While passing through Nice, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the beautiful city of Nice! Visit Nice for a day!  Ready for a short but yet intense trip in Nice? I reveal you my favorite addresses and not to be missed places.  Keep reading!

How to get to Nice :

• By plane: Nice airport is very close to the city center (20 minutes by bus). What a luck! All you have to do is catch the 98 or 99 bus with a connection on the Lignes d’Azur urban network. These buses will drop you off in the center for 6€.
• By car: in this case it gets a little complicated. It is rather difficult to park or almost impossible to find a free place for the day.  A small good plan: use the relay parking lots on the azure line. The purchase of a return ticket will allow you to enjoy free parking all day long. I advise you to park at the Parcazur Palais des Expositions and then take the city tramway Palais des Expositions.
• By train: The train station is located in the center, a few minutes walk and the rue Masséna will be in front of you.

Your program to discover Nice in one day

Take the time to enjoy your morning:

A good day starts with a good breakfast in the sun! 🙂 Meeting point at liberation, easily accessible by the city tramway-  direction Las Planas. I particularly like this district: typical, lively and local. It’s nice to get off the beaten track and to discover the daily life of the people of Nice. These small cafés and its colorful market reveal the Dolce Vita version of Nice.

You will find many cafés on the terrace (quite similar quality/price levels).

• For a snacking break: the Tintin Kiosk offers specialties from Nice such as Pan Bagnat and pissaladières, panini and other mixed salads.
• For a fresh fruit juice I recommend the rooftop of the hotel Monsigny. It offers a nice view on the roofs of the city (it is not open in winter)

After your small break, go back down the Avenue Jean Médecin. You will find there all the signs: zara, h&m, calzedonia, galerie lafayette etc…  Take the time to enjoy the place Jean Médecin, there are often events. The beautiful green flow surrounds the square, a green corner resting in the city center, ideal for oxygenation.

Time for a bite

Behind Place Jean Médecin you can find the Old Nice: the tourist heart of the city of Nice. With its artisanal food stores: fresh pasta factories, Niçois dishes, butcher stores, bakeries, grocery stores but also many restaurants, cafés, wine bars, ice cream stores. Old Nice owes its charm to its narrow streets, its warm red and yellow colors to which is added the scent of spices and food. Ideal for strolling, tasting, enjoying the galleries of artists of all kinds, you will love it!

Must – see in the old Nice :

• Discover the Rosseti square: a typical Nice square with local stores and its relaxing village atmosphere.
• The Cours Saleya. A lively place that exudes a warm atmosphere with its flower market and historic restaurants! Special mention to the restaurant “Le flore”; nice service and a satisfactory quality/price ratio for this not – to – be – missed place!

For a small coffee or or a smoothie : have a look at my article – special bars and restaurants in Nice.

For an afternoon stroll and a 360° view

Cours Saleya leads to the Promenade des Anglais: with its bicycle paths, kiosks, pergolas and palm trees. The legendary blue deckchairs on the promenade offer those who are strolling the comfort of sitting and enjoying the spectacle of nature.

The Quai des Etats-Unis, one of the most beautiful places to photograph our beautiful Mediterranean!

Not to be missed: the magnificent panoramic view on the hill of the Castle: a place of walk very appreciated by the locals and tourists who come there to seek calm, greenery and to contemplate Nice in height.

How to get there: at the end of the Quai des Etats-Unis (extension of the Promenade des Anglais towards the port of Nice) just before the bend of the Quai Ruba Capeu, is the first entrance. You have two choices: climb the stairs along the Bellanda Tower for the sporty ones or take the elevators to get to the panorama faster.

Breathtaking landscapes, to your cameras!

On your way down, head for the Port for a small coffee or a snack. I let you discover my favorite addresses in the Port of Nice. I particularly like this area which reminds me of my childhood with its neighborhood life, its pretty marina and its typical boats from the Mediterranean basin.

Your evening in the old Nice

• To Socialise, meet new people and have fun Riviera bar crawl
• For an aperitif: the Movida; warm atmosphere, loud music and delicious tapas.
• For a restaurant: ‘Le Flore’ on the Cours Saleya.
• For a bar: le Méridien, the terraces of the Plaza. I have already made a selection of the best bars and restaurants in Nice for your convenience.

Take advantage of Nice’s mild climate to walk along the Promenade des Anglais. On the Opera side, the promenade offers to everyone a beautiful atmosphere: the noise of the sea, the street shows, the happy tourists.

Discover other ideas to spend your day in Nice!