We spent a week in Nice, on the French Côte d’Azur, combining a holiday with watching my daughter compete in Nice Ironman. Here is my pick of the top 10 things to do on a visit to Nice – and they don’t include an Ironman!
How to get to Nice
We flew from the UK (Bristol) to Nice. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is 5 miles south west of the old town. There is a regular tram service from the airport into the city. Nice airport is well connected with flights from all over Europe as well as the US, Canada, the Middle East and North Africa. It is also possible to travel by train via the TGV from Paris, or various other European destinations.
Nice Cote d’Azur Airport has two terminals, each with a tram stop directly outside. The tram (L2) runs approximately every 8 minutes and takes around 28 minutes to get to the old town (Garibaldi/Le Chateau). A return ticket costs €10.
Note: Most tram rides cost €1.70, with the airport being the exception. The tram between the airport terminals and Grand Arénas is free, so you could theoretically get into town cheaper. But it sounded like too much faff to save a few euros, so we bought the Aero ticket. You need to purchase a ticket from the machine on the platform and validate it when you enter the tram.
Getting around Nice
Nice is a pretty city overlooking the Mediterranean with a plethora of parks and plenty of public art. So it is a pleasant place to explore by foot. If this is too much or you want to explore further afield, there is an extensive public transport system. There are two tram lines; Line 2 runs east to west from the airport to the port. And Line 1 forms a U shape around the city centre, intersecting with L2 in two locations (Jean Médecin and Garibaldi).
In addition, there are a tourist hop-on-hop-off bus and a land train which stop at the main tourist attractions.
Where to stay in Nice
There are plenty of hotels lining the promenade. As we travelled in a group, we opted to stay in an apartment overlooking Port Lympia; Résidence Rauba Capeu. The two bedroom apartment has a kitchen, bathroom and living room with a small balcony to observe the comings and goings in the port down below, which can become quite addictive!
Nice: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | Pose for a selfie by the # I Love Nice Sign |
| 2 | Admire the view from the Colline du Château |
| 3 | Go shopping in the Cours Saleya Markets |
| 4 | Picnic in the Jardin Albert 1er |
| 5 | Stroll through the Place Masséna |
| 6 | Continue strolling through the Promenade du Paillon |
| 7 | Get lost in the Old Town |
| 8 | Hit the beach at Plage des Ponchettes |
| 9 | Admire the yachts at Port Lympia |
| 10 | Explore along the Promenade des Anglais |
No 1 – Pose for a selfie by the # I Love Nice Sign
A visit to Nice would be incomplete without the obligatory photo op in front of the # I love Nice Sign, with the promenade and the stunning azul blue of the Mediterranean spreading out behind.
The sign is usually blue, white and red. However, when we visited, it had been painted yellow to mark the arrival of the final stage of the Tour de France. For the first time in the race’s 121 year history, the tour finished somewhere other than Paris, as the capital geared up for the 2024 Olympics.
No 2 – Admire the view from the Colline du Château
There is no longer a château on the Colline du Château (Castle Hill), this was razed at the command of Louis XIV in 1706. Instead, the area is now a park overlooking the city. You can reach the top by climbing a series of stairs. Alternatively, there is a free lift (L’Ascenseur du Château) just across the road from the # I Love Nice Sign.
From the top, there is a spectacular view across the city and Mediterranean.
In addition to the viewpoints, the park also has an artificial waterfall and a popular children’s play area.
No 3 – Go shopping in the Cours Saleya Markets
Just inland from the promenade, you will find the Cours Saleya Markets. Technically, there are two markets; flowers and food, but it’s equally a great place for souvenir shopping with soaps, lavender and all sorts of other gifts. It is a wonderful place to wander round, enjoying the sights and aromas of fresh bread, fruit and spices mingling with scent of the flowers. Fruit is sold not only complete, but also chopped and ready to eat.
The markets are open every morning with the exception of Monday, when there is a flea market here instead.
No 4- Picnic in the Jardin Albert 1er
Designed in the 19th Century, the Jardin Albert 1er is one of Nice’s oldest public gardens. It links the Promenade with the old town. There is a lawn surrounded by palm trees and flower beds, fountains and a carousel. Apparently, it even has a refreshing mist that puffs up from the ground to cool passers-by on sunny days. The park hosts various festivals during the summer. When we visited, it contained the Ironman Expo.
Pick up lunch in the market or at one of the many bakeries in the old town for a picnic in the garden. We bought delicious tomato tarts from Boulangerie Jeannot and chunks of water melon from the market.
No 5 – Stroll through the Place Masséna
Place Masséna is a grand 19th Century city square, which sits between the Jardin Albert 1er and the Promenade du Paillon
Fontaine du Soleil
On one side of the square is the Fontaine du Soleil, with a statue of Apollo surrounded by five bronze horses.
No 6 – Continue strolling through the Promenade du Paillon
The Promenade du Paillon is a linear park which runs for around half a mile along the northern edge of the old town. It has fountains, playgrounds and public art.
Fontaine Miroir d’Eau
At the bottom end is the Fontaine Miroir d’Eau (Water Mirror Fountain). This rectangular area is lined with 128 small fountains, which erupt every 15 minutes, to the great joy of the many children who come to play in the water.
Further up is a playground with some interesting play stations, such as the whale fossil climbing frame.
No 7 – Get lost in the Old Town
Take some time wandering through the narrow criss-crossing streets of the old town, Vieux Nice, which are lined with shops and restaurants.
No 9 – Hit the beach at Plage des Ponchettes
The Nice coast is divided into zones, with some private and some public beaches. To be honest, the beaches aren’t great; there is no sand and the pebbles are difficult to walk on and uncomfortable to sit on. In addition, there is a very steep drop into the sea, making entering the water difficult and painful, as the waves lash you with pebbles while you clamber up or down the bank. But you can’t go to Nice and not go to the beach.
We opted for a public beach; the furthest east of Nice’s beaches, Plage des Ponchettes.
If you opt to pay to access a private beach, there may be carpets and chains to facilitate water access. And you can hire a sun bed to increase your comfort.
No 9 – Admire the yachts at Port Lympia
In the evening, take a stroll around Port Lympia. Nice’s port is lined with bars and restaurants on one side and yachts on the other. You can take a wander or sit at a pavement cafe to admire the super yachts of the rich and famous moored along the quayside.
There are plenty of restaurants in the port area where you can dine with a view of the Mediterranean. We opted for La Shounga, which sells platters and tapas and also excellent mojitos.
No 10 – Explore along the Promenade des Anglais
The Promenade des Anglais is Nice’s iconic prom, which runs along the coast from the old town to the airport. The promenade also runs further east from the old town towards the port, but this is called the Quai des États-Unis.
The Promenade provides a pleasant stroll overlooking the beach and the azul blue Mediterranean. Adjacent to the pedestrian promenade are a bike lane and a road. The opposite side of the road is lined with bars, restaurants and hotels. If you’re crazy, you can even opt to run up and down the length of Promenade four times as part of Nice Ironman!
La Chaise Bleue
There are a number of sculptures and statues lining the Promenade. The most well known sculpture is La Chaise Bleue (The Blue Chair). The story of the blue chairs dates back to the 1950s, when they were introduced to the Promenade for people to pay to sit on.
Le Negresco
There are several art nouveau hotels near the old town, including Nice’s most famous hotel; the lavish pink 1912 hotel known simply as Le Negresco.
Picnic on the Prom
Pick up supplies from the market or a boulangerie for an al fresco lunch on one of the benches which line the Promenade.
- Trip taken: June 2024
- Updated: May 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
Jane's Midlife Journey 
Leave a comment