need to spend a day at the beach. Sun Loungers and umbrellas are available from the designated areas, otherwise the free option is to get yourself comfy on the rocks and pebbles. Sandwiched between Monaco and Nice is Villefranche-sur-Mer which offers a sandy beach. This popular beach stop is only a short train distance from Nice making it an ideal activity!

 

Notable sights

There are various sights all within walkable distances in Nice. We visited the viewpoint at Colline du Château, the Russian Orthodox Church, Nice Cathedral and Notre-Dame Basilica.

 

day trips

Make the most of Nice’s public transport connections and explore the French Riviera further! We decided to head to Eze, Monaco and Menton during our stay in Nice.

Eze

Eze offers something completely different to the traditional towns in the French Riviera which is why we felt like we had to visit. Set on top of a hill, this medieval town is so well preserved and transports you back to far older times. The village is only small so it won’t take long to see everything. This also means that there isn’t too much to do as it’s more of a case of seeing something different. If you’ve decided to head to Eze, you may as well buy a ticket to the botanical garden “Le Jardin Exotique” for views over the Mediterranean. We recommend getting here in the morning before the crowds build and then getting the train to another town once you’re done exploring. It’s important to know that you should catch the bus here, otherwise if you go for the train you will need to hike up the hill which is not what you want to do. We walked down to the train station from Eze Village and it would’ve taken around 45 minutes – we can’t imagine what it would’ve been like going up as it is certainly a steep hill!

Monaco

After Eze, we caught the train to Monaco. In all honesty, this was probably our least favourite activity during our trip. The best way to describe it is that you could tell this place is very luxurious and grand, but it feels quite old and dated in some parts. We think it was certainly more impressive perhaps 20 or so years ago, but it feels like not much has really changed in that time making it lose its main characteristic. It made us wonder if people just tend to come here because of the whole idea of Monaco, its affiliation and reputation. Still, it remains as one of the most expensive and wealthy countries in the world and you’ll see a lot of this wealth in the cars and super yachts, but we think you can use your valuable holiday time at better places in the French Riviera.

Menton

The next day, we caught the 35min train from Nice to Menton and what a nice surprise this place was! We didn’t know much about Menton, but it is slightly different to the other French Riviera towns. This is largely due to it previously forming part of the Republic of Genoa in Italy and subsequently having an Italian influence. With its proximity to Italy, Menton is the last town of the French Riviera before you reach the Italian border. Menton boasts an impressive old town and seafront which is lined with palm trees. Prices are also lower here too compared to other Riviera towns! We feel like an afternoon spent here is far better than Monaco, where your money goes much further and also freeing up time to explore another Riviera town!

Other Day Trips

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to make it to the likes of St Tropez, Antibes and Cannes. We have heard mixed things about the more popular spots on the Riviera so we definitely recommend doing your research and choosing the towns which align best with what you want to see! 

final review

So, now you know why Nice is the perfect base for an amazing trip to the French Riviera! It will certainly take a lot for another city to take its spot in our dream city to live in! Be sure to enjoy everything Nice has to offer, as well as venturing further out for a day trip as there is nothing quite like arriving back into Nice after a fun day exploring the other towns. We are absolutely sure you will have the greatest of times, whether you visit in the summer or off season!

 

See you next time,

Kat & Joe